[CQ-Contest] Skimmer had finally arrived

[Timothy Coker]

I found the same domestic Unlimited's and Multis in the "quick hit group".
The big multi's and K6LL come to mind, others too that I will remember
after my first cup of coffee this morning. I learned the pecking order just
fine and had to click on the new skimmer spot within seconds if I was to
get in on the initial CQ or two before my waiting game began.

The Skimmer spots are great when the masses are trying to work a new juicy
mult and are zero beating each other. I just drop my call on the juicy one
and get through or go work 1-3 common Skimmer spots. I would then come back
and try to work the juicy one again. If I wasn't successful I could always
repeat the above process to keep the rate up while chasing the big mult.
There were not many stations that I could work, who were running, that I
needed to find without the Skimmer's already having posted them.

Assisted category entrants without Skimmer spots in a CW contest are at an
amazing disadvantage to each other is my opinion over the past two years.

73,

Tim / N6WIN.

On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 4:08 AM, Edward Sawyer <SawyerEd at earthlink.net>wrote:

> For the first time, I can say, that skimmer is finally making a noticeable
> impact out there.  As likely the most active Vermont station out there this
> weekend, I was a needed "mult" for most.  I noticed that when I started
> CQing on 80M or even 160 the first night.  Within 1 minute I would often
> get
> called by a handful of stations, many M/M usually all at the same time.  I
> checked this morning, and as I suspected, I wasn't spotted on the cluster
> that quickly.  Interestingly, this was not 100 stations it was no more than
> half a dozen from a region (15M to JA had the same affect).  I noticed a
> couple of SA and EU stations were always in the first group on 3 different
> bands where it occurred.
>
>
>
> Clearly skimmer is having an impact.  I found it interesting that it was
> quick and efficient but not overwhelmingly numerous, yet.  If there are
> hundreds of skimmer enabled "quick find and hit" stations out there, most
> are not doing too well with it yet.  I ran a few times on 80M.  The quick
> hit group was gone in less than 2 mins usually.  Then you would settle in
> to
> a "normal run".  Periodically a spot might happen and you get the uptick.
> But if hundreds were employing this technique, you would know it.  They
> aren't.  Not from what I see.  At least not in Europe, where the VT mult on
> 80M was a wanted commodity.  And it isn't not being heard, because I would
> then knock off 50 or more stations from around the region with no problem.
>
>
>
> I am sure there are A LOT more people using skimmer populating the band map
> than what I am describing above.  But the "quick hit" group appears small
> yet.  Next year I expect it will increase significantly.
>
>
>
> Ed  N1UR
>
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