[CQ-Contest] Assisted or not assisted question (yet again)

[mike at n1ta.com]

WWV and beacons = physically tune your radio to the frequency
RBN and spots = watch the monitor

What's the difference? One is instant, the other takes valuable time.

Prop predictor = educated "guess" of a program based on parameters
RBN = real time feedback based on real stations

What's the difference? One is theoretical, the other is actual.

As a side note, I operated WPX CW this past weekend from a W3CRA -style
hillside location at a local boy scout camp. We had no internet and no
RF link to any cluster node. I had no way of knowing how well the
skimmers were hearing me, and I certainly had no way of knowing if my
frequency was clear over the pond. Would seeing skimmer spots for my own
call have been beneficial? Yes, you bet it would have. Did I have access
to it? No.

Just remember, there are many participants worldwide in these contests,
and many have no access to any sort of packet or RBN. Operating assisted
or non-assisted for these op's is not so much a choice, and it is
especially for them that we should keep non-assisted as true as
possible.

Mike N1TA



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Assisted or not assisted question (yet again)
From: Igor Sokolov <ua9cdc at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 30, 2012 11:43 am
To: Dale Putnam <daleputnam at hotmail.com>
Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com

Ok guys,
First of all I want to remind you that my interest is purely
theoretical. I
am not going to use this technique when SO not assisted unless contest
sponsors say "it is OK to use it". All I am trying to do is to find as
close to perfect definition of "not assisted" as possible with your
help.
So far there are a lot of contradictions in most of the arguments. Until
skimmers appeared assistance was interpreted as getting helping
information from other human beings. It is not anymore. Still getting
outside information is allowed in some cases (WWV, beacons) and not
allowed
in other cases. I am afraid the border line is quickly turning into
'grey
zone".

73, Igor UA9CDC

2012/5/31 Dale Putnam <daleputnam at hotmail.com>

>
> And that... specifically is what makes it "assisted" Outside
> information, not readily available without outside assistance.
>
> --... ...--
> Dale - WC7S in Wy
> In essence I would not get no outside help in locating,
> > identifying and working stations in the contest. I just get accurate and
> up
> > to date information about propagation which is basically more accurate
> then
> > what I might have got with the help of propagation prediction software.
>
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