[CQ-Contest] Remote contesting and internet hunting

Tree tree at kkn.net
Mon Nov 5 03:36:44 EST 2012


Paul, EI5DI writes:

> It seems to me that remote-control contesting makes
> about as much sense as remote-control hunting.

I guess I am not seeing the correlation between the two.

The nature of the way the radio works is that the human is interfacing to
what is happening in the RF playground using a "modem" if you will (the
radio).  Inside modern radios - signals are likely being converted to a
bunch of numbers and back into something the human can hear.  I don't see
how changing that signal back into a bunch of numbers and sending them to
the kitchen or India changes the nature of the "hunt" at all.  (I saw a
posting from someone recently where they finished a contest in the kitchen
because they had to feed the kids he was "babysitting" while the contest
was still on).

When I "hunted" my last section - the experience was just the same as if I
was at home (except for trying to deal with the latency issue).  When VE3ZI
came back to "W7?" - it was a great feeling.  That's why we contest - for
the "feeling" - and it is no different.  I had to find the station - figure
out when (and where) to call him.  I would have gone through the same exact
steps if I were at the station.  The chase was the same.  Nobody helped me
"point the gun" or even load it.

I can see something like this being a great option for people who don't
have a station but want to get involved in a contest.  I know others are
already doing this.  I don't see how this is a bad thing (other than it
made me a bit more of a lid than I normally am).  More activity in the
contest is good for the contest.

Tree N6TR


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