[CQ-Contest] Remote operations

[David Siddall]

Just so that there is no confusion:  K4VV, (operated M/M under the callsign
K3TN in ARRL CW) is a Virginia station built by former PVRC president K4VV
and managed by his good friend W0YR.  It is not one of the rental
stations.  This station's remote capabilities were designed and built by
its operators, first and foremost by W0YV.

An interesting facet is that the station has no wired internet connection.
Internet is received at the shack wirelessly over the 2.4 MHz WiFi/ham
band, albeit operating as a Part 15 WISP.  But they could up the power and
use their ham privileges to make the Internet connection if more than Part
15 was needed.

Another interesting factoid is that the station was snow-bound during the
ARRL CW contest.  After Saturday morning no one could easily have accessed
the shack even if they wished.  The station would have been absent from the
airwaves without the remote capability.

And finally, a little-known fact:  it sits on an amateur radio historic
piece of land.  This was the location of K4LIB's station, otherwise known
as  Arthur Godfrey.  (Youngsters: ask your parents.)

My hat is off to K4VV, W0YR, and the others who pulled this off after years
of innovative work.

73, Dave K3ZJ



On Thu, Feb 26, 2015 at 5:43 PM, K4XS via CQ-Contest <
cq-contest at contesting.com> wrote:

> I don't have a dog in this fight.  I don't operate remote and  I don't rent
> my station out for remote ops.
>
> I spent big bucks and lots of time building my station(s).  If  someone
> else wants to spend $30/hr  to remotely operate a station, who  cares?
> Maybe
> the guy lives in an apartment or condo with no antenna.   As long as he
> properly IDs and operates in good practice I have no  problem.
>
> If he wants to blow $1440 to remotely operate a contest for 48  hours, is
> that really a lot different than someone flying to Aruba or KP2  spending
> money on airfare and renting a station in person?
>
> I chose to spend $$ on my station to gain an advantage in contests,  the
> remote op chooses to do it differently.  The guy who flies to a  semi-rare
> location for a contest does it differently too.  Which is  unfair?  None.
>
> Our hobby is changing and always has been.  Those of us old  farts remember
> when SSB was relegated to the top of the phone band.   Remember when
> computer logging started?   Shrieks and howls. Remember  when super check
> partial
> started?  Shrieks and howls.  SO2R?   Shieks and howls.  All of them
> brought
> controversy  and changes to  contesting.  And guess what, the sky didn't
> fall and contesting is alive  and well.  Remote operating may not be my or
> your cup of tea.   However, like it or not, it is here to stay...just like
> computer logging, SO2R  and SCP.
>
> K4XS/KH7XS
>
>
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