[CQ-Contest] Remote operating software - for NCJ column

[Paul O'Kane]

On 16/01/2022 15:38, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:

> From the number of comments I've received, both on the reflector and 
> off, it appears that a prime subject these days is remote operation.

It appears that N4ZR has little or no interest in using software to 
modernize contest exchanges, even though he specifically asked for 
comments on call history files.  The fact that remote operation is a hot 
topic is no reason to disregard other aspects of contesting software.  
As confirmation of his intent, N4ZR has unilaterally changed the subject 
of this thread from "Software Column in NCJ - Need Ideas"  to  "Remote 
operating software - for NCJ column"

How relevant is remote contesting to NCJ?  After all, the software 
issues relate to station control and signal relay over wide-area 
networks, to internet dependence, and to internet latency - in short, to 
wired communications.  Internet-based apps can and do complement 
ham-band contesting, but when contest QSOs cannot exist without being 
hosted on the internet it marks them out as something completely 
different from person-to-person, RF-all-the-way QSOs.

There has been some negative comment on this thread about remote 
stations for hire (subscriber remote operation).   It seems to me that 
once remote contesting is accepted on exactly the same terms as hands-on 
contesting, it's hypocritical to complain about remote stations for 
hire.  No one complains about hands-on stations for hire in exotic DX 
locations.

Remote contesting is here to stay, but to regard it as no different from 
hands-on contesting is both misguided and foolish. Let remote contesters 
compete only with one another.

73,
Paul EI5DI