[CQ-Contest] Ham Radio in the Future

David Gilbert ab7echo at gmail.com
Wed Aug 13 13:48:37 EDT 2025 

I actually had something more radical in mind, with the following purely 
as a thought exercise.

Instead of tuning around looking for stations, imagine a visual 
interface representing a colorful, fairly detailed, immersive world that 
we had to physically explore to find other operators.  We wouldn't know 
their frequency until we found somebody, and when we clicked on their 
avatar the program would change the frequency on our rig to match theirs 
so we could call them.

An explorer would have to be within a certain distance in this visual 
representation of the world in order to initiate a contact. The explorer 
would be the same as somebody doing search-and-pounce in a current 
contest, and the other operator could be the same as somebody running a 
frequency, except the "other operator" could also click on somebody else 
and move to their frequency.  I readily admit this could get very 
confusing ... and even disconnected from propagation ... if everyone 
randomly moves around the map.  But l say again, this is all just for 
stimulating the imagination anyway.

You'd still have to know propagation because there would be no point 
"traveling" to some place without propagation, or calling somebody you 
could "see" in the visual interface but not hear in real life since  
you'd still have to make the contact using CW or SSB or RTTY or 
whatever.  The transmission could be sent manually via key or mic, or 
via a macro in the program just like is done with loggers. The actual 
mechanics of making the contact would be virtually the same as it is now 
... the difference would be how we find the person to make the contact with.

If we were an explorer, we'd "travel" to places we expected to have 
propagation.  Travel in the imaginary world could be done by first 
clicking on a popup map (just as is done in video games) and then moving 
around on foot to look for other people to contact, who wouldn't have to 
be running stations ... they could be other explorers we come across.

Other aspects (competition, degrees of difficulty, etc) could be built 
into the program that generated obstacles to finding a contact ... or 
enhanced the opportunity to do so.

Obviously the number of contacts would be far less than in a current 
contest, and I could imagine scenarios that could be problematic 
(stepping on other contacts being one of them).  Setup would include 
your callsign and location, but also need your frequency restrictions to 
prevent clicking on somebody's avatar causing you to transmit where your 
license didn't give you the authority to do so.

As I said at the beginning, this is only a description of a possible way 
to create a totally different environment for radiosport.  It's purely 
for the sake of trying to broaden the scope.  I can almost guarantee 
that 98+ percent of the folks on this reflector would find something 
like this to be abhorrent ... but I suspect that a tech-minded 25 year 
old would view it differently.

As an aside, I asked ChatGPT whether it would be able to program 
something like this if given the proper guidance.  It gave me a pretty 
extensive description of how it could be accomplished ... including my 
insistence that it have the ability to simulate everything.  I passed 
that by my oldest son who is quite proficient as a software designer, 
albeit one with zero interest in ham radio. He told me that he didn't 
see anything obviously wrong with what ChatGPT proposed.  I doubt 
whether I'd be able to have the software smarts to pull off something 
like this, but for those who do the path might not be so daunting.

There are no doubt more clever and creative possibilities than this one.

73,
Dave   AB7E



On 8/13/2025 5:25 AM, Mike Fatchett W0MU wrote:
> Agree. The infrastructure has to be created to make it happen. I think 
> that is where people are getting off track.  There could be new 
> contests or as you say an overlay to existing contests. The cloud Dr 
> DX element being an alternative environment for when other contests on 
> the air are not happening.
>
> W0MU
>
> On 8/13/2025 5:52 AM, Randy Thompson wrote:
>> The things you are proposing could easily be layered over an existing 
>> contest. Have at it and let’s see how it works.
>>
>> Randy K5ZD
>>
>>> On Aug 13, 2025, at 3:20 AM, Mike Fatchett W0MU <w0mu at w0mu.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Event...Like the 1st one to work W1AAA gets bonus points......The 
>>> 1st to 50 contacts gets.....  the 1st to 50 mults.....  bonus for 
>>> low power.  Just a few off the top of my head.  Team play where the 
>>> team that does X 1st or has the cleanest log gets more points.  The 
>>> options are endless.
>>>
>>> This will not be a game for the old guard or a contest for the old 
>>> guard.  People in general dislike change from the norm, old people 
>>> are even worse.  It will take a while and some probably will need to 
>>> pass on before major changes will happen.
>>>
>>> W0MU
>>>
>>>> On 8/12/2025 3:11 PM, David Gilbert wrote:
>>>>
>>>> You totally miss the point.  The internet would ONLY be used to 
>>>> provide a graphical environment.  Nothing more!
>>>>
>>>> The application would make use of that visual environment to open 
>>>> up other possibilities for earning points other than simply making 
>>>> the contact.  The application would essentially just be a smarter 
>>>> logger.
>>>>
>>>> RADIO (TRANSMITTED AND RECEIVED RF WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED to 
>>>> actually make whatever interaction the game demanding for earning 
>>>> the points.  You'd still need an antenna, a transceiver, you'd need 
>>>> to know how to operate them, and you'd still need to understand 
>>>> propagation.  The internet would not supplant, diminish, or add to 
>>>> any of that.
>>>>
>>>> Why is all of that so difficult to understand??
>>>>
>>>> Right now you just stare at your logger on your computer screen, 
>>>> but instead you could be looking at an actual visual representation 
>>>> of the other side of the contact in either a simulated real or 
>>>> imaginary environment.  And the "game" could open up other ways of 
>>>> earning points depending upon the chosen mechanics.  Like I've 
>>>> said, I'm not sure what those mechanics might be at this point but 
>>>> I'd bet other folks would have suggestions if they weren't afraid 
>>>> of the stodgy blowback.
>>>>
>>>> Dave  AB7E
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On 8/12/2025 6:34 AM, Zack Widup wrote:
>>>>> Well, then, we can no longer call it ham RADIO. Radio has a specific
>>>>> definition, which doesn't include the internet. I originally got 
>>>>> interested
>>>>> in radio because it was magic to me. It still is after almost 60 
>>>>> years of
>>>>> having a ham license, and longer than that being interested in 
>>>>> shortwave as
>>>>> an SWL. Internet is not magic to me at all.
>>>>>
>>>>> Maybe I'll just stick to the microwave/mm-wave bands, which is a vast
>>>>> unexplored territory for most hams.
>>>>>
>>>>> Zack W9SZ
>>>>>
>>>>> <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> 
>>>>>
>>>>> Virus-free.http://www.avg.com/
>>>>> <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> 
>>>>>
>>>>> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 3:43 PM Barry W2UP <w2up.co at gmail.com> 
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> We don't need RF.  Let's just contest online.  Then we won't have 
>>>>>> horrible
>>>>>> band condx like we did (at least in the west) this past weekend 
>>>>>> in WAE.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Barry W2UP (/0)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 12:05 AM David Gilbert 
>>>>>> <ab7echo at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A friend of mine (Bob, K7ZB) just sent me a link to a recent video
>>>>>>> interview of Tom, W2SC (aka 8P5A) done by W1DED.  In addition to
>>>>>>> descriptions of his station and approach to contesting,  Tom 
>>>>>>> speculates
>>>>>>> on where ham radio and contesting in particular might go in the 
>>>>>>> future.
>>>>>>> He pointed out that whatever happens will most likely be 
>>>>>>> determined by a
>>>>>>> younger generation that isn't bound by what ham radio is to 
>>>>>>> those of us
>>>>>>> who have been at it for a while.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck-RMIyjSfI
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> His view of the future is very interesting, and I agree that if ham
>>>>>>> radio survives to any significant extent it will have to change 
>>>>>>> ... and
>>>>>>> it will likely be changed by a younger generation that comes up 
>>>>>>> with a
>>>>>>> way to adapt ham radio to something that is more interesting to 
>>>>>>> them.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Personally, I've always thought that contesting should figure 
>>>>>>> out how to
>>>>>>> become more like an online video game:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 1.  Integrated computer graphics that display participants on a 
>>>>>>> playing
>>>>>>> field ... Earth or maybe even some simulated world. You could 
>>>>>>> zoom in
>>>>>>> or zoom out, but the part of the world available to be seen on your
>>>>>>> screen could be determined by the real time propagation at that 
>>>>>>> moment.
>>>>>>> To make a contact you'd have to zoom in far enough to see the 
>>>>>>> station
>>>>>>> you're trying to contact, and the display would show their current
>>>>>>> frequency.  Real time propagation could be derived from actual 
>>>>>>> contacts
>>>>>>> being made if everyone's computer was connected to a common 
>>>>>>> server ...
>>>>>>> just like is done with video games.  And before anyone says that 
>>>>>>> real
>>>>>>> time internet connectivity is an issue, keep in mind that it 
>>>>>>> isn't at
>>>>>>> all problem for the demographic we'd be trying to reach.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 2.  Multiplayer .... where every participant shows up on the 
>>>>>>> screen at
>>>>>>> their actual (or simulated) QTH.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 3.  ACTUAL COMPETITION!  Instead of just trying to make the most
>>>>>>> contacts and finding out at the end how you did, make each 
>>>>>>> contact some
>>>>>>> sort of competition that gets displayed on the screen ... and 
>>>>>>> have some
>>>>>>> way of preventing others from making a contact.  How that 
>>>>>>> happens would
>>>>>>> depend upon the context of the particular game, just like there are
>>>>>>> different video games.  But the idea would be to contest each 
>>>>>>> contact in
>>>>>>> some manner that requires either an offensive action or a 
>>>>>>> defensive one.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 4.  "Contacts" (whatever the game required for a point) would still
>>>>>>> purely come via RF ... station to station.  The video display and
>>>>>>> central server would only provide the environment for making the
>>>>>>> contacts, albeit a hopefully more elaborate and richer 
>>>>>>> environment than
>>>>>>> whatever we currently picture in our minds while making contacts 
>>>>>>> now.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Some people might say that this is actually no different than a 
>>>>>>> video
>>>>>>> game and that video games have the advantage of a level playing 
>>>>>>> field
>>>>>>> since most computers don't hinder your play.  And that's 
>>>>>>> precisely why I
>>>>>>> think a ham radio version might be more interesting. Propagation,
>>>>>>> antennas, choice of times and bands would all make the game more 
>>>>>>> complex
>>>>>>> than the typical online video game. The play style would be 
>>>>>>> enriched by
>>>>>>> the variables of ham radio and the technical side of the hobby 
>>>>>>> would be
>>>>>>> retained.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The biggest problem I see with something like this is getting the
>>>>>>> programming done.  Successful video games can take years and 
>>>>>>> lots of
>>>>>>> money to develop, although there are games like Valheim that 
>>>>>>> didn't ...
>>>>>>> at least not by comparison.  However, I strongly suspect that it 
>>>>>>> won't
>>>>>>> be too long before AI could do something like this, or at least 
>>>>>>> most of
>>>>>>> it.  We wouldn't need the complexity of a top tier video game, and
>>>>>>> graphics engines are becoming increasingly accessible for simple
>>>>>>> environments.  Station wise, I don't think it would be any 
>>>>>>> different
>>>>>>> than it is now to use a logger for rig control and score 
>>>>>>> tracking ...
>>>>>>> just different software.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I realize that the actual game mechanics are missing here. That's
>>>>>>> because I'm not smart enough to come up with the specifics. But 
>>>>>>> I am
>>>>>>> convinced that something like this could be done ... it's really 
>>>>>>> just a
>>>>>>> simple visual interface with an RF connection for the points 
>>>>>>> instead of
>>>>>>> data packets.  The number of made contacts would be MUCH fewer 
>>>>>>> than it
>>>>>>> is now for a typical contest, but each contact could potentially 
>>>>>>> require
>>>>>>> more thought and focus.  Think in terms of catching fish instead of
>>>>>>> hammering out CQ's.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thoughts?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Dave
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>>>>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>>>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>>>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>> _______________________________________________
>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>
> _______________________________________________
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest

More information about the CQ-Contest mailing list