[RTTY] RTTY SkimServer Announcment

[Mark]

From the emails on this reflector and in the 3830 comments, it's clear that CQWW RTTY 
participants noticed the increase of rttyskimmer spots!  As part of the team that has 
been taking this software through alpha testing I've been asked to give you an update.
The software, RTTY SkimServer by Alex, VE3NEA,  entered alpha testing right before 
the SCC RTTY Contest, and that contest was used to help wring out stability and other 
issues.  Right before CQWW, the decision was made to start sending spots out over the 
RBN  ( http://www.reversebeacon.net/ ).   This was to allow additional stress testing and 
analysis of spotting performance.  This resulted in just under half a million spots due 
to the efforts of:
Mark N2QT      Pete N4ZR              Petr OL5Q
Wes  WZ7I       Rick ZL2HAM         Alex VE3NEA
Dick W3OA      Vasily K3IT
   
These spots and their accompanying data are now being reviewed to improve the accuracy 
of spots, especially for the correct identification of CQing stations. Currently the software 
is stable, but lacks documentation.  The plan is to continue improving the performance 
and completing the documentation before it becomes publicly available.  Spotting via the
RBN will continue as these refinements are tested and reviewed.  

RTTYSkimServer is, unsurprisingly, very similar to CW SkimServer, also developed by 
VE3NEA ( http://dxatlas.com/SkimServer/ ).  It has a minimal user interface and requires
editing an ini file for configuration It is designed to produce high quality spots over a 
telnet link.  It will operate with any of the wide band SDRs that currently operate with 
CW SkimServer i.e. QS1R, Hermes or USRP, and provides multiband operation.  The 
software will be available as shareware. 

Hope the spots added to your enjoyment of the contest!

73
Mark N2QT
(and sorry, no more alpha testers needed)