[RTTY] RTTY Skimmer

[Ian White]

K6LL wrote:
>In my experience, the VE3NEA RTTY Skimmers are much improved
>lately on spotting stations that are actually calling CQ.  I
>always connect to a CC-Cluster node, using CC-user Software,
>which seamlessly feeds N1MM Logger.  I think the CC Clusters do
>some filtering to validate spots from multiple skimmers.  My
>usual nodes are VE7CC-1 or AE5E-2.
>
>RTTY Skimmers have definitely come of age in the past 12 months.
>Many thanks to all those who are feeding the RBN, both CW and
>RTTY!

The quality of RTTY skimmer spots does continue to improve, but there is
still a significant 'leakage' of spots for stations that are replying to
a CQ. 

Although "CQ" can appear at both the beginning and end of a text string,
it still should not be too difficult to parse an ambiguous fragment like
"GM3W CQ K6LL". One of the two spaces in that string will be a genuine,
synchronous RTTY <space> character; but the other will just be an
asynchronous gap between two different stations. 

And above all: if there is any doubt, the skimmer should *not* spot! It
isn't a race between different skimmers, and there's sure to be another
CQ coming along shortly. 

Another problem last weekend was that one specific skimmer (DF4UE-#) was
spotting consistently incorrect callsigns.


73 from Ian GM3SEK (@GM3W)


>-----Original Message-----
>From: RTTY [mailto:rtty-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Dave
>Hachadorian
>Sent: 22 March 2016 23:03
>To: reflector RTTY
>Subject: Re: [RTTY] RTTY Skimmer
>
>In my experience, the VE3NEA RTTY Skimmers are much improved
>lately on spotting stations that are actually calling CQ.  I
>always connect to a CC-Cluster node, using CC-user Software,
>which seamlessly feeds N1MM Logger.  I think the CC Clusters do
>some filtering to validate spots from multiple skimmers.  My
>usual nodes are VE7CC-1 or AE5E-2.
>
>RTTY Skimmers have definitely come of age in the past 12 months.
>Many thanks to all those who are feeding the RBN, both CW and
>RTTY!
>
>Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
>Yuma, AZ
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:  pcooper
>Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 10:31 AM
>To: Al Kozakiewicz
>Cc: rtty at contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [RTTY] RTTY Skimmer
>
>Al AB2ZY and the group,
>
>I have local access to a skimmer cluster as well as a normal
>cluster.
>Both run simultaneously here in the shack 24/7. Looking at the
>skimmer cluster, I repeatedly see spots for stations that are
>responding to a CQ call, rather than calling CQ themselves.
>
>I have tried using the skimmer cluster in a contest, and that
>simply clogs up the bandmap with loads of spots that aren't
>calling CQ.
>I know the skimmer clusters are supposed to be intelligent and
>only spots calls who are sending CQ, but I see far more spots for
>those that aren't.
>
>Where cluster access is allowed in a contest, I will use the
>normal cluster, as I mostly use it to gauge whether another band
>is open, or worth trying. If there is some juicy DX spotted, I
>may well try for them, depending on the situation, but generally,
>if that juicy DX has just been spotted, it's usually pointless
>trying, as loads of others will already be there.
>This was evident during the BARTG contest at the weekend, as I
>came across FP/KV1J calling CQ on 20m, so I tried to get in, but
>he had a mini pile-up going. I did try a couple of times more,
>but then he got spotted, and I gave up, as it just got silly,
>with callers shouting over each other and the exchange in
>progress.
>Happily came across him again later, and got in first shout. It
>was similar with HP3/VY2SS.
>
>That's just my own view of things.....
>
>73 de Phil GU0SUP
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