[Skimmertalk] Skimmer use places op in Assisted category forCQWW

[Stan Stockton]

Pete,

> Stan, I don't get it.  You complain about people using Skimmer like a 
> remote receiver to copy stations that are not calling CQ, as if 
> Skimmer could copy an exchange or a serial number.  I pointed out that 
> it doesn't work that way.  I pointed out that Skimmer would only copy 
> a given callsign on a given frequency once every 10 minutes, and would 
> never copy an exchange, while any number of other receivers, coupled 
> with Internet communications, would do exactly what you are afraid of, 
> and have been able to for years.

Exactly correct.  What I described has always been illegal.  Please tell 
me where
in the new rules you see any limitations on what can be done as long as 
Skimmer is
used (in whatever mode you want to set it to operate).

Is there anything in the rules which specifies what receiver has to be 
used in
conjunction with Skimmer which is specifically stated as being allowed?

Are you aware that 99.9% of all exchanges in the CQ WW Contest can
be accurately predicted before they are sent?

How many extra layers of stations do you think will be worked on the low 
bands
that never would have been worked if a European Skimmer is feeding just 
callsigns
of those calling CQ - even without feeding callsigns of those calling 
the run station
which it will also do?

How many times do you need the callsign to appear on your computer 
screen
to make a contact - surely not more than the initial sending of the 
callsign.
You keep talking about Skimmer only spotting once every 10 minutes which 
has nothing to do with anything.
AGAIN, I ask whether if Alex decided to spot the station more often than 
every ten minutes
whether that makes a difference in your position?  It doesn't make any 
difference to me.

> It's simply wrong to say that Skimmer breaks any new ground in terms 
> of remote receivers.  They were and continue to be against the rules. 
> Nothing has changed.  Compared to a free-standing, tunable remote 
> receiver, Skimmer would be a step backward.

The thing that has changed is that previous to now a remote receiver was 
not allowed at all.
Now, the name Skimmer is allowed and integral to Skimmer is a remote 
receiver if the
operation is on another continent.

> Why not relax and accept the fact that local Skimmers will become a 
> part of the contest arsenal in every class except basic single-op?  To 
> my mind, that's as it should be, and it's time to move on.

I HAVE accepted the fact that "LOCAL" Skimmers will become a part of the 
contest
arsenal in every class except basic single-op.  I have not relaxed on 
the subject of
a remote receiver hooked to a code reader with callsigns appearing on a 
computer
copied on a receiver located on another continent.

Compare the 80M scores to previous scores for the multi-multi stations 
in the next few
CQ WW Contests if the rules remain as written.  Maybe, only then, you 
will get it.

At one time you said remote, networked Skimmers would not be good and 
would cause
a big problem.  Has your opinion on this changed?

At one point in time you said that the IP address would have to be made 
*widely* public
in order to prevent someone from using it in some of the ways I have 
described
in order to be legal.  Do you see anything in the rules having to do 
with having to have
your remote receiver and code reader on a public network or can they be 
private and
be just fine?

73...Stan, K5GO


> 73, Pete N4ZR