Topband: fixed freq receiving beacons, remote radios, and awards

[Tree]

On Thu, Mar 09, 2006 at 01:24:21PM -0500, Eric Scace K3NA wrote:

>     To work DX with this Skype receiving beacon would 
> require your target DX to show up on the beacon frequency, 
> and to be in a location that can be heard by the beacon and 
> its antenna.  The chances of someone working much DX this 
> way seems rather remote to me...

If one calls CQ on the frequency, they might get DX calling them 
that they would otherwise not hear.  

There are technical solutions to this problem - like limiting the
connection time to a minute or two and not allowing reconnection
for 15 minutes.  This would make it a lot harder to use for actual
QSOs.

>     A whole different area of discussion is the use of 
> remote-controlled radios (receivers or transmitters) for 
> awards or competition.  This has nothing in particular to do 
> with a Skype receiving beacon.  But it is clear that the 
> technology has progressed to the point where it is practical 
> and affordable for more people to build and/or use 
> remote-controlled stations.  The time has arrived to 
> consider its implications for our awards programs, such as DXCC.

The Boring ARC had a request from one station who had a remote 
receiving QTH and wanted to use it in the Stew Perry.  The old rules
would not allow this.  We decided that a distance up to 100 km would
be sufficient to allow most of this type of operation - without going
so far as to allowing you to experience significantly different
propagation.

For purposes of DXCC - where I could move to the east coast and still 
count my cards, I guess the limitation would be more lax.

Tree N6TR
tree at kkn.net