Topband: CQWW160 Remote receiver rule

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 1/20/2015 7:20 AM, Frank Davis wrote:
> The contest rules dictate that e remote receiver controlled over the internet is not permitted in the CQWW160 contest.
>
>st that I have avoided this far.
>
> Maybe if enough of us push for it we can have the rules modified to permit remote receivers within the same grid square as the home station.
>
> 73 Frank VO1HP
>

This certainly deserves further consideration.  I have a problem
with the grid square criterion.  Grid squares are an artificial
construct, and I think it would be better to choose a specified
distance, such as 100 km in the Stew Perry.  Personally, I would
like to see this increased to 100 miles (160 km).  Also, you
might happen to be in the corner of a grid square, which would
limit your options for no good reason.

This is IMHO entirely different from using an internet remote on the
East coast to hear EU better (or in your case, a west coast remote
to hear AS better), which is what the contest sponsors are trying
to prevent (and rightly so).  The proliferation of internet remotes
for hire has now poisoned the well for conventional remote receive 
sites.  Remote bases are now banned from DXCC as well.  This is the 
familiar pattern of things that were OK for the elite, suddenly being
banned once the great unwashed obtain access.

One idea I have toyed with would be to setup up some sort of SDR
that would record the entire 160 meter band for the duration of
a contest.  I could install this at a quiet site, and then, after
the contest, dtermine what I couldn't hear.  It might be very 
enlightening and doesn't violate the contest rules.  Maybe you should 
try this initially as a proof of concept.  What would be needed
is a system that could run on batteries for the duration of the
contest.

Rick N6RK