Topband: CQWW160 Remote receiver rule

[Frank Davis]

Call: VO1HP
Operator(s): VO1HP
Station: VO1HP

Class: Single Op Assisted HP
QTH: St.John's
Operating Time (hrs): 8

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 150  State/Prov = 35  Countries = 25  Total Score = 52,560

Club: East Coast Canada Contest Club

Comments:

The band seemed to be in good condition but I could tell I was not being heard
well.  Could not get a run going that lasted more then a dozen Q's....almost
all S&P  both nights.  At 0230 local on Sunday morning I had to crank down
my tower due to forecasted heavy wind & rain storm appoaching.  The gusts
started at 04:30 local and exceeded 110 kmph in the city for most of Sunday.

I spent a long time both nights calling HV0A on 1832.8khz but no luck ...could
not get by the Eu and NE coast callers.

I am using an ethernet remote SDR site 50kms away on the ocean  with two
antennas and the SDR backhauled to the home QTH via fibre based access at both
ends.  Once the s/w is configured properly I can operate seamlessly with N1MM+;
SDR Console V2 for the remote SDR and my K3.  Using the N1MM function keys and
the K3 memories it is possible to tx without muting the SDR return audio and
listen to the transmitted signal...like full duplex operation.

The CQWW 160 CW rules say NO remote receiver setups allowed  so I  will submit
my log  as a checklog only.  Too bad because I think i was the only VO1 on the
band giving out the NF mult. 

My SDR near the ocean is the only way that I can hear weak signals on 160.  At
the home QTH all but the strongest signals are masked by local noise etc even
though I have a K9AY loop system.  This SDR is for my personal use and is
located within my grid square and approx 50kms direct line away from the home
station. The effectiveness of the SDR and Pixel loop can be experienced by
going to www.vo1hp.ca DXCLIPS page and listen to the signal from EP6T on Jan
22.

Here is a viewpoint:
.... could one argue that an SDR is useless without the signal processing
software  which runs on the PC in front of the operator...so where is the
actual receiver located?? ... could one argue that the SDR is just part of the
"antenna" system since the actual receive signal processing is done
adjacent to the operator. 

In my view I don't see anything wrong with using the SDR in the contest to
increase my participation and satisfaction  and provide the NF mult. ...but the
rules are the rules ...so be it for now.  

Transmitter
K3 + ACOM1010
Inv L + FCP
(local rx K9AY)

Remote SDR:
Afedri NET
Pixel Magnetic Loop
80-10M OCF