[UK-CONTEST] Was NFD originally an emergency capability test?

[Roger Western]

There is one important clarification needed here: Skimmer itself does NOT 
use outside assistance. It is only when Skimmer data is propagated over the 
internet (like DX Cluster) and we connect to that data that it becomes 
Assisted. A private stand-alone Skimmer merely uses technology in the shack 
to de-code signals across a range of frequencies. If that is to be banned 
then all CW de-coders should also be banned!
73 de Roger/G3SXW.


-----Original Message----- 
From: David Honey
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 5:27 PM
To: uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Was NFD originally an emergency capability test?

Many international contests have separate sections that cover assisted
and unassisted operation. Using RBN, or a skimmer, or the cluster,
effectively makes it an assisted operation. I think the intent of the
restricted and (even more so) qrp sections were to enable clubs to put
together a simple station that did not rely upon such assisted
operation. If assisted operation is allowed in these sections, then
effectively it requires that stations use that capability in order to be
competitive. I think that would be a shame. I have no objection to the
open section using such capabilities. This is on the basis that an
entrant will already be planning a much larger operation and presumably
will have the resources to do so. But I would prefer that
RBN/skimmer/cluster use was not allowed in the qrp and probably
restricted sections.

To pick up a point that Dave G3YMC made, I think the contest committee
should consider whether qrp should mean 5W rather than 10W. Currently,
stations using 10W for the NFD entry cannot enter in the QRP section for
DARC, for example, since they define QRP as 5W. Since most of the
sections we work in the QRP section are taking part in Germany,
Netherlands, Belgium and so on, there is something to be said on using a
harmonised power limit for QRP sections.

Kind regards,
David M0DHO


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