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

[Bob Henderson]

Well err I don't think it's quite that simple......

Stand alone Skimmer is an independent receiver is it not?  A reading of item
4 of the published 2011 rules gives me the impression that there are a
number of limitations upon use of stand alone skimmer which don't apply to
skimmer derived via a packet radio connection above 30MHz.  Curiously, the
rules appear silent upon the derivation of Cluster, RBN & Skimmer via the
public communications utilities.

http://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2011/rnfd.shtml

>From the rules as currently drawn, it appears local Skimmer use is precluded
in both the Restricted and QRP sections due to only one receiver being
allowed.  (Two in the case of a transceiver with built in second receiver)
The limit of a single antenna would anyway provide a further challenge.

73 Bob, 5B4AGN

On 7 June 2011 21:19, Roger Western <g3sxw at btinternet.com> wrote:

> 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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