CW Skimmer is the conversation in RadioSport. Topic focus is Single-Operator (S/O) and S/O assisted (S/O A) and CQ WPX CW is on the horizon. I'm a low-power, low-profile contester building a station on a budget, running less than 100-watts, use wire antennas, and live in a CC&R defined residence. Skimmer spells potential for many with limited acreage and limited budgets.
First I'm grateful Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA who developed this technology. His contribution is innovative and Skimmer in RadioSport is but one application of his invention. However my dilemma centers on the meaning of my humanity and my technologically driven hobby.
Certainly, I agree with Scot Herrick, K9JY and his posting Technology Trumps Existing Rules but what is missing is the human aspect of the debate. Agreed, that technology moves faster than our philosophical infrastructure i.e. ethics, standards, and/or regulations. And I'm already thinking about three steps down the road once Skimmer germinates.
The bottom line of Skimmer technology, from my perspective, is the decoding of signals using software and hardware. Skimmer is firmware replacing the living, breathing, pulsing heart of the human operator. I need to really think about this because the future direction of RadioSport and its philosophical infrastructure is at stake.
Skimmer will be adopted. What is important to me? It is how Skimmer is adopted. I wholeheartedly support VE3NEA's technology and what it will spawn i.e. robotic contest stations as suggested within the debate. Skimmer, for me, is best classified in the S/O assisted class (S/O A) because it is firmware.
On the other hand, the S/O class must be preserved for the human element within our technological driven niche. My ears and not the ears of firmware must decode Morse code signals. I'm thinking about Skimmer's pollen and what will follow just over the horizon.
Contest on.
