[OhQP-mail] Reverse Beacon Network and OhQP

Mike Tindor / AA8IA aa8ia at aa8ia.org
Tue Aug 23 10:44:18 EDT 2011


The whole assisted/non-assisted / skimmer / RBN thing is basically on the
honor system.   I mean _anybody_ could use one of those to their advantage
without anybody ever being able to prove it.   I'm sure there is somebody
doing it in every contest.    Sure cluster / RBN / skimmer operators could
certainly let contest sponsors know who connected during a contest.   But in
general there are many ways to do it under the radar.   So it's all about
personal integrity, and I would like to think that every op has some of
that!

I see the RBN as a tool that not only allows you to see stations that the
skimmers can hear, which is one benefit, but they also allow you some
insight into potential band openings that you might not otherwise be aware
of.   For instance, if everyone is working 15/20 and nobody is on 10m
because condx have been poor, then you could benefit by sending some CQs on
10m to test whether you are being heard.   If you are being heard by some
west coast skimmers, you know that a path exists even if nobody may
currently be spotting on that band.   This knowledge could give you a
distinct advantage over average joe who isn't "checking his signal" on 10m.

Because of that, I think the rule about the RBN / skimmers not being allowed
by single ops is clear enough.  Simply don't do it unless you plan to submit
your log as a multi-op.


> BTW, I make the suggestion with trepidation, because I've found in the past
> that, it seems to me, "Rules are rules, and which 'mere peon participant'
> would question the rules?"
>

As we all know, you would !   I think contest sponsors can depend on it.

Mike
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