[Elecraft] RE: New concept/tool for CW dxing
Gday For those on the reflector who are wondering what this new tool (VE3NEAs CW Skimmer) is like from a users point of view, see the review of well-known contester Pete N4ZR at: www.pvrc.org/~n4zr/Articles/Skimmer.pdf I have used Alexs Rocky software for the last eighteen months or so and, like Pete, am an alpha/beta tester of the big sister CW Skimmer software. It is an amazing program and was originally designed to help Alex VE3NEA to increase his operating efficiency in DX pileups when operating his 100W/dipole type station against those running 1.5kW and beam antennas. It is a fascinating program to use and has already been responsible for spotting a new 160m country for me, whilst I was (kindly) working a pileup of USA and JA stations on the same band. Whilst CW Skimmer spotted the station for me (as a packet cluster would have done), I still had to actually work the station through a large pile-up... ;-) Unfortunately, using the $75 CW Skimmer isnt going to help a little pistol beat the CQ WW score of a big gun contester who has a holiday QTH in the Caribbean with automatically tuned Alpha linears, stacked monobanders and four-squares, so lets not get carried away here. It also isnt going to make big gun operators of this kind any more invincible if they use it than they probably already are. ;-) On the other hand, owing to its speed of operation (when a DX station calls CQ, Skimmer is going to recognize their callsign very quickly, as long as their CW is half decent and isnt smothered in noise), it can help little pistols to work some new countries. I really like Skimmer and regard it as the best operating tool in my DXing arsenal. Of course, coupled with a K3 and using IF-based Q5er/panadaptor, its mojo may just be amazing! To paraphrase Mark Twain, the death of real CW operation now that CW Skimmer has arrived is greatly exaggerated. Vy 73 Steve, VK6VZ (FOC #1693) ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] RE: New concept/tool for CW dxing
Gday For those on the reflector who are wondering what this new tool (VE3NEAs CW Skimmer) is like from a users point of view, see the review of well-known contester Pete N4ZR at: www.pvrc.org/~n4zr/Articles/Skimmer.pdf I have used Alexs Rocky software for the last eighteen months or so and, like Pete, am an alpha/beta tester of the big sister CW Skimmer software. It is an amazing program and was originally designed to help Alex VE3NEA to increase his operating efficiency in DX pileups when operating his 100W/dipole type station against those running 1.5kW and beam antennas. It is a fascinating program to use and has already been responsible for spotting a new 160m country for me, whilst I was (kindly) working a pileup of USA and JA stations on the same band. Whilst CW Skimmer spotted the station for me (as a packet cluster would have done), I still had to actually work the station through a large pile-up... ;-) Unfortunately, using the $75 CW Skimmer isnt going to help a little pistol beat the CQ WW score of a big gun contester who has a holiday QTH in the Caribbean with automatically tuned Alpha linears, stacked monobanders and four-squares, so lets not get carried away here. It also isnt going to make big gun operators of this kind any more invincible if they use it than they probably already are. ;-) On the other hand, owing to its speed of operation (when a DX station calls CQ, Skimmer is going to recognize their callsign very quickly, as long as their CW is half decent and isnt smothered in noise), it can help little pistols to work some new countries. I really like Skimmer and regard it as the best operating tool in my DXing arsenal. Of course, coupled with a K3 and using IF-based Q5er/panadaptor, its mojo may just be amazing! To paraphrase Mark Twain, the death of real CW operation now that CW Skimmer has arrived is greatly exaggerated. Vy 73 Steve, VK6VZ (FOC #1693) ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] RE: New concept/tool for CW dxing
Gentlemen, I do not think this program is a bad idea and not withstanding comments from the cw purists, it could actually increase the number and proficiency of cw operators. When I was just starting out and struggling with 22 wpm, contesters running at 35+wpm just blew me away. I recall sitting on their frequencies trying to decipher their SS exchangemaybe listening to 5 or more Qs to figure out what number, what Sec, what CK, etc? If a beginner can decipher via software, while listening, isnt' that a learning experience? I am an avid cw op, participate in many contests and have been a guest operator (40m) during CQWWCW at K3LR's super station. Who among us would not love for more beginners to show up during those sloww periods on Sunday afternoon? How many times have you hit F1, just waiting for new blood. If a guy, using the program can work me quickly using this program, move on to the next, etc, then his/her enjoyment will also increase and maybe, just maybe, be the impetus to learn, practice and participate in future cw events. Ciao, Tom CX7TT/K6CT ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] RE: New concept/tool for CW dxing
It's kind of like watching a foreign-language film with subtitles. Not needed for the fluent, but helpful when you are first learning. Al N1AL On Tue, 2008-02-05 at 00:39, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Gentlemen, I do not think this program is a bad idea and not withstanding comments from the cw purists, it could actually increase the number and proficiency of cw operators. When I was just starting out and struggling with 22 wpm, contesters running at 35+wpm just blew me away. I recall sitting on their frequencies trying to decipher their SS exchangemaybe listening to 5 or more Qs to figure out what number, what Sec, what CK, etc? If a beginner can decipher via software, while listening, isnt' that a learning experience? I am an avid cw op, participate in many contests and have been a guest operator (40m) during CQWWCW at K3LR's super station. Who among us would not love for more beginners to show up during those sloww periods on Sunday afternoon? How many times have you hit F1, just waiting for new blood. If a guy, using the program can work me quickly using this program, move on to the next, etc, then his/her enjoyment will also increase and maybe, just maybe, be the impetus to learn, practice and participate in future cw events. Ciao, Tom CX7TT/K6CT ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] RE: New concept/tool for CW dxing
I guess this is a tool for those who either only had to pass a 5 wpm CW test or none at all. Now they can QRM the low end CW portions of the bands by pushing a button and letting their radio send 599 or some other programmed response that they couldn't do with a key. It's rather sad. 73 es gud dx de Dave N8AG Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
