K3 Frequency Calibration vs the Reverse Beacon Network

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

I love my K3, but one thing puzzles me.  When I jump to a Reverse Beacon
Network spot (on CW), the perceived audio tone of the station's CW is
almost always higher than where I have my Pitch set, so in order to
center the signal, I wind up tuning up-frequency perhaps 100-200 Hz.  
This is not altogether a bad thing, because it may move me out of the
packet spot pileup, but it strikes me as odd.

Of course, packet spots' frequency is only reported to the nearest 100
Hz, so I'd expect +/- 50 Hz variation in the tone of signals I jump on,
but this appears to be bigger than that, and systematically in one
direction.  Back in the day, I would have assumed my receiver
calibration was off, and taken steps to bring it on-frequency, but in
this case I don't know what to do.  I'm not particularly enthusiastic
about fiddling with the Reference Oscillator calibration unless that is
necessary.

Coincidentally, when I tune in WWV in CW mode, the tone frequency of the
carrier is where it should be, with a Hz or two, as measured by the
beating with the Spot tone.

Any ideas?

--
73, Pete N4ZR
The World Contest Station Database, at www.conteststations.com
The Reverse Beacon Network at http://reversebeacon.net, blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com,
spots at telnet.reversebeacon.net, port 7000 and
arcluster.reversebeacon.net, port 7000

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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Pete,

I think you are assuming that the spot frequency is "dead on", and I
would believe that is a bad assumption.  The other fellow's receiver may
not be well calibrated.

If your K3 receives 15 MHz WWV at the right frequency, I would say your
K3 is calibrated correctly.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 8/11/2012 8:45 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
> I love my K3, but one thing puzzles me.  When I jump to a Reverse Beacon
> Network spot (on CW), the perceived audio tone of the station's CW is
> almost always higher than where I have my Pitch set, so in order to
> center the signal, I wind up tuning up-frequency perhaps 100-200 Hz.
> This is not altogether a bad thing, because it may move me out of the
> packet spot pileup, but it strikes me as odd.
>
>

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