K3 - Observations during NAQP CW

[k6dgw]

My K3 is pretty "vanilla," ATU, DVK, stock default roofers.  I normally
run CW with 200 Hz DSP BW, and for the first time since I got the K3
#642], I set up the Presets for:  "I"=200 Hz, "II"=500 Hz but still on
the 500 Hz roofer, and tried CQ'ing using II and running S&P on I.  I
was somewhat stunned:

1.  The difference between 200 and 500 Hz was amazing.  Off frequency
signals I simply did NOT hear at 200 Hz were very present at 500 Hz.

2.  Quite a few people called me far enough off frequency that using the
narrow preset, I simply couldn't hear them.

The DSP BW must be pretty much "brick wall" because the off frequency
signals just literally disappear.  I've never had a radio that did that
... I could always tell there was something out there, just weak.
Possibly this will improve my RUN rate?  Maybe people have been
answering off frequency and I just don't hear them.

I've also figured out, while Running, set the VFO tune rate to 10 Hz,
you don't touch the knob anyway, and it makes the RIT knob more
responsive ... by pretty much the exact right amount.  Maybe I can get
N1MM to send the right K3 commands to make this happen automatically
when I change contest modes.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011
- www.cqp.org
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[Craig Smith]

Hi Fred ...

Yes, my experience is that 200 Hz is MUCH too narrow when running.  I
normally use 350 or 400 Hz DSP with the 400 Hz roofer.   Always 10 Hz
resolution in contests, either run or S&P.  And, I'm always ready to use the
up/dwn arrows on the keyboard with N1MM to tune in the way off freq folks.
No need to touch the K3 dial or the RIT knob.  Put the {CLRRIT} command in
your function keys to get back to your run freq after the QSO.

  See you in the next one!

               73   Craig AC0DS

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[Craig Smith]

Correction/addition to my previous post:

When running, use split.  XMIT on VFO B on your running freq.  Fine tune
callers, if required, using keyboard up/dwn arrows on VFO A.  Then {CLRRIT}
to recenter VFO A after QSO.    

             73   Craig  AC0DS



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[Iain MacDonnell - N6ML-2]

It may be "undocumented" (the doc[1] mentions Yaesu and Kenwood
radios, but not the K3), but the up/down arrows do actually effect RIT
when in run mode (and tuning when in S&P mode), so SPLIT shouldn't be
necessary...

    ~iain / N6ML

[1] http://n1mm.hamdocs.com/tiki-index.php?page=Key+Assignments&structure=All+Documentation#Tune_the_Radio


On Tue, Jan 11, 2011 at 3:41 AM, Craig D. Smith <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Correction/addition to my previous post:
>
> When running, use split.  XMIT on VFO B on your running freq.  Fine tune
> callers, if required, using keyboard up/dwn arrows on VFO A.  Then {CLRRIT}
> to recenter VFO A after QSO.
>
>             73   Craig  AC0DS
>
>
>
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[Gary Hinson]

> Yes, my experience is that 200 Hz is MUCH too narrow when running.  I
> normally use 350 or 400 Hz DSP with the 400 Hz roofer.  

So long as the band is not totally chockablock with wall-to-wall sigs, I
quite often listen across 2.7kHz width on CW and occasionally I hear people
calling me towards the outer edges.  Mostly, though, the wide bandwidth
allows me to keep an ear on the QRM on either side of me and perhaps to
shift my TX frequency to take advantage of the gaps.  It takes practice to
be comfortable listening in such wide bandwidths, picking individual sigs
out by concentrating on their tone, speed, timing and keying
characteristics, but it saves a lot of fiddling around with the RIT or split
knobs.  That said, when things get real tough or I get tired, I'm very glad
of the ability to shift the upper or lower limits independently, the very
nice narrow roofing filters and amazing non-ringing DSP good down to less
than 50Hz bandwidth.

73
Gary  ZL2iFB

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[doberman]

K2 serial# 003943 and the KI02 AUX IO module - THIS KIT HAS NOT BEEN
OPENED (other than the box it was shipped in) and has NOT BEEN STARTED.
All paperwork included and all in the same box with the kit

Want to sell both together as a package.

Will sell for 10% off of the current prices PLUS shipping costs if
anyone interested please contact me off list or call me on my cell.

Thanks much

Dan - KI4YZE

Cellphone = 770-377-6000

Email = dan.boardman AT shreditfast.com

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[Scott Ellington]

I use the 200/250 Hz bandwidth only when I really have to.  In S&P mode on a really crowded band, the narrow bandwidth sometimes makes it possible to find the weak signals between the strong ones.  It is useful only for rejecting QRM, not noise.

I have used it when running, mainly when I just couldn't find a spot wide enough for the 400 Hz filter.  There are two problems with that:  Your neighbors almost certainly aren't using filters that narrow, and may take exception to you parking 200 Hz away.  And many callers will be so far off your frequency that they will be outside your passband, and right on top of one of the neighbors.  Still, sometimes one can make more contacts that way than any other.

For years, I've used the FT-1000D with all 4 250/500 Hz filters.  The K3 filtering is somewhat better, and more flexible, but the difference isn't great.  I know the K3 dynamic range is much better, though I haven't yet run into a situation where it made a difference.  

73,

Scott  K9MA



On Jan 12, 2011, at 6:10 PM, Gary Hinson wrote:

>> Yes, my experience is that 200 Hz is MUCH too narrow when running.  I
>> normally use 350 or 400 Hz DSP with the 400 Hz roofer.  
>
> So long as the band is not totally chockablock with wall-to-wall sigs, I
> quite often listen across 2.7kHz width on CW and occasionally I hear people
> calling me towards the outer edges.  Mostly, though, the wide bandwidth
> allows me to keep an ear on the QRM on either side of me and perhaps to
> shift my TX frequency to take advantage of the gaps.  It takes practice to
> be comfortable listening in such wide bandwidths, picking individual sigs
> out by concentrating on their tone, speed, timing and keying
> characteristics, but it saves a lot of fiddling around with the RIT or split
> knobs.  That said, when things get real tough or I get tired, I'm very glad
> of the ability to shift the upper or lower limits independently, the very
> nice narrow roofing filters and amazing non-ringing DSP good down to less
> than 50Hz bandwidth.
>
> 73
> Gary  ZL2iFB

Scott Ellington
Madison, Wisconsin
USA



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