OT - my history of "zero beating"

[DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL]

I really have to chuckle a bit about "matching tones" or "zero-beating."

When I was first licensed with a novice class ticket (rock-bound), one
learned to
"tune the band" looking for answers.  It was common-place to answer a
CQ by calling the CQer 5, 10, or even 50 kc away....5 or 10 kc away
often got results.  50kc was less common, but not rare.

I also remember going over to a ham's in the same town (who had phone
rigs) and watching him call CQ on 2m and "tuning the band"
...MEGACYCLES worth, looking for an answer (which he got).

When I answer a CQ these days, I wait a bit first (1/2 second) to see
if there are any other callers.  If there are, I slightly change my
QRG so I'm not calling on top of him.  Zero-beat...what's that?  :-)

I don't know what the fascination is with "zero beating" the guy
you're calling.  Of course, with the advent of the K3 "super filters,"
this might become necessary if op's "crank 'em all the way down" for
routine CQs.  LOL

And yes...it is getting "bad" waiting for the K3's and sorry for the
summertime bandwidth.

de Doug KR2Q
PS...after the last Simon photo, I guess we might next hear about no
need to zero beat cuz you couldn't.
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[Mike B-12]

> I don't know what the fascination is with "zero beating" the guy
> you're calling.  

Although my elmer told me of similar tales when he was starting out, he
taught me that the purpose of at least "near" zero-beating was to not
take up more bandwidth than necessary.  You're not running a full-duplex
conversation in CW, and so sharing 1 kHz or less is entirely adequate.

He also taught me, however, that is was your polite obligation to tune
around your transmit frequency a bit to listen for any takers who
weren't quite on your frequency.

73,

Mike KW1ND
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[N2EY]

In a message dated 7/12/07 6:57:27 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
[hidden email] writes:


> When I was first licensed with a novice class ticket (rock-bound), one
> learned to
> "tune the band" looking for answers.  It was common-place to answer a
> CQ by calling the CQer 5, 10, or even 50 kc away....5 or 10 kc away
> often got results.  50kc was less common, but not rare.

Yep. That was because xtals were expensive and nobody could own enough of
them. And before the mid 1970s, Novices had to use crystal control.

Now we have VFOs that can be set to within a few Hz of where we want them. We
should use them!

> I don't know what the fascination is with "zero beating" the guy
> you're calling.

It's good operating practice. Here's why:

If two or more stations operate zero-beat with each other, they use the
minimum possible amount of the band, *and* they keep that frequency busy throughout
the QSO.

If two stations operate non-zero-beat with each other, they use up to twice
the minimum possible amount of the band. And they don't keep either frequency
busy throughout the QSO, so the chances of someone unintentionally QRMing is
much greater.

Now before anybody says that this can be avoided by checking the frequency
before transmitting, consider this scenario:

Suppose that W1ABC & W6DEF are in QSO, and W1ABC is transmitting on 14.030
while W6DEF is on 14.050.

Then W2GHI shows up on 14.030 and hears nothing, because he's in the skip
zone for W1ABC. W2GHI sends "QRL?" and still hears nothing, and so starts sending
CQ. W1ABC can't hear W2GHI either.

But W2GHI is 599 plus at W6DEF, and is stepping all over W1ABC. W6DEF can't
let W2GHI know about the QRM, because 'DEF is on 14.050. And even if W6DEF
tells W1ABC, it will do no good, because W2GHI can't hear W1ABC

The same thing can happen if W7JKL shows up on 14.050 and can't hear W6DEF.

There are lots of similar situations possible even without a skip zone.

Now suppose that W1ABC & W6DEF are in QSO, and both are on 14.030. If W2GHI
shows up on 14.030 while W6DEF is transmitting, chances are W2GHI will hear
W6DEF and know the frequency is busy. If W2GHI shows up while W1ABC is
transmitting, he wil hear nothing, but as soon as W2GHI sends "QRL?", W6DEF can reply
with "C" and let him know that the frequency is in use.

The end result is that, by careful zero beating, the number of QSOs on the
band can be doubled and the possibilities of unintentional QRM greatly reduced.

  Of course, with the advent of the K3 "super filters,"
>
> this might become necessary if op's "crank 'em all the way down" for
> routine CQs.  

I have found that CW zeroing really isn't that difficult, because I use a
sharp filter almost all the time and just peak the received signal in the center
of the filter passband. If the rig is set up correctly, I'm zeroed.

Nothing new about this - here's what I was using for a receiver more than 30
years ago. Cost me about $10 to build:

http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/Jim/SilverRX1.jpg
http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/Jim/SilverRX2.jpg
http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/Jim/SilverRX3.jpg
http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/Jim/SilverRX4.jpg
http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/Jim/SilverRX5.jpg
http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/Jim/SilverRX6.jpg
http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/Jim/jiminfo.doc

73 de Jim, N2EY


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