Sidetone or zero beat

[Bill W4ZV]

 >I can zero beat a signal a lot quicker that fiddling
around trying to match up tones.  I then adjust
the offset to either side of the carrier to my liking.  Before anyone says it
just takes practice, I'll have to say that 23 years is probably enough
practice. ;-)  I can do it, it just takes longer.

         You are actually "zero-beating" the signal
in both cases above.  In one case you are matching
the tones of your CW pitch (e.g. 400 Hz = 400 Hz) and in
the other case the carrier (e.g. 0 Hz = 0 Hz).  Unless
you are tone deaf, it is much faster to zero beat the
pitch since then you are then ready to send.  If you
zero beat the carrier, then you must then manually offset
to the pitch you like before sending, unless your ears
have a good response at 0 Hz!  :-)

         For tone deaf folks, Elecraft offers a CW tuning
indicator which may be better for you.

http://www.elecraft.com/K3/K3FAQ.htm#CW_Spotting

                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV



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[Jack Smith-6]

My Z100 kit is intended to allow fast matching the incoming signal with
the side tone, through 24 LEDs in a spectrum display, 25 Hz per LED, to
give you the direction to adjust and the mis-tuning magnitude.

Jack K8ZOA
www.cliftonlaboratories.com
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[Gary D Krause]

Thanks Bill.  It's good to know that the K3 will do that.  I understand that I
am zero beating in both cases.  I'm not tone deaf, it's just that it takes me
longer to match tones.  Usually, by the time I get the tones matched the
station I wanted to contact is either gone or in a QSO with another station.
 It's much faster and easier with strong signals but, with weaker signals that
are just above the noise, it tends to be much more difficult.

It's ironic how we have gone to using a "visual" indicator to zero beat a
station when so much of ham radio still depends on the ears. :-)

Gary, N7HTS


On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:11:55 -0400
  Bill Tippett <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
>
> >I can zero beat a signal a lot quicker that fiddling
> around trying to match up tones.  I then adjust
> the offset to either side of the carrier to my liking.  Before anyone says
>it
> just takes practice, I'll have to say that 23 years is probably enough
> practice. ;-)  I can do it, it just takes longer.
>
>         You are actually "zero-beating" the signal
> in both cases above.  In one case you are matching
> the tones of your CW pitch (e.g. 400 Hz = 400 Hz) and in
> the other case the carrier (e.g. 0 Hz = 0 Hz).  Unless
> you are tone deaf, it is much faster to zero beat the
> pitch since then you are then ready to send.  If you
> zero beat the carrier, then you must then manually offset
> to the pitch you like before sending, unless your ears
> have a good response at 0 Hz!  :-)
>
>         For tone deaf folks, Elecraft offers a CW tuning
> indicator which may be better for you.
>
> http://www.elecraft.com/K3/K3FAQ.htm#CW_Spotting
>
>                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
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>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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