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Re: [CQ-Contest] Impressive demonstration of one dB of signal strength i

To: KQ2M Bob Shohet <kq2m@kq2m.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Impressive demonstration of one dB of signal strength improvement
From: "Bernie McClenny, W3UR" <bernie@dailydx.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2019 07:49:58 -0400
List-post: <mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
Just to be clear - when there are very weak signals and QRM/QRN.

Bernie McClenny, W3UR

Editor of: The Daily DX (1997-2019)
           The Weekly DX (2001-2019)
           How's DX? (1999-2019)

Two week trial - 
http://www.dailydx.com/free-trial-request/   
https://twitter.com/dailydx    
410-489-6518 

> On Aug 21, 2019, at 7:58 PM, Bob Shohet, KQ2M <kq2m@kq2m.com> wrote:
> 
> That’s Interesting Bernie.  For me it is dependent on how well I can hear 
> them.  If they are strong enough for me to hear them reasonably well, then 
> when I am dealing with heavy qrn with brief short bursts of relative quiet, 
> (I think of it similar to meteor scatter) – you have maybe 2 seconds to get 
> the call – faster is better; at higher speed you might get the whole call in 
> one shot vs.with slower sending, fighting to get one letter or two repeatedly 
> over perhaps a full minute or longer, or losing the station in qsb.  However, 
> if they are weak and there is heavy qsb and/or qrn, then I agree with you 
> that slower is usually better – more time to hear each individual character.
>  
> Sometimes if I am calling a DX station in high qrn cndx and they are 
> reasonably loud, I will alternate the speeds in my calling for that reason, 
> especially if I know the opr can copy cw at higher speeds.  I don’t know what 
> the qrn sounds like on the other side but if there are brief windows in time 
> between static crashes and they can hear a KQ2 calling, then at 35 wpm they 
> likely already have my call; at 18 wpm they likely won’t.
>  
> 73
>  
> Bob KQ2M
>  
>  
>  
> From: Bernie McClenny, W3UR
> Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 6:11 PM
> To: KQ2M Bob Shohet
> Cc: W3LPL Frank Donovan ; CQ Contest
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Impressive demonstration of one dB of signal 
> strength improvement
>  
> For me, and I suspect for many other Topband ops, when QRN/QRM is involved 
> slower is better than faster! 18-20 WPM is about the right speed. 
> 
> Bernie McClenny, W3UR
> 
> Editor of: The Daily DX (1997-2019)
>    The Weekly DX (2001-2019)
>    How's DX? (1999-2019)
> 
> Two week trial - 
> http://www.dailydx.com/free-trial-request/   
> https://twitter.com/dailydx    
> 410-489-6518 
> 
> > On Aug 21, 2019, at 4:26 PM, Bob Shohet, KQ2M <kq2m@kq2m.com> wrote:
> > 
> > I have never had the opportunity before to hear differences in signal 
> > strength by 1 db increments.  +1 db is clearly an advantage and a +2 db 
> > difference nearly obliterates the weaker signal.  Remarkable.  I wish I had 
> > heard this 20 years ago!    ;-)  
> > 
> > The differences in copy between different CW speeds is very interesting 
> > too.  I suspect that most contest ops will generally do better with the 
> > higher speeds unless they are exhausted to the point of mental impairment, 
> > in which case the slower speeds might work better.
> > 
> > Thanks for posting this Frank and a special thanks to AB7E for creating 
> > these audio recordings with explanations!
> > 
> > 73
> > 
> > 
> > Bob, KQ2M
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > From: donovanf@starpower.net 
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 11:15 AM
> > To: cq-contest@contesting.com 
> > Subject: [CQ-Contest] Impressive demonstration of one dB of signal strength 
> > improvement
> > 
> > These recordings are an impressive demonstration of the benefit of 
> > one dB of signal strength improvement in a weak signal situation. 
> > Click on the links on this website: 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > www.ab7e.com/weak_signal/mdd.html 
> > 
> > 
> > 73 
> > Frank 
> > W3LPL 
> > 
> > 
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > 
> > From: "David Gilbert" <xdavid@cis-broadband.com> 
> > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net 
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 7:02:21 AM 
> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Coax size requirements 
> > 
> > 
> > That's not a universally true statement. 
> > 
> > Several years ago I was trying to decide which antenna to buy, and my 
> > choice came down to two antennas that were 2 db apart. I created some 
> > audio files by recording typical band noise and then overlaying them 
> > with recorded CW messages at various strengths. The difference between 
> > 1 dB above the noise level and 2 dB above the noise level can make the 
> > difference between no copy and copy. The files and testing methodology 
> > can be found here: 
> > 
> > http://www.ab7e.com/weak_signal/mdd.html 
> > 
> > If you're ragchewing it doesn't matter, but if you're trying to make a 
> > contact and your signal is at the level of the mud it does. 
> > 
> > 73, 
> > Dave AB7E 
> > 
> > On 8/20/2019 9:18 PM, Jim Danehy wrote: 
> >> ONE DB loss is the LEAST DETECTABLE amount a human can detect. Hardly if 
> >> not impossible to notice. 
> >> 
> >> Jim 
> >> W9VNE/VA3VNE 
> > _______________________________________________
> > CQ-Contest mailing list
> > CQ-Contest@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest

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