[CQ-Contest] several contesting questions

[kazeringue]

""thanks for all the feedback on my questions.  when asking about what 
makes a
contest radio, i was looking more for features that make contesting 
easier,""


Steve, I'm new to this contesting game myself, and my radio, the FT-920, 
is probably less selective than is the ic746pro. I don't have the CW 
filter yet, and there's no OEM slot for a SSB filter (-egads!-).

Still, it is possible to copy most of the ops the radio can hear, in 
either of those modes.  Its just more work than it would be with an 
ft-1000D equipped with a wad of filters.

I find myself riding the RF and AF gain controls, sometimes flipping 
through the attenuator settings, and often toggling the pre amp("IPO" in 
yaesu-speak). The DSP on this radio seems to me more useful for CW than 
for SSB.  It gets tweaked some too, but less often than I expected 
before working a contest with it.

With all those caveats, I'd rather spend the difference in price on a 
better antenna system than a new radio(I rather like my 920).  I'm using 
wire antennas now.  Unfortunately, thats not likely to change soon, so 
for me, its tin-whistle contesting in the foreseeable future.  That's 
okay, cause I like S&P'ing a lot better than CQ'ing.

Anyway, I'd be interested in seeing a compilation of info/tips from 
responses not posted to the list.

73
Kaz, W4KAZ