[CQ-Contest] Comments from a relative newbie that need affirmation

[Bill Coleman]

On Jan 10, 2006, at 8:21 AM, Art Searle W2NRA wrote:

> CQing Stations [AFC On/NET Off]- If I'm CQing I want my TX parked  
> in one
> place so I want NET Off and I also want AFC On to tune in those  
> calling off
> frequency.  I did notice some CQing stations with NET On in the  
> ARRL RTTY
> RU.

I'd wonder if you want AFC on at all when CQing. If more than one  
caller calls you at the same time, what frequency will the program  
tune to?

You also might have nearby QRM that might cause the AFC to drift away  
from the CQ frequency.

Would it be better to use a narrow filter and adjust for off- 
frequency callers by using RIT? I've also found that RTTY  
demodulators produce pretty good copy even if you are many dozen of  
Hz off frequency. This is what I've done in my limited RTTY experience.

Naturally, your error-rate will be lower if the frequency is dead-on.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901