[CQ-Contest] How close is too close?

[Edward Sawyer]

It is interesting that I hear all these great reports of how wonderful the
(plug in your favorite radio here) receiver is for close channel separation
and brick wall blah blah blah.  Usually the venerable FT1000MP is used as a
comparison dummy in the statement.  I run 2 of them here.  And low power
(which for this past weekend was 150W).

 

Numerous times this weekend I am being asked to QSY when "firing up" about
350 to 500hz away from a BIG GUN Multi.  One of them was 10 over to me on
40M and I had zero problem hearing the noise floor where I was sitting and
was actually running at 100 rate.  Yet this clearly bothered the other op.
What's with this? 

 

Why would the FT1000MP Low Power guy be bothering the full power guy with
much newer and clearly better gear?  Is it that they are expecting 700 -
1000hz of quiet breathing room in one of the biggest CW contests of the year
on an open band?  I certainly hope not.

 

So what is the opinion from the group?  With the great rated receivers out
there, how close can someone get on CW and not really bother your run?  For
me its 350hz.  Inside that and it causes problems.  If I hear 2 guys 700 -
900hz apart, I am slipping in between.  

 

Maybe I should buy an amp and really push the impact out there.  With low
power, I shouldn't be your worst problem.

 

Ed  N1UR