[CQ-Contest] [YCCC] Key Clicks in ARRL DX CW

[Paul O'Kane]

On 23/02/2016 03:06, Jukka Klemola wrote:

> Please consider the panadapter may show strong signals as wide.
> Most web sdr receivers show strong signals wide.

That is normal.  Any station 60db above the noise appears,
and is, wider at the noise floor than one that is 6db above
the noise. If the stations have similar levels of clicks,
those from the first station will be 54db stronger - and
54db more irritating.

> Please verify the wide signals that they actually are wide.

Jukka is a member of the CQ WW Contest Committee.  I have
suggested to this committee that a way to deal with clicks
would be to define "excessive bandwidth" in terms of width
at 30db or 40db down - easily measured on a P3 or similar.
The committee could take the lead on this issue, if it so
wished. Signal widths could be verified with the committee's
SDR recordings.

http://www.cqww.com/contact.htm
http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/CQ-Contest/2015-04/msg00116.html

> In case of strong signals, the actual width may be produced even by your
> noise blanker.
>
> Correct tuning set for the receiver are as important as correct settings
> for transmitter.

If some stations have audible and visible clicks, while
others of similar strength do not, then the clicks are
real.

73,
Paul EI5DI