[CQ-Contest] Receiver adjustments in CW contest conditions

[Mark - N5OT]

Hey Pete,

When a contester says "problems seem to come from QRM" it could mean a 
lot of things.  Are you talking about adjacent signals, like the next 
station up who's CQing, or perhaps when you are coexisting with that 
station just fine, but someone answers their CQ who is loud and a little 
too close to your side of him?  Can you be more specifc?

The responses about wetware separating signals are all fine and good 
(K0HB, K9YC et al) but to your filters a 100Hz difference is 100Hz 
regardless of the actual frequency of the tone.  However, they are 
correct that two low pitches a certain number of Hz apart are absolutely 
easier to differentiate by ear than two high pitches the same number of 
Hz apart.

But not sure that is germane until you describe your frustration in 
greater detail.  QRM = loud signals, which in a K-3 could bring an 
interesting AGC conversation in addition to offset, shift and width.  
Separating a desired weak CW signal from an undesired loud CW signal 
might require more than telling two notes apart.

73 - Mark N5OT


On 12/15/2021 10:56 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
> I'm curious to know - except maybe on 160 or VHF, most of my receiving 
> problems in CW contests seem to come from QRM. When I'm contesting, I 
> find that the only RX controls I use on my K-3 are the main tuning or 
> (when running) RIT - this despite having DSP control to shift and 
> narrow my passband.  I just go with my 500-Hz filter and my ears.
>
> So what do you do?  What have you found useful - again, not in 
> weak-signal situations, but in QRM.
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
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