[CQ-Contest] Receiver adjustments in CW contest conditions

[K9MA]

When I'm running with the K3, and adjacent QRM starts to move in, I find 
that narrowing the passband is often very effective, sometime just going 
from 400 to 350 Hz. I expect this is the same with all DSP radios. Alas, 
this only works if the adjacent signal is clean.

73,
Scott K9MA



On 12/18/2021 4:57 PM, Mark - N5OT wrote:
> 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
>> Check out the new Reverse Beacon Network
>> web server at<http://beta.reversebeacon.net>.
>> For spots, please use your favorite
>> "retail" DX cluster.
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>
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-- 
Scott  K9MA

k9ma at sdellington.us