[Orion] Orion SSB settings

[Bill Tippett]

K3NA wrote:
 >  RX EQ is something I haven't tried when using very narrow filter 
settings.  It's not as easy to get to as the bandwidth knob on
the radio.

         RX EQ is something I typically set and forget for SSB.
Play with it and find the setting your ears like best.
-15 dB seems to give greatest intelligibility for me.  Of
course it should be reset to 0 dB on CW.

 >   I am not sure of the value of boosting EQ at the audio stage to 
restore a portion of the spectrum which was suppressed in the
filters.  For example, if the filters are suppressing some of the speech 
energy at 1800-2100 Hz, then boosting that with the
equalizer simply raises the weaker signal PLUS the noise floor there.  If 
one needs the RX EQ, why wouldn't one just open the filter
a bit or reposition the passband accordingly?

         RX EQ simply shapes the audio response WITHIN whatever
DSP BW/PBT setup is selected.  If you have Spectrogram, you
can see it change the gain across the passband as it is
adjusted, but Spectrogram is not necessary to use it.  Simply
tune in a weak signal with BW/PBT set up as you normally would
for contests, and then tune RX EQ for maximum intelligibility
for your ears.  I find it quite helpful and operate full SSB
contest periods with mine set to -15.

                                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV