[RTTY] Filters for an ICOM 706

[Bill Barnes, N3JIX]

> Hi All
>
> During the CQ WW RTTY Contest I found the bands very congested, which was
> to expected, however with no filters in my ICOM 706 I was getting
> clobbered
> by other station and could not print while they were transmitting.  So it
> is time to buy a filter, ICOM has 4 to choose from:
> 500 hz & 250 hz for RTTY / CW and
> 1.8khz & 3.3 khz for SSB.
>
> Does anybody have any experience using these or suggestions on the 1 or 2
> that I should pick to solve my problem.  Also can you get them used as
> they
> are really expensive.

Very timely question.  Friday night, I couldn't copy much of anything, and
my 706 was getting clobbered...  I just wasn't getting any good copy out
of anyone close together.  So saturday AM, I went to a hamfest, and ran
into an Icom dealer (KJI electronic), asked about the FL-232 350Hz IF
filter for my Icom 706MKIIG.  After talking to him for a few minutes, I
talked myself into it and bought a brand new FL-232 for $95.00.

I got home later in the afternoon, put it into my 706, told it was there
in the setup menu.  Went to 15m, couldn't copy a station, hit the FIL
button, and boom, instant copy.  To re-add effect to how dramatic a change
this was: BOOM, INSTANT COPY!

I was so impressed, after working about half a dozen stations, I e-mail
Don, AA5AU and thanked him for the suggestion.

So, to summarize, I'm convinced that a 350hz IF filter is very very very
important for an Icom 706MKIIG to be useful during crowded rtty contest
conditions.

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73, de Bill, N3JIX