[TenTec] Here We Go Again (was Spectrum Hogs)

[jsb at digistar.com]

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 KM6VX at aol.com wrote:

> I'd much rather here some joker with his mic gain and speech processor
> cranked up all the way!

heh - well, not me...  I ignore CQ calls from guys whose background noise
(fans, TV, etc.) is as loud as their voice.  There's nothing in the
rulebook that says I have to answer everyone who calls CQ for casual
conversation.

At risk of alienating myself from others on the list with differing
opinions...

I'm one of those guilty as charged - I freely admit it.  My SSB bandwidth
is usually set between 3.0kc to 3.9kc wide, just as most of the people I
converse with are receiving somewhere in that vicinity as well.  The sound
is rich and full and doesn't burn up my equipment throwing a constant
carrier.  When operating, I ask if anyone is capable of receiving my wider
signal - if not, I lower it to meet their receiver's front end.  The
Jupiter's DSP Noise Reduction reduces the noise level as well if not
better than a 250W AM carrier which is another reason I prefer wider SSB
over AM.

But before the Bandwidth Police gets their collective panties in a bunch,
I NEVER use SSB for the purpose of voice communication on any band other
than 160 meters and there is a reason for this...  There is a lot of
spectrum acreage down there - plenty of elbow room for wide bandwidth SSB
emission.  No one's ever complained - but if they do, it's a simple twist
of a knob from 3900 to 2400Hz wide.  I will happily oblige the requests of
others if the band starts hopping and i'm interfering with an adjacent
QSO.  Not a problem.  Just because I was there first does not mean I have
an infallible fiefdom of 10KC adjacent either side of my center frequency.


Use of wider SSB bandwidth requires a bit of candor and responsibility on
the part of the operator - only an idiot would run 3900Kc wide on a
crowded night on 80 meters.  My opinion is, Chastise the "widebanders" all
you want when the band is crowded, but don't bother me with a bunch of
baby talk when there's only 2 people using the band.  Practice copying CW
instead.


73 Jason N1SU