[TenTec] Re: Roofing filters

[Bill Tippett]

NQ5T:
 >I think the concerns in this regard are unfounded.  As for running
SSB at 2-3 Khz with a 1.8 Khz roofing filter inline -- that just doesn't
make any sense to me at all.   It's like running a Countach with a
governor on the engine to keep your speed under 2000 rpm.

         Grant, you apparently don't operate in SSB contests.  1.8 kHz spacing
would truly be a luxury...signals are more like 1-1.5 kHz apart.  I often
go to 1.5-1.6 kHz bandwidth when the going gets really tough...which is on
the edge of readability for me.  2-3 kHz???...not in any SSB contests I've
seen.  I hasten to agree that the 1.8 kHz filter is probably not needed
outside of contests...unless some weak SSB DX station chooses to listen only
1-2 up (which does happen occasionally).  Your analogy is just the opposite
of what you said...NOT having very narrow bandwidth capability is like having
a governor on your score in SSB contests.  I've won every major SOSB10 SSB
DX contest I entered (CQ WW, ARRL DX & CQ WPX) since 1999 (10 total) including
setting the current USA records in all three.  10 meters has 1.5 MHz SSB BW to
spread out in and stations are still jammed together when the band is open.
Just imagine what it's like on 15 or 20 meters which have much less BW, and
when everyone is there because 10 is not open!

                                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV