[TenTec] Orion II

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

The waterfall display is very handy finding signals on a nearly dead 
band, especially VHF and microwave (where lacking frequency stability 
and precision might find a station more than a few kHz away from the 
frequency they thought they were on). On HF it can show you the pileups 
so you can investigate to chase DX if you haven't already worked the DX 
station. It can show you the frequency of splattering stations whether 
that splattering is from them or from your receiver overload. The 
waterfall display is often a part of digital programs and allows you to 
identify signals by type and activity even when there are a couple dozen 
PSK-31 signals in the SSB filter pass band.

Just some uses of the waterfall display.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

On 2/19/2011 4:39 PM, Richards wrote:
> Novice Question 2765 ...
>
> Showing my ignorance, and not owning an Orion II ... yet...
> (I have an Omni VII)... could someone please  explain
> how one uses the waterfall in a real world situation?
> I have seen them in screen shots, and think I know
> what they show... but am not sure I know what to DO
> in an operational sense after looking at a waterfall display.
> Do you tune to the signal image (the way I   tune to a peak
> on my band sweep scope display?)   Or is there something
> else you do to USE the information displayed on the screen ?
>
> I am sure this is a no-brainer for those with one, but I have
> yet to use one, myself.
>
> Happy Trails.    THANKS !
>
> =======================  Richards / K8JHR  =========================
>