Topband: Re: Weak Signal Reception (EME view)

[Bill Tippett]

4X4NJ wrote:

Regarding not hearing stations calling off frequency, this can be a problem
when using such narrowband reception, and especially in contests, it is
necessary to always "wiggle" the dial back and forth after each QSO to pick
up stations that may be calling off frequency.

         Believe me, you will waste a lot of time tuning a 90 Hz
filter + and -500 Hz from your TX frequency, and you will likely
miss many guys who call once and quickly move on.  It's been my
experience that I miss more callers using narrow filters than
using a fairly wide filter (.5 to 1 kHz) and "brain DSP".  Switching
RX antennas further complicates things because you need to do that
quickly as well, to catch the faster one-call guys.  Maybe you
don't have to worry about this since everyone will wait for you
(to get your 4X4 multiplier), so it may be different in your case.

         BTW, I also use the MP Main VFO for RX and Sub for TX as K6SE
described.  Too bad Yaesu won't make a firmware mod to fix the TX
frequency so you could use BOTH Main and Sub for simultaneous RX...
e.g. setting one to UCW and another to LCW would allow you to
use narrower filters on each passband and listen simultaneously
to both sides of your TX frequency.  I've suggested that several
times but their response is the same as for clicks (i.e. nil).

         Everyone has their own opinions about such things and that's
what makes a contest such a good test of what works and what doesn't.
The best way to improve our results is for all of us to try different
things and see what works best in our individual case.

                                         73,  Bill  W4ZV