Topband: Narrow Filtering

[N1BUG]

>> The real solution is for everyone to learn how to tune their 
>> radios to the right frequency.
> 
> Unfortunately, for some who are afflicted by what the musicians 
> call a "tin ear" +/- 200 Hz may well be "the right frequency" - 
> at least as well as they can tell it.  Tuning to the right 
> frequency gets to be a bigger challenge with quick transmissions, 
> weak signals, QRN, QSB, and a lot of strong close by stations 
> with their clicks and phase noise.

As a person with disabilities I am not questioning that some have 
legitimate reasons for not being able to tune a CW signal precisely by 
ear. However...

How many people these days don't have a computer in their ham station? 
It is a very simple matter to route receiver audio to a sound card and 
use any number of free software offerings (I use Spectran) as a visual 
tuning indicator. Quick transmissions, weak signals, QRN, QSB, and a lot 
of strong close by stations with their clicks and phase noise are not a 
significant factor with a little practice using this approach. I am 
quite confident I can consistently get within 10 to 20 Hz of the station 
I am calling, unless I deliberately offset my transmit frequency 
slightly in a pile up. (BTW if I'm not getting that close I would like 
to hear about it because it means something is wrong with my station!)

In my opinion too many people aren't familiar enough with their 
equipment to *know* where they are transmitting. I propose every 
operator should *know* what his/her radio's Rx/Tx "CW offset" is, 
whether it is adjustable (as most modern rigs are) or not. Second, 
realize that if the rig's CW offset differs from the pitch the operator 
likes to listen to when copying CW, it will be necessary to compensate 
using RIT/XIT or a second VFO to get on frequency with the station one 
is calling. Third, it is easy to provide for some means of tuning a CW 
signal accurately whether hearing impaired or not. If an operator were 
to have both hearing and sight impairment I guess it would then become a 
far more significant challenge.

Every day I hear people missing QSOs they might very well make if they 
took the time to learn how to get on frequency. On the other hand the 
fact that many operators don't get on frequency means less effective 
competition and more DX QSOs for me! :-)

73 & Good Topbanding,
Paul N1BUG