Topband: ARRL 160 conditions

[W5JR - Mike]

Dead on Zero Beat is OK if there is only one station ZB. Same is true is there is only one station up or down X number of hertz. The problem with newer transceivers and the skimmers is that several answer ZB and that last filter, the old ear, can't separate them when the signals are similar in signal strength. Just a 10 Hz difference is enough to sort out a weaker one from a strong one. 

I'm sure I'm "guilty" of answering ZB from the skimmer too often. If I'm not getting through right away, I'll move 10-50 Hz and try again (but still inside the 200 Hz filter BW some use). 

What I find difficult when calling CQ is setting an acceptable compromise between too narrow an RX filter setting versus too wide and being able to hear the weak ones due to strong adjacent signals 500 Hz (or closer!) away but in the passband when set to 1 KHz or so. I make extensive use of the RX RIT to catch those off enough to be at the edge of whichever filter width I'm using at the moment. 

tnx
Mike / W5JR - GA

On Dec 4, 2011, at 12:46 PM, Bill Cromwell <wrcromwell at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sun, 2011-12-04 at 12:36 -0500, N1BUG wrote:
>>> "Bang on zero beat" IS a problem. I am noticing more
>>> and more of that as (Iguess) more and more guys rely
>>> on SPOTTING SOFTWARE! Arrrrgh! It doesn't make any
>>> sense to call exactly zero beat.
>> 
>> Huh? As I stated earlier, out here with the QRM and crowding if you 
>> are not darn close to zero beat you risk not being heard. There is 
>> no point in calling if you are going to be under the big gun on 
>> either side of the station you wish to work. If you are referring to 
>> possible problems with two or more calling the same station and zero 
>> beat with each other, it CAN be a problem IF both stations are near 
>> the same strength. Otherwise I find it no problem to pick the 
>> stronger one, work him, then go after the other(s). It is much 
>> faster and easier if all callers are zero beat or very close than if 
>> they are all over the place and under the adjacent QRM.
>> 
>> 73,
>> Paul
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
> 
> Hi Paul,
> 
> I was going to ask Wayne off-list about that statement. The more I have
> learned the more I realize I don't know. My guess was that he might know
> or observe something that others of us have missed somehow. Now that the
> question is on the list...I would like to know, too. Why would we want
> to transmit anywhere at all other than where the calling station is
> listening? I think split operation is for DX pileups...not contests.
> Maybe that's my error.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Bill  KU8H
> 
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK