Topband: On FT8, noise bandwidths, filters, and signal vs noise.

[DXer]

Tim,

I'm a QLF CW operator. Yes, that bad. :^)

What you described below is exactly what I go through during a contest. 
Unless I switch back and forth between narrow and wide, I cannot listen 
for very long on narrow.

For the wider Topband audience:

Set the BW to 3 kHz, this is how wide the FT8 segments are in practice.

As for AGC, for reasons that I still cannot explain, the IC-7300 seems 
to perform better with AGC-F set to 0.1 seconds.

For programs, try JTDX. It does have a number of enhancements that are 
worth trying, such AGC compensation for transceivers that won't switch 
the AGF OFF. Filters, both signal, messages, areas, etc.

73 de Vince, VA3VF

=======================================
The psychoacoustics of listening to narrow bandwidths for extended periods
leads to a lot of these preferences. There's an "acoustical paranoia" that
sets in if you listen to noise too long with a narrow bandwidth and don't
change things up (bandwidth, center frequency, something!) at least
occasionally. When you find yourself in that paranoia it seems like the
signal you are trying to hear is exactly the same shape and bandwidth of
your narrow filter.