[TowerTalk] 1dB more RF Power?

[Bob Shohet, KQ2M]

I remember last year someone (perhaps AB7E?) posted audio files of DB differences, 1 DB at a time....  1DB, 2DB, 3DB, as well as under varying sending conditions.  I always thought that 1 DB could be heard but until those audio files I never realized just how much it could matter.

Whether we are calling cq or calling a station it is unlikely that we will ever know when that extra 1 DB mattered; but now add in differences in pitch, keyer speed, sending style, propagation effects (flutter, aurora, echo, etc) and all of a sudden that 1 DB extra signal strength might really stand out, especially if a band is noisy and and/or propagation is marginal, not to mention when there is a good op on the other end listening for the slightest signal differences in a pileup. 

Every DB matters - wherever you can find it.

73

Bob, KQ2M 


From: n6sj at earthlink.net 
Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2020 8:15 PM
To: 'David Gilbert' ; towertalk at contesting.com 
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 1dB more RF Power?

OK Dave, point well taken!

But the only time I've worked anyone right at the noise level was when Dima RA9USU sucked my CW signal out of the noise when he was at E30FB.  Took him 10 tries to finally get my call.  I admit 1 dB might have made a difference for that Q!

73,
Steve


-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of David Gilbert
Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2020 4:58 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 1dB more RF Power?


True ... although noise doesn't care when or where you put your signal, and 1 dB can sometimes make a valuable difference if you happen to be right at the level of the mud.

And, of course, there is always the possibility that the folks you're competing against are just as adroit in signal placement as you are.  If there are enough of them 1 dB could matter then as well.

73,
Dave  AB7E


On 4/30/2020 12:12 PM, n6sj at earthlink.net wrote:
> Great discussion!
>
> But personally, I think on CW your timing (call early, call late), 
> keying speed (call faster, call slower), and placement of your signal 
> in the receiver's passband (call high, call low) will all have a much 
> bigger effect on being noticed and answered than a 1dB increase in RF signal power.
>
> On SSB your timing, mic equalization, enunciation, and inherent voice 
> timbre will similarly swamp a 1dB power increase.
>
> 73,
> Steve
> N6SJ
>

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