[TowerTalk] 1dB more RF Power?

[David Gilbert]

I confess to having generated those files, although it was several years 
ago that I put them on my web site.  They just get referenced here or 
there about once a year when a similar topic surfaces.

http://www.ab7e.com/weak_signal/mdd.html

One dB was about all I could claim was distiguishable, but a difference 
two dB was surprisingly so.

73,
Dave  AB7E


On 4/30/2020 5:40 PM, Bob Shohet, KQ2M wrote:
> 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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