Ham Radio - Tuning your rig for CW, matching the other station's frequency.

Ham Radio - Tuning your rig for CW, matching the other station's frequency.

 

Excellent video for cw novices on the nostalgic and mysterious code !
Deduct Brownie points for the math cheating way back but Add Brownie points for learning the code

G3SEA/KH6

 

EXCELLENT VIDEO.

 

Well done! For those that dont know CW, you should really try it! In these days of poor propagation, CW will make it through when SSB wont. You can work so many new countries and people using CW. I work Europe on 40 meters using no more than 5 watts and a wire antenna. Give it a try!

Kent K9EZ

 

"CW will get through when voice wont..."

That goes way back to when "voice" referred to AM mode, not SSB. It's true when it's dealing with AM but not -as- true with SSB. It deals with a lot of factors, filtering, etc. Typically (meaning not true in every instance), SSB can usually be just as "get through" as CW. May still have to ask for a lot of repeats, but ... That's one of the reason SSB was invented, right?

 

re: "SSB can usually be just as "get through" as CW."

I thought this was thoroughly "put to rest" already.

BUT if that's the case, FreeDV 700D mode will do just that much better OVER SSB.

http://www.rowetel.com/?p=6103

 

Enjoyed the video as I started as a novice in 1962 when indeed we had to search up and down to find someone calling us.
And learned how to zero beat my transmitter vfo to a station calling on AM.
We have come a long way in 57 years!

But I think you over emphasize the need to be exactly zero beat to work cw. Many accomlished cw operators like to run with a wide open filter so they can hear anyone within a kHz of them and if the other operator likewise has a wide filter they can work each other. The oposite works as well, narrow your cw filter to 50 Hz and tune til you hear the cw signal and you will be close enough.

I am glad you pointed out the auto tune feature on the IC7300 and K3 as I use that alot. Also glad you pointed out using rit knob instead of vfo knob when in the middle of a qso.

A very quick trick is to touch a spike on the spectrum display which then magnifies that spot, touch again and the rig tunes right to it. This lets you look at a wider spectrum and quickly qsy to a strong spot.

73,
Larry KB0R

ps your zerobeat demo will be better if you switch from 10 Hz to 1 Hz precision on the 7300
and I hope you will do a post on how to use the spectrum scope

 

Nice video...
Thank you❗

 

hell'va lot better than FT8!!! NO BUTTON PUSHERS HERE!!! " AIN NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING " CW! de KA1BSZ/M

 

only one thing to push,press and that is the key! lot less than a computer!

 

Putting more HOW TO VIDEOS on the main QRZed page is an EXCELLENT IDEA!

More!

 

Ham transmitters always display the carrier frequency (even when it's suppressed as in SSB).

 

Wonderful, informative post. Would you please cover the fact that the same CW side tone frequency can occur on either side of the carrier? Do most recent rigs have this capability, or does the CW side tone tend to favor the side of the single sideband for that band?
Fred KX3R

 

Thank You - very good info. I have an Icom IC-7300, and good to know the alternative methods for (getting close to) zero beat, when operating CW. I find that the Auto Tune feature is not always helpful - especially when working weak stations.
73,
WA7ZIT