[CW] Receiver RF Gain

Tue Oct 30 16:30:30 EDT 2018

Hello all

I have been reading the conversation with interest & live on an inner capital city quarter acre block with all the human-generated QRM which goes with that.  From a 54-year LF-MF background, NAVY-NATO-maritime,  I share that we ALWAYS operate with the RF gain backed off to about 2 o'clock for 630 to 30m operation as has been reported.
AGC may become irrelevant @ those frequencies as well.

In addition, grounding the station aerial system when not in use is an automatic thing done, & the larger the array/system in the air, the more important this lightning precaution is - certainly to yours truly. So the 10MHz Bobtail Curtain gets grounded, as do the big verticals. The station aerial earthing switch is right next to the power/lighting switches in the shed.

Signal to Noise ratio is far more important than volume in Low Band reception, and any reference material worth its salt will affirm that statement, which is also why we run separate transmitting & receiving aerials, often up to 5 or 6 of the latter: some incoming signals will be received better on an aerial from which we might least expect it: eg a 'snake aerial' flopped on the ground (but not where there are buried/on ground radials because of the interaction potential).

For years my own station has included multiple reception aerials for 10MHz band & below. As mentioned in an email a few weeks ago, pursuit of this S-2-N enhancement has led me to maintain a combination of at least 5 switchable aerials for any particular band of interest at the time. When not up in the air, they are stored on fence rails, in the workshop rafters or in the case of the big Frame Loop, just leaning against the back of the workshop until needed again.
I have 60 radials under the lot & everything is bonded to a single point: multiple earth stakes, metal boundary fencing, bonded workshop & garden sheds, metal rainwater tanks, large metal aviary etc etc. The system is drip-irrigated & the odd handful of spa salt has been known to find its way to the single junction point of that whole network (ionisation).
"The devil may be in the detail" but so it is for optimal operation on 30m & below!

I only operate on 630, 160. 30 & 6m ICW these days. However, I have used multiple separate receiving aerials & reduced RF Gain  on each of the HF bands over the years. 
WAC & 55 DXCC using 5W on 160m from my land-locked QTH & 2500 miles QSOs on 630m have provided my entertainment to date. VK5-TF QRP ICW using 50mW both ways on 20m has also been successful. 

A primary focus for this recommended approach is to minimise the risk of assembling an Alligator Station, which is also terribly frustrating when replies from that delicious DX station cannot be heard though it is hearing us call. Even more infuriating is when other stations on the side let us know that is the situation...Grrrr! It is all about Signal to Noise, & a dedicated stint on 160m or below will confirm that.

Both my LF-MF books covered the topic in much operational detail, as do other texts on the subject of enhancing MF & HF signal reception.

I hope my suggestion is of use & wish you all well in your avoidance of lightning damage, but also improved reception.

73 de Doc VK5BUG

-----Original Message-----
From: cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net <cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Bill Cromwell
Sent: Wednesday, 31 October 2018 12:33 AM
To: cw at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [CW] Receiver RF Gain

Hi,

I have been doing that for a long time. Like others I have assumed it is "common" practice. Not so.

It seems counterintuitive to reduce the incoming signals so as to hear the weakest ones but that is how it plays. I have a Kenwood R-599 with no RF gain control BUT does have a step attenuator and can turn off the AGC. They call it "Monitor" mode. When I tell newer hams about it I get those blank, thousand-yard stares as if I had just defined "sky blue pink"!

73,

Bill  KU8H

On 10/30/2018 08:37 AM, Steve WD8DAS via CW wrote:
>
> I don't think it is a common practice.  When I've suggested it to other
> operators I get reactions like "why would you ever want less RF gain?"
> and "I always leave that control all the way up".   When I'm in person
> with someone and can demonstrate, it produces more impact.
>
>
> Steve WD8DAS
>
> sbjohnston at aol.com
> http://www.wd8das.net/
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> Radio is your best entertainment value.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ron.K3PID <ron.k3pid at sbcglobal.net>
> To: CW <CW at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Mon, Oct 29, 2018 7:55 pm
> Subject: [CW] Receiver RF Gain
>
> I noticed an article in QST explaining that it is better to run a lower
> RF gain on your receiver for weak signals and in noisy conditions. WOW!
> I am thinking that those of us who are seasoned enough to be Elmers must
> have really fallen down on the job.  Just the idea that someone needed
> to write that article is an indication that we failed to pass on the
> basic operating skills. My Elmer taught me ( and a lot of others) to run
> with a relatively high audio gain and then back off the RF gain to drop
> the noise. It works welll and I’ve been doing it that way for 57 years.
> It works on my computerized Yaesu and just as well on my R-390 or my
> HQ-180.  I just assumed it was common practice.
>
> 73
> Ron K3PID
>
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-- 
bark less - wag more
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