[Elecraft] Sidetone recommendation for the K2

[Tom Whiteside]

>An aspect I would like to understand better.
>
>On page 71 Owners Manual Rev D Oct 22 2002
>
>"pitch can be set from 400 to 800 Hz, although 500-600 Hz is
>recommended."
>
>What is the reason for this recommendation?   Is because of a technical
>reason related to the K2 or is it based on CW operators experience in
>actual band conditions.   The Code teaching program I am using to
>refresh my CW skills suggests to use 750 to 800Hz.

I'd have to agree with Tom that 600Hz is a good choice.  Mine is set at
500Hz here.   What I have found is that higher pitch notes are fatiguing to
my ears.  Also, the lower the frequency, the better our ears can distinguish
stations calling in a pileup - a 10Hz shift is a bigger percentage
difference for a 500Hz shift than a 700Hz shift so we can distinguish
individual stations more easily when multiple folks are calling in.   But
having said that, I'm a low band nut and it gets more difficult/fatiguing in
a noisy/staticy band as the shift approaches zero.     Nice thing about the
K2 is that it is not tough to try a given sidetone and then change it later
if you prefer - Many folks operating here complain a little bit about my
500Hz setting because they are used to something higher - so you also have
that to contend with if you get used to something different than the
masses - I'd set it to 600Hz for starters I think...

Tom Whiteside
N5TW Georgetown, TX