[Elecraft] Thoughts on split VFO's

[J. Edward (Ed) Muns]

> >, I might prefer
> > to enable a state where my transmit frequency is locked and the main VFO
> > knob becomes the RIT.  (idea compliments of N5KO)
>
> That's already in the software.
>
> You just press and hold SPLIT to put the rig in "Split" mode. Now the main
> tuning only affects the Receive frequency. It has no affect on
> the transmit
> frequency. The only way you can change the TX frequency is to
> either 1) Hit
> A=B to put the TX VFO on your current receive frequency or 2) Hit A/B to
> switch to the other VFO and set it where you want to TX then hit A/B again
> to move back to the one you are using for receive. I find it
> easiest to just
> tune to the frequency where I want to transmit and tap A=B, then go on
> tuning the receiver knowing that my transmitter is all set where
> I want it.

Oh, well, I make a distinction between "split" (RX and TX on different VFOs)
and RIT/XIT which adds an offset to your RX or TX frequency.  Yes,
certainly, one can use the second VFO as an RIT function.  But, then, that
VFO is no longer available for other uses.  Often, in a contest, or on the
DX end of a pileup, I want to be able to have one VFO on transmit, and the
RIT tuning the for the other station (because it is offset from my TX
frequency due to error or design ... "listening up 2").  Then, I have the
other VFO available to intermittantly tune around the band for multipliers,
interference, etc without upsetting the setup on my first VFO.  However,
what is really important in this discussion is understanding all the
different operating configurations and then designing the UI to address them
most effectively.  It may well be that our legacy UI of two VFOs with
RIT/XIT on each is not the best way to do it.  It's just what the defacto
standard is and many of us, myself included, have adapted our various
operating needs to it.

I'm expecting Wayne to sort this all out for us.  And, to make sure it isn't
such a trivial job for him, we're all giving our inputs!  Such as 2-radio
operation for semi-parallel operation on two bands by one operator ... with
all the permutations of 2 VFOs and RIT/XIT on each ... fed into each side of
stereo headphones.

73,
Ed - W0YK