[Elecraft] On zero beating

[Ron D' Eau Claire]

Steve AA8AF wrote:

> Perhaps the "ultimate" spotting tool would be to measure the audio
> frequency of a received CW signal and display it -- perhaps at the touch
> of a button.  Knowing your sidetone is set to, say 700Hz, you could then
> adjust the dial frequency so the received CW signal is also at 700 Hz.
> Since the K2 has a frequency counter logic, perhaps this feature could be
> implemented?

A simpler system that has been used in many older rigs is to simply push a
button to offset the 'vfo' by the beat note, so you adjust the tuning for
zero tone (true "zero beat") where there is no audio tone produced at all.
The problem with that is that newer rigs cut off the audio response below a
couple of hundred Hz, so you can't really hear the "zero" very well.

Besides, once you know what to listen for, it is no problem at all to hear
the beat even with a CW signal being keyed. If you can hear the CW, you will
quickly learn to hear the tone as well.

One problem with hearing the tone that many ops have is that they are too
different in level. If you like the sidetone very LOUD you will have to turn
up the signal to come close to it in order to hear the beat clearly, and
visa versa.

Ron AC7AC
K2 # 1289