[Elecraft] 4 MHz alignment

[Lyle Johnson]

Sorry, I have to jump in on this one.

Please keep in mind that the display on the K2, though showing a RESOLUTION
of 10 Hz, does not mean that it is ACCURATE to 10 Hz.  As another poster
mentioned, there is some frequency drift with time and temperature.  But
having the 10 Hz steps enables you to fine tune the other station, even if
the steps are really 9.998 Hz.

As long as you get the 4 MHz oscillator "close," you will be operating
"close enough."  If you don't operate within 100 Hz of a band edge on 10
meters (don't forget your sidebands!), then getting within 15 or 20 Hz at 4
MHz will be sufficiently accurate.  If you stay at least 1 kHz from the edge
on 10m, then you only need to be within 150 Hz or so at 4 MHz.

If you are using a receiver to "tune for zero beat" don't forget that the
receiver may not be more accurate than 100 Hz or so.  Depending on the
receiver, it may be a lot more than 100 Hz off!

If you are using a frequency counter, just because it says you are at
4.00000000 MHz doesn't mean you are!  When was the last time you calibrated
its timebase?  What did you use?  And if it is a bargain counter, it
probably isn't nearly as accurate as its number of display digits would lead
you to believe.

I bought a new HP frequency counter a few years ago and used it as my shack
reference. (Hey!  It's HP!  They're conservative...)  Last year I got a
GPS-stabilized master oscillator and a Rubidium standard as well.  I found
my HP 10 MHz timebase was off quite a few Hz.

We all have a tendency to believe the readings of our test equipment, assume
our radios are calibrated accurately, etc. I have heard far too many QSOs
where the operators are comparing their dial readings and trying to decide
who is on frequency and who is not. (My radio is more expensive than yours
and newer besides, so I'm on frequency and YOU have to QSY to get on the
proper NET frequency!  I'm not budging...)

The bottom line: as long as you aren't outside the band edge, you are legal.
If you can tell the other station to QSY up 15 kHz and find each other, you
are accurate enough, IMHO.  So get the 4 MHz as close as you can and don't
worry about it :-)

Enjoy!

Lyle KK7P