[Elecraft] cw operating question

Thu Jul 24 20:48:00 2003

The RIT control is definitely one of the ways you can and should
compensate for transmitter drift by the station you are working.
Unfortunately, some folks use their VFO to adjust the receive pitch to
their liking.  Of course, that also moves their transmit frequency.
They may appear to be "drifting" when actually they are deliberately
moving by changing the VFO to change the pitch.  Using RIT to adjust the
pitch (after first zero beating the other station) is definitely the way
to go.  That way you do not change your transmit frequency.  Otherwise,
you will end up chasing each other all over the band.
A handy use for XIT (transmitter incremental tuning) is to make a quick
frequency offset to accommodate a DX station who is listening off his
frequency (usually above his frequency) for calls.  That is a quick and
dirty way of accomplishing split frequency operation and works well if
the difference between the transmitting and listening frequency is only
1-3 KHz or so.
As you've probably noticed, unlike some radios, the K2 does not show XIT
operation directly - - that is, you can't set the XIT and see it change
on the readout as you move the knob.  If the DX station is "listening
up" I usually turn on the RIT, move up maybe 2 KHz and then punch in the
XIT.  That sets the XIT to the same frequency as the RIT.  I then turn
off the RIT which returns me to my listening frequency, but since the
XIT is still on, I will be transmitting 2 KHz up from the listening
frequency and I will then nail the rare DX (don't I wish)!
It sounds more complicated than it really is.  One more thing:  remember
to turn off the RIT and/or XIT after the contact or you may find
yourself wondering why you are not able to make the next contact.
Obviously with either control operational you will not be transmitting
or listening where you think you are and zero beating will be very
unlikely.  Start with both controls off and then, if needed, you can
make adjustments.
I won't mention any particular hams but I do recall with humor a certain
group who, years ago, very often drifted so badly that they would call
CQ on say 7015, you would establish a QSO and then watch them drift,
drift, drift (and usually chirp as well) until they were transmitting on
say 6995!  That's when the RIT came in handy.  They might get away with
transmitting there but I'm sure I wouldn't and I certainly wouldn't want
to follow them with the VFO. I will say most of those rigs have
disappeared of late.  They have probably finally blown up, caught fire
or otherwise self destructed.

Bruce - W8FU

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of John Cooper
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 6:54 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Elecraft] cw operating question

I made a cw contact last night but the other stations signals were
drifting in and out.  Not mine but his this was while I was listening.
I had to use the RIT and follow him up and down while copying it was a
little hard but no problem just need practise.  Is this why their is a
RIT button?  Theirs been a lot back and forth bout drift but its all
been bout our station drifting after transmiting and letting the k2 get
hot if you dont have the mod.  This guy was runing a ten tec in CA, Im
in TX.  Ive ended qsos before prematurely cause they just left or
disapeared now I wonder if its because their signal just drifted a lil
bit.  I did not know you had to follow cw. I thought you just cq then
talked.  He was never than bout .20 hz away.  Anywhere from 14.010.20 to
14.010.50.  Dont let the 2x1 call fool you. IM a young newbie to the
hobby.  

73s wt5y john

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