[Elecraft] K2 CW sidetone pitch - what do you use?

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

It's a very much a personal preference, Andreas. Historically, there =
have
been sound reasons for certain choices based on the capabilities of the
receiver.=20

When I was first tinkering around after WWII, 1 kHz was a very common
sidetone to use. I always found it too high. Dits and dahs tended to =
blur at
such a high frequency for me but I know that some other OT's still =
'swear by
it'. Using such a high frequency had some specific advantages for the
receivers of the day that are no longer a factor.=20

By the 70's the most common sidetones I heard were in the 600 to 800 Hz
range among the "commercial" gear.=20

I prefer a lower frequency - in the 500 Hz range. Like you said, it's =
just
"easier on my ears".=20

There is a slight advantage to the lower frequencies too. Our ability to
pick one signal out of the QRM when there are several signals in the
passband is based on how much different they are in frequency. The
importance is in the percentage of difference, not the number of Hz. For
example, it's pretty easy to distinguish by ear between two similar =
level
signals producing sidetones at 400 and  600 Hz - only 200 Hz apart. But =
it's
much harder to distinguish between the same two signals if they produce
tones of 1000 and 1200 Hz. The percentage difference between them is =
less at
the higher frequency and our brains have more trouble separating them.

Ron AC7AC
K2 # 1289

-----Original Message-----
I have set up my K2 to use 650 Hz as my sidetone pitch.  I took part in =
the
WPX last weekend using another rig (ICOM 775) and the pitch was way =
lower,
somwhere around 450 or so.  I did like it, it seemed to be easier on my
ears/brain etc.

I know that there are many opinions out there about which is the best =
pitch
for DX or contesting. I did some investigations in the newsgroups and it
seems that all those opinions are personal preferences and no =
scientifically
based facts. And many rig manufacturers are using 800 Hz as the default
setting.

Now, what do other K2 owners use?
And, does the K2 (and its filters, DSP, etc) support going down as low =
as
say 450 Hz?

73,
Andreas, KU7T