[Elecraft] DSP and CW?

[Vic K2VCO]

Chris Kantarjiev wrote:
> Does this combination make sense? I operate 100% CW. These days, I seem
> to be chasing a lot of very weak signals with questionable readability.
> My vertical isn't the quietest of antennas (they never are) and my
> neighborhood has a fair amount of QRM on 40m during "real people hours".
> 
> So ... would AF or DSP help me in this situation? The noise blanker
> doesn't seem to do much good for the noise sources my neighbors provide.

You will get some different answers on this!

DSP or an analog AF can be used to reduce the bandwidth, which increases 
the s/n ratio. This can help with weak signals. On the other hand, a 
very narrow bandwidth causes the phenomenon that the 'pitch' of the 
noise is the same as that of the signal, so your built-in brain filter 
won't be able to pick it out. Some guys say they do better with wider 
bandwidths on very weak signals for this reason. For me, sometimes it's 
better one way, sometimes the other.

As far as DSP noise reduction, it seems to me that it makes copy of 
signals more comfortable in the presence of noise, but I don't think it 
helps when the signal is super weak -- that is, there isn't a case when 
I can say that NR made it possible to copy a signal that I couldn't have 
copied without it.
-- 
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco