[Elecraft] CQ WW CW & a K3

[Vic K2VCO]

Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy wrote:

> Perhaps a daft question, but assuming that the DX is working SPLIT, that 
> I am NOT using RIT nor XIT and that I am listening to the DX with VFO 
> A.  If I now want to listen to the calling stations which would normally 
> be done VFO B, which also controls my Tx frequency when listening to the 
> DX on VFO A, and then reverting back to VFO A to listen to the DX before 
> transmitting, if I cannot use VFO B for receiving and have to use VFO A 
> does this mean that when I call after finding a 'hole' I would then risk 
> transmitting on the DX's frequency? If I understand correctly what you 
> mean by copying 'the frequency' from B to A, would that not slow down 
> one's ability to change Tx frequency rapidly in a pile-up situation?

If your rig is in SPLIT you are listening to the DX on VFO A and the K3 
will transmit on B.

The instant you press the REV button, the *contents* of the VFOs are 
swapped and you can listen to the pileup on A (while the REV button is 
held, the K3 will not transmit, by the way).

The instant you release the button, the contents are swapped again and 
when you transmit it will be on the pileup frequency.

Incidentally, 'the contents' includes the bandwidth. What I like to do 
when I hear some DX is to set the bandwidth wide (if it is not already), 
press A->B and then SPLIT. Then I reduce the bandwidth to best hear the DX.

At this point I can hold REV for as long as I want to search the pileup 
with the bandwidth wide. When I hear the guy the DX is working, I let go 
of the button and I go back to hearing the DX with a narrow bandwidth.

The trick is to think of VFO A as the receiver, and the swapping options 
as copying the contents of the VFOs, not 'swapping VFOs'.

The REV button is the only button on the K3 which switches between two 
states in its up and down positions! All the others use the press/hold 
convention that is familiar from the K2.
-- 
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco