[Elecraft] Zero beat hint and why 800hz maximum?

[K4IA at aol.com]

One hint from someone who is tone deaf:  (I  can't tune a piano but I can 
tuna fish).

I think most people pick an  arbitrary pitch for receiving because the rig 
defaulted there or their elmer  told them to use a certain pitch.  They then try 
to use their ear to match  that note.  But it is not "their" note.  To 
further complicate  matters, the pitch that served you well ten years ago might not 
be the best now  because your hearing has changed.

I have found that if I pick a pitch  that sounds just right to me, then zero 
beating is easier because it is the note  I naturally want to hear.  If you 
have your rig set up at 600 hz but your  ear likes to hear CW at 800hz, you will 
have a hard time trying to zero  beat.  You will naturally tune higher 
because that is the tone you like to  hear.  

So, my advice is to start over and listen to the various  pitches available.  
Pick the one that sounds "sweet" to you and make that  your default. Make 
sure it is the same on all your rigs.  Tune yourself up  like the orchestra does 
before a performance - listen to the SPOT function and  fix it in your head 
before operating.  I think then, you will find it  easier to zero beat.  

On another note, I have to question why a  pitch of 800hz is the maximum the 
K3 will allow.  Some folks or conditions  prefer a higher pitch particularly 
when the band noise is a low grumbling  sound.  The higher-pitched CW stands 
out better.   

k4ia
"Buck" K3 #101
Fredericksburg, VA  




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