[Elecraft] APF in 4.16/2.63 works well!

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

APF has a very significant improvement on weak signals in the noise.
I completely agree with prior posters.   HOWEVER...

I would like to be able to ***VARY THE Q*** with the width control and
LEAVE IT ON with a mild Q, and sharpen it as required.  If I can back
it out to 2 dB with a width function I would probably leave that on
all the time and grind in as needed.  I already do that with Width in
weak cases that are on frequency.  ONLY when APF is on could we have
the WIDTH tap toggle between APF Q displaying APF Q=3 in lower display
and between Roofing/DSP bandwidth displaying BW  0.40???  You could do
the same thing with SHIFT to go back and forth between adjusting
Roofing/DSP SHIFT displaying FC *0.45 and APF *0.45.    Using WIDTH to
control Q is intuitive.

When APF is in there is no moderate setting, it takes over the
passband and makes copy of a signal up band difficult.  It will
require repeated use of DUAL PB to go in and out for weak signals and
back out for normal use.  Use of a HOLD function as a frequent change
is a problem.  In trying to get used to the HOLD on DUAL PB to go in
and out of APF to hear in the rest of the channel,  I repeatedly hit
NTCH instead.  HOLD's are only good for settings that persist for a
while during operation.

E.g. I don't need APF ONLY as a better substitute for 50 Hz.  I need
it to work ALSO as a milder center emphasis inside the 400 Hz roofer,
and be able to twist a knob somewhere to move between mild and sharp.
Even with what appears to be only a 2 dB peaking around 450, the MP
was improved inside its excellent dual INRAD 400 selectivity.

If this is not done, it will be very difficult to use it well in a
contest.  No easy-to-use variable Q is a deal-breaker for me.  In the
end for contests it will cost Q's and will have to tell people to
leave it off, just like NR. Only turn it on for a really weak one if
you can remember how, and then turn it right back off.  Then when I
get home chasing weak DX I'll turn it all back on again, and work some
stuff I couldn't hear before.

73, Guy.

On Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 11:01 AM, drewko <drewko1 at verizon.net> wrote:
> Yes, I realize that. I would like to compare what is heard using the
> APF filter to what is displayed by BeaconSee with its sub-noise signal
> recovery algorithms.
>
> 73,
> Drew
> AF2Z
>
>
> On Fri, 29 Oct 2010 10:55:38 -0400, you wrote:
>
>>
>>I think you may be confused about what APF is.  It is NOT a waterfall or any
>>kind of visual indicator.  It IS an Audio Peaking Filter (APF) meant to
>>enhance weak signal audio using the processor between your ears.  It will
>>not automatically show you where weak signals are in a spectrum, but if you
>>know approximately where to look (either from a Packet spot or waterfall
>>trace) it can help your ear/brain decode the CW audio buried in noise.
>>
>>73,  Bill
>
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