[Elecraft] FSK power

[Jim Brown]

  On 9/23/2010 4:37 PM, Ray Sills wrote:
> The difference in power between 50 watts and 100 watts is essentially
> insignificant.
Any contester or DXer will tell you from experience that this is NOT 
TRUE. When you're 20 dB over the noise and QRM, 3dB doesn't matter, but 
when you're on the edge of making a contact, 1-2dB can matter a LOT. 
MANY times, I've been working a contest by running up and down the band, 
with the amp tuned at one end. When i get to the far end, I'm running 
less power. I'll work the guys who hear me well, but I've often had to 
retune the amp for another 2dB make the contact. Also, I often run my 
legal limit Ten Tec Titan at 1kW to save the tubes, but when I'm not 
getting through, I'll kick it up that extra 1.7dB to 1500 watts to make 
the contact.

One of the big misunderstandings about dB and audibility is that when 
the desired signal is close to the noise level, a dB or so can be quite 
obvious.

73, Jim Brown K9YC