[Elecraft] Running stations with k3

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

As a 99.99% CW op, I prefer a fairly wide bandwidth - 2 kHz or so - when copying, especially with a weak signal. I attribute that to the gray-matter filter between my ears that can better detect the CW signal in wider-band noise rather than in a noise spectrum limited to frequencies near those of the signal. 

It works better for me even if there are other signals inside the bandpass. Then it becomes like listening to someone in a room full of people speaking to each other. Quickly my gray matter can filter out the extraneous chatter as long as no one voice is extremely loud, like someone standing next to you at a party yelling at someone across the room. In that case I prefer using the notch filter or even the limiter to suppress a "loudmouth" before narrowing the bandwidth.

I used to avoid AGC because of 'pumping', but got back into the habit with the Elecraft rigs because their AGC systems are extremely resistant to pumping.  

It was easier in the past because many signals had distinctive differences caused by hand-sent keying which made it easier to pick them out against a cacophony of others. Now, of course, most signals are pristine and produced by keyers although there are large variations in speeds, so it's still easier for me to use a wider bandwidth.

73, Ron AC7AC  

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Walter Underwood
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 8:43 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Running stations with k3

Analog filters have phase delay. That would be stronger with a narrower filter. Also, the on-off CW signal has sidebands (the harmonics of the square wave). Maybe a narrower filter sounds “softer”? I have no idea what “full-bodied CW” means, of course.

wunder
K6WRU
Walter Underwood
CM87wj
http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)