[Elecraft] Keying CW in SSB Mode [explained]

[Wayne Burdick]

The K3, K3S, KX2 and KX3 all have a menu option for “automatic VFO offset on SSB/CW mode change.” When this is turned on, the operator can switch from SSB to CW mode, hit the key, and have the other station hear them at approximately their sidetone pitch. The VFO frequency is offset to achieve this. When automatic offset is turned off (the default), switching from SSB to CW mode does not move the VFO frequency, which means that hitting the key would result in the other station hearing you at zero beat.

To change this setting, locate the CW WGHT menu entry and tap ‘5’. The setting will alternate between VFO OFS and VFO NOR.

This feature was specifically added for the situation described, where fading (typically on 6 m) compels one or both stations to switch to CW mode.

However, an easier way to send CW in SSB mode is to just make sure “SSB +CW” is in effect in the menu. In this case you can be in SSB mode and simply hit the key to transmit CW with an automatic offset that the other station will hear as roughly your sidetone pitch. Two stations using Elecraft radios could both be in SSB mode, and hear each other when hitting the key without either having to change modes.

To change this setting, locate the CW WGHT menu entry and tap ‘1’ .The setting will alternate between SSB +CW and SSB -CW.

Note that "SSB +CW" mode is *not* like using audio-tone CW in SSB mode. If you hit the key in SSB mode and SSB +CW is in effect, the radio actually does switch to CW mode each time you hit the key.

73,
Wayne
N6KR




> On Jul 3, 2017, at 12:41 PM, Ryan Noguchi via Elecraft <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
>> Five or six times over several hours I heard stations calling me way off my frequency.  It seemed like a Khz or more, though I didn’t measure it at the time...>Is it possible that they were using CW keying on USB or LSB which resulted in a frequency offset of, typically, 600 (or, as Don suggests, 1200) Hz?
> 
> 
> Yes, I think I experienced this last weekend. I answered a CQ on 6M SSB, then we agreed to switch to CW on the same frequency. When I switched to CW mode on my KX3, no one was there, but I saw a faint narrow signal appear off to the side on the PX3. After several seconds of waiting and debating, I had a hunch that was my op, so I QSYed to that frequency and found him, and we completed the QSO on that frequency. His filter sandwich must have been pretty wide for him to copy me, so he was probably still in SSB mode. 
> 
> Detecting off-frequency callers outside my narrow filter passband is yet another reason why I find the PX3 indispensible.
> 
> 73, Ryan AI6DO
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