[Elecraft] CW Decode and Preamp?

[Gwen Patton]

I'll take a look at both of those suggestions.

I do try to have the decode around 3 or 4, but code that'll decode with the
preamp off doesn't even make the CWT bar flicker with it on. So there's
more at work here than signal strength. That's why I asked what I did. But
I'll try to work on technique and see if it's just me being thumb-fingered
or something.

On Thu, Dec 13, 2018 at 2:44 AM Gerald Manthey <kc6cnn at gmail.com> wrote:

> Gwen
>
> If you hold down the Text Dec button (CWT) button what is your THR set to.
> This is what you adjust for sensitivity for the decode.
>
> Mine is usually set to around 3 and I can decode from s4 to s9. If the
> signal is real weak I usually Adjust the RF gain more and turn the THR down
> to 2 and it will decode fine.
>
> I usually run with my RF Gain set at 3 o’clock all the time.
>
> There is a program that is called MRP40 that decodes almost no matter what
> your radio is set to. One of the best decodeer programs out there. But it
> cost.
>
> I used it at first and after using that and getting on the air it kinda
> self taught me morse code. Hihi.
>
> Ok let me know if you have any other questions or if I can help. I hope I
> understood the questions right and this helps.
>
> Thanks
>
> Gerald KC6CNN
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From: *Gwen Patton <ardrhi at gmail.com>
> *Sent: *Wednesday, December 12, 2018 7:23 PM
> *To: *elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> *Subject: *[Elecraft] CW Decode and Preamp?
>
>
>
> Please forgive me if this is a FAQ. If it is, just point me to where I can
>
> find the old answer and I won't bring it up again.
>
>
>
> I can usually get the CW decode to work if I can clearly hear the signal.
>
> The CWT bar flashes and the text scrolls, and it gets a lot of characters
>
> right. BUT...
>
>
>
> ...that's only if I have the preamp OFF.
>
>
>
> I've tried using the preamp but decreasing the RF gain. I've tried using
>
> the preamp and the attenuator. I even tried setting a couple of bands to
>
> only 10db preamplification. But if the preamp is on AT ALL, the decode
>
> either never gets a "lock" and the CWT bar is flickering randomly (no
>
> matter what the threshold setting is) with no decode, or the CWT bar is
>
> solid, no flashing, and there's no decode.
>
>
>
> If have the preamp OFF, the same signal will usually decode at least
>
> somewhat, and sometimes excellently. Most of the time, W1AW can decode
>
> fairly easily...though FLDIGI and CWGET seem to decode more reliably.
>
> They'll decode 80-90%, while mush is appearing on the PX3 display lines.
>
> But at least I get something with the preamp off.
>
>
>
> But there's just some times when the signal is weaker and I can't get the
>
> threshold to crack without the preamp. But then I get no decode at all.
>
>
>
> Am I doing something WRONG? Is there some step that I'm not understanding?
>
> Heck, I've seen past entries in the list where some have said they can't
>
> get decode unless the preamp is ON!
>
>
>
> Or is there some known issue with preamp + decode that I haven't seen? Mind
>
> you, my antenna, while not fantastic, is adequate for me to get to Europe
>
> on FT8 at 35 watts. I even got from Philly to Fargo on 50w FT8 on 30
>
> meters, using an indoor magnetic loop I built. So it's not my antennas. I
>
> have signal, but paradoxically, when the signal is strengthened by the
>
> preamp, I get lower decode performance. I'd expect that in high-noise
>
> conditions -- amplifying the noise as well as the signal and hashing them
>
> both -- but when the noise floor is low and the signal is just made more
>
> solid with the preamp, I should be able to decode it with the same
>
> technique as when I use it on a stronger signal without the preamp.
>
> Shouldn't I? Or am I simply not grasping some fundamental issue? I've read
>
> the manual, I've read mailing list archive messages, I've experimented with
>
> my own second rig on a dummy load sending a canned CW message (K2 s/n
> 1641).
>
>
>
> This will, I hope, be a moot point in a few months. I'm trying to learn to
>
> copy the CW barebrained instead of using the decoder. (I got rusty from
>
> when I first learned it back in 1999.) But I want to at least be able to
>
> check my copy using the decode function if I can until then. Between them,
>
> maybe I can hold a coherent QSO!
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Gwen, NG3P
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> -+-+-+-+-
>
> Jenny Everywhere's Infinite: Quark Time
>
> http://quarktime.net
>
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Jenny Everywhere's Infinite: Quark Time
http://quarktime.net