[Elecraft] To zero beat or not to zero beat

[Mike - W5JR]

N1MM+ Logger, maybe others, have a feature that is selectable on/off (defaults to on) that randomizes the actual frequency used to populate their bandmap from incoming spots. 

As another poster mentions, in a contest, DON’T ZEROBEAT if you haven’t got the absolute strongest signal. Much easier to be picked up if you’re 30-100 Hz off of zerobeat, preferably higher pitch. I likewise use the XIT. However, if you’re tuned off one way to have a higher pitch, the station you’re calling could be using the other sideband, and now you’re a lower pitch. Your signal good go unnoticed. 

Operating as a Rover in the GQP each year, it’s amazing how many folks call us over and over zerobeat, 10 deep. New county, wash, rinse, repeat. I can see stations even a KHz away on the pan, out of the passband, calling me. They’ll get worked before the others spread out. Ground Hog Day. 

tnx
Mike / W5JR / GQP N4N
Alpharetta GA


> On Feb 21, 2019, at 5:33 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcgraw at blomand.net> wrote:
> 
> I use the SPOT feature on my K3S to zero beat the carrier on WWV.   This gets me to +/- 1Hz. If it is more I'm inclined to tweak the reference such that it is accurate.    
> 
> As to posting spots,  I usually post to the nearest 1 KHz.  Thus from experience, I have little confidence in the display accuracy of other radios. 
> 
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Feb 21, 2019, at 3:44 PM, N4ZR <n4zr at comcast.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Ever since I have owned my K3, I have noticed that most spots put the K3's receiver above the actual frequency of the spotted station.  Initially, I thought this might have to do with DX spots being rounded to the nearest 100 Hz, but then I realized that, if that were the case, X percent of spots should be high, X low, and Y (whatever percent) effectively right on.
>> 
>> I've checked the K3's calibration, and it appears to be right on at 10 and 15 MHz, tuning in CW mode to WWV's carrier at my preset beat note.  One possibility that occurred to me is that perhaps the DX cluster convention is always to round up, rather than up or down.
>> 
>> Seems a little unlikely to me, but does anyone know the answer?  I'm perfectly happy to keep jogging the main tuning knob a bit on most spots, but thought I'd ask.
>> 
>> -- 
>> 
>> 73, Pete N4ZR
>> Check out the Reverse Beacon Network
>> at <http://reversebeacon.net>, now
>> spotting RTTY activity worldwide.
>> For spots, please use your favorite
>> "retail" DX cluster.
>> 
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