[Elecraft] To zero beat or not to zero beat

[Jim Brown]

On 2/21/2019 4:04 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
> And in a pileup the RX bandwidth is narrower.  At 50 Hz BW any 12 to 15 Hz away aren't heard.

Not really, and for several reasons. First, many skilled CW ops use a 
fairly wide bandwidth in a pileup so that they hear off-frequency 
callers. Second, even at the 200 Hz IF setting and 250Hz roofing filter 
I routinely use, the -6dB bandwidth is on the order of 250 Hz (it's 
generally well known that the 250 Hz filter is closer to 350 Hz). Given 
that 6 dB is roughly one S-unit, the practical RX bandwidth is more like 
250 Hz for reasonably strong signals, and reasonably strong signals 
farther off frequency are going to be heard. Third, in a pileup, the 
WORST place to be is zero-beat, because that's where most stations call, 
and everyone's TX blends into a big mush.

You DO want to zero-beat the CQer if you're weak and there are no other 
callers.

73, Jim K9YC