[Elecraft] Transceivers vs operators

[David Gilbert]

Aside from the bragging, much of what you said there is true ... but not 
all.  I used to do a lot of CW contesting with a TS-940SAT, and later 
with a 756Pro (first version).  No amount of experience, brain power, or 
riding the RF gain and attenuator could help me copy CW when really loud 
signals 10 or 15 KHz away were desensing the rig to oblivion.  I now 
have a K3 with narrow filters and I have several times run a frequency 
for a long time before realizing there was another 59+10 station just a 
few hundred Hz away ... and the only way I discovered that was when 
stations calling him did so enough off frequency that they hit my passband.

Rigs make a difference, and by the way so do antennas.

73,
Dave  AB7E


On 11/1/2019 9:31 PM, Jim Danehy wrote:
> I read about all of the specs in the rigs
> I have been operating for 67 years.
> I got used to radios from the 1950s.
> My K3 has every option you can buy. Sub receiver and filters galore.
>
> I rarely use the narrow filters. I have a “software” defined brain. It is the best filter you can have. If you practice long enough you can do a lot of filtering in your head (brain).
>
> I am primarily a CW operator. I can copy up to 50 wpm too. Solid copy fades above that speed. The brain is what allows you to decode CW at those speeds. Done in various amounts of QRM/QRN. My K3 can’t decode at QRQ with QRN/QRM !
>
> Unfortunately you can tune the bands and not hear a CW signal. Hit the FT 8 QRG and there are stations.
>
> I can read a book / Newspaper and listen to a 45 wpm CW signal. I hear CW Contesters but they use keyboards to send CW. They can copy calls but don’t ask them a question at QRQ speed. Some can copy but not many.
>
> A transceiver is not the most critical element in a station. It is the brain. You can’t upgrade brains.
>
> My brain operates at a very fast speed too.
> When it becomes a reflex it is like human speech. It is after all just a different sound. That takes years to acquire
>
> Just a different perspective. It is almost 70 years of experience too.
>
> I own a K2, K3, KX2 and KX3. My DXCC TOTAL is 370. I have not used a beam in the last 30 years.
>
> It’s the operator ! !
>
> Jim
> W9VNE/VA3VNE
>