[Elecraft] K3S Split Operation

[Wes]

I'm more-or-less with Andy on this one except I use the big brother TS-890 and 
don't need the external panadapter and I've never used CW Skimmer in my life.  I 
will say that the best bandscope/panadapter I've ever used was an SDR-IQ, 
running SpectraVue software on the i-f output of a K3 or K3S.

In the TS-890, the RIT control can control the split TX frequency which is 
displayed on the bandscope screen.  I typically use it, without doing a TF-Set 
swap, to set my calling frequency.  There is much more in working split that 
just hopping on the last callers QRG.  More often than not, this is the wrong 
thing to do on CW.  SSB is usually different because the DX announces their 
listening frequency, but you have to listen.  Sometimes they spread the pile by 
saying up 5 to 15, but they only listen up 5.

I remember many years ago an expedition, (forgot who but their leader was the 
banquet speaker at Visalia the one year I went, and he described this in his 
talk)  They were operating SSB on 14.195 and announcing listening 5 to 10 up.  
But once in a while he would say, "Five to ten up...pause...and 14.190")  Of 
course everyone would immediately start calling up 5 to 10.  I called on 14.190 
and worked him on one call.

Sometimes the DX has a rhythm; they move up or down some Hz after each call.  
You need to figure this out.  But sometimes they simply don't.  I remember 
calling my friend, Ned, AA7A, when he was operating RTTY from either or both 
VP8STI/VP8SGI.  I called for about an hour while trying to figure out his 
pattern.  I finally figured out that he didn't have one.  I picked a QRG and 
stuck with it until he found me.  (I worked both stations)  I talked to him 
later at a club meeting and he confirmed he just spun the dial.

If you want to use a second RX and call on the last caller's frequency, good for 
you, and better for me.

Wes  N7WS

On 11/7/2023 6:14 AM, Andy Durbin wrote:
> That was a head spinning discussion!  No Elecraft transceiver here but I've been working single RX Split with a TS-590S for as long as I have owned it.
>
> For the TS-590 the key to working split pileups is the TF-SET key which swaps TX and RX VFO as long as it is held.  Sounds like Elecraft does the same with the REV key.  Listen on the DX frequency, after his CQ or TU press TFSET to listen to the pileup. Spin the dial to find who is answering with a report, this sets the TX VFO to that frequency, adjust up or down based on prediction of DX listening point, release TF-SET and call after next TU.
>
> TF-SET, an SDR based panadapter, and CW Skimmer all help me when trying to work the big pileups.  With TF-SET held I can click HDSDR (SDR panadapter) to set the TX VFO. I doubt I would do any better with a second receiver.
>
> 73,
>