[ICOM] ICOM 746-PRO CW Operation Question...

[Larry Benko]

Ken,

Icom has made the process of being on the same frequency as the other CW 
station very easy in that adjusting the "CW Pitch" control changes both 
the CW sidetone and the imaginary BFO frequency so that they track 
perfectly.  Please do the following:

1.) Put the radio in the CW mode by pressing the CW button until CW (or 
CW-R) appears on the display.
2.) Press the "VOX/BK-IN" button until the BK-IN/F-BK-IN part in the 
display shows nothing.  Now you can send CW but the radio will not 
transmit RF but the CW sidetone will be operational.
3.) Send some CW while adjusting the "CW Pitch" control until you like 
the frequency of the sidetone.  This is your favorite pitch and while 
Icom sets their radios to 600Hz being the mid scale frequency many like 
a higher or lower pitch.
4.) Press the "VOX/BK-IN" button until the BK-IN shows in the display 
inndicating that the radio can now transmit RF.
5.) Tune in a CW station so that the pitch matches the pitch you set in 
step 3.
6.) Reply to the CW station with confidence you are on the same 
frequency PROVIDED the RIT and delta-TX is set to 0.  If you wish to 
call the other station off frequency you can set either the RIT or the 
delta-TX and you will be "off" frequency but the pitch of both the CW 
station and your sidetone will be the same.

In time your favorite sidetone pitch will become second nature and 
matching the CW station to the sidetone requires no effort at all.  Do 
not think that just because Icom sets the center of the pitch control as 
600Hz that there is any reason to operate there.  It is entirely your 
choice and the selection should be made on your hearing and what you 
find pleasing.  I use 650Hz as the sidetone frequency but when I was 
younger used 800Hz initially and later used 600Hz.

73,
Larry W0QE

Ken Woodside, WB8EQO wrote:

>Hi to all!
>
>When operating the 746-PRO and working CW, what is the
>correct way of tuning the rig responding to a station
>(they are calling CQ for instance)?
>
>I normally listen to the CW and when I tune it to a
>tone that I find easy to listen to, I then transmit. I
>don't think this is the correct way to have both
>stations on the exact same frequency. I know it gets
>you close, but unnecessarily uses up bandwidth, if you
>miss somewhat.
>
>The "CW Pitch" control makes this more confusing... So
>does RIT... I think the former works like an old "BFO"
>control, but I am not sure.
>
>Any thoughts wud be appreciated!
>Tnx,
>Ken WB8EQO
>
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