[OKDXA] Using Panadapters with K1N

[Roger Simpson]

Many of us are using panadapters these days. I've been reading some 
chatter here by various OKDXA members about using these scopes to zero 
in on the operating style of various K1N operators.

My first intro to them was back in 2005 when I bought a ICOM 756Pro3 
which has a "tiny" spectrum scope. I didn't find it too useful because 
generally you want to look either "down" (or more likely "up") from a 
the DX's QRG to see the pileup. And with the Pro3 the DX's QRG is always 
in the middle of the screen -- You can't move the QRG in such a way as 
to allow you to dedicate 90% of the screen to either "up" or "down" 
frequencies. Also, the nomenclature is +/- Khz from the center freq 
rather than the more useful Khz. If I see a strong signal somewhere 
above the DX's QRG I want to know that it is at 14034.6Mhz -- not 5.8 
Khz up.

But even with this crude -- first generation -- spectrum scope it seemed 
that back around ten years ago it would give me a boost because most 
guys in those days were not using them AND ALSO most DXpeditions in 
those days more or less used a predictable patters on where they were 
listening -- maybe marching up the band by 100Hz after each QSO.

Now that "everyone" has a spectrum scope the challenge is greater 
because they don't do you as much good any more. "Everyone and his 
brother" knows where the DX is linstening so the DX has to spin the dial 
to find a thin place in the pile where he can actually have a chance of 
digging out a caller's call.

With Navassa I didn't rely much on the spectrum scope. I just used it to 
bracket the pile and try to find the least congested place and then keep 
blasting away.

I think the Elecraft has one of the more useful spectrum scopes. Also 
maybe FLEX -- but I have not personally seem a flex demo of their 
spectrum scope -- other that a YouTube video of a guy using the FLEX 
scope.

If I ever get another rig I'll probably migrate to the ICOM 7600. It has 
a dedicated DSP chip for the spectrum scope. The 7600 spectrum scope 
allows you to listen up or down from the DX's QRG [i.e. you can set the 
upper and lower frequencies for the scope's view -- independent of where 
your VFO A or VFO B is set]. Also, the legend for the scope's horizontal 
axis is Khz not delta Khz from a current receive frequency.

My takeaway is this. Serious DXers need a spectrum scope. But the edge 
they give you is decreasing because everyone else has them.

73   Roger   K5RKS