CW Gain Structure and the Notch Trick

#hamradio #hf #cw #qrp #sota #qrm

I was trying to work Summits On The Air (SOTA) activator KD4CB, who was in Kentucky. He was barely readable at times due to fading (QSB). My friend Joel calls them ghost stations. One of the first things I do when chasing ghost stations is narrow the DSP width to 50Hz, to filter out noise. But I had to use AMP2 (preamplifier 2) to add additional sensitivity and compensate for the fading. Adding that much gain can cause the CW filter to ring, making it more difficult to discern between actual CW and filter ringing. The filter rings at the set CW pitch. In this video I show the gain structure and operating techniques I use to subdue the filter ringing while chasing ghost stations.

Note that most of the operating techniques I show and teach on my channel can be applied to other transceivers, even other brands of transceivers. Some knobs or buttons might be labeled differently but the function is the same. I have no allegiance to Yaesu. No manufacturer makes a perfect radio. They all have strengths and they all have weaknesses. I like to point those out. Yaesu thinks that I am targeting them, but I am not. In fact, they generally have the fewest weaknesses. It’s just that I want my viewers to know the good, the bad, and the ugly, so they can make informed purchase decisions. I am able to be objective because I have no allegiance to a particular manufacturer. My work is supported by private donations, via www.PATREON.com/N4HNH.

At the end of this video, you will be able to see a listing of some of the supporters of this channel who made this video possible. These are people who have supported the channel via Patreon membership, as what I call long-haulers. Long-haulers have supported the channel on a long-term basis. There are 4 levels of Patreon membership, including S5 (Associate), S7 (Executive), S9 (VIP), and S9+ (VIP+). S9+ (VIP+) denotes an S9 (VIP) member who voluntarily chooses to give over and above the amount for S9 (VIP) membership. They help me continue to produce videos while most viewers don’t. Without their support, I cannot bring my viewers uncensored content.

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Most videos are visible to the Patreon team members long before they are released for public viewing. Some videos are never released for public viewing. Yearly S7 (Executive) and S9 (VIP) members have access to the menu optimizations PDFs I’ve written for the FT-891, FT-991A, FTdx5000MP, FTdx101D/MP, FTdx10, and FT-710 AESS. S7 (Executive) members who subscribe annually can receive one menu optimizations PDF while annual S9 (VIP) members can receive multiple menu optimizations documents, my FT8 configuration guide for either the FTdx10 or the FT-710 AESS, plus future updates. If I discover something new, or a future firmware update affects a function, I will update the guide(s) accordingly. Guides for future radios might also be added. The documents are copyrighted. They shall not be divulged to anyone else without written permission from Doug McAlexander, callsign N4HNH.

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73, de N4HNH