Dear Gang: Every year I look forward to operating Straight Key Night, mostly with my old Heathkits. This year I was beset with problems. After 4 QSOs on my beloved HW-16, a nasty, band-wide noise set in making 40m impossible. My K3, with its epic DSP NR and outstanding NB kept me going into the night
Today, on 20 meters, I had a blast with my Heathkit CW twins HR-1680 and HX-1681. I am always amazed how smooth the QSK is on these old rigs. But I really wanted to make at least one contact with my HW-8. This rig has almost no selectivity, and mine is box-stock. Trying to listen on 20 meters was just about hopeless--even the "narrow" selectivity setting would let in a number of stations at the same time. I hooked up my Elecraft AF-1 Audio Filter and VOILA! A usable radio! Using the BP2 setting and varying the center frequency to edge out the QRM, I was finally able to make a contact with Jim, K5BZH in Texas who gave me a 339 report and said I had made his day--he is also an HW-8 owner. Pretty cool with 1.7 watts. Thanks Elecraft! 73 and happy New Year to all. Eric WD6DBM ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
