Hi, folks, I downloaded the newest version of the software and played
with it a tiny bit before bedtime. Here goes:
1. The screen seems much improved, though I do get the washed out look
during the 11 seconds or so of boot-up (big deal). I used to keep the
contrast setting at 45 but with the new software I've set it to 33 --
and it seems to be working better. Bravo!
2. I reset the cw timing to 8 ms; it defaulted at 5 ms.
3. I had had a bit of raspiness on strong AM signals before, but that
seems to be gone now. Bravo!
4. In tuning around 160/80/40 m last night everything seemed quieter
indeed. I'm chalking that up to conditions being good and nothing more
for now, but we'll see. I think that any software change that can make
the bands quiet is a *great* software change!
5. On 160 at 0545Z I worked a DJ5RE -- which is pretty good when you
consider I've got only three or four countries on 160! Yay!
6. The sidetone had to be lowered to about 10 or even less lest it wake
the entire household (which was no problem -- xyl wasn't home yet from
her sorta 9 to 5 job and I currently the rest of the household).
7. The quickest test of the mike gain on my dummy seems to suggest that
it, too, has been been greatly amplified; a setting of 50 or so was the
usual setting, now it's likely to be 20 or so.
8. I made the mod to the processors board and now notice that a) the
sweep works great (although I use it very little and it had functioned
pretty well before); 2) it seems to be on by default, which is a daring
thing to do -- but it works; and III) did I mention how quiet the bands
were? :)
Here's hoping they get any bugs (I haven't come across any) ironed out,
but to Ten-Tec and those who contributed to the new software, my thanks!
Joe, W2RBA
|