[Yaesu] Demonstration of the CW bandwidths AND contour setting of the Yaesu FT-2000

Fri Sep 7 13:33:24 EDT 2007

Hi All,
I've noticed that some folks on eHam etc. reviewing the Yaesu FT-2000 don't
believe that the contour control does anything. One of my radio
"Sub-hobbies" is chasing NDB's or low powered Navigational beacons in the
200-530KCs range. For that purpose we usually use as narrow an IF filter as
we can, combined with extremely narrow audio filters, often as narrow as
7-10Hz wide!
To demonstrate what this radio can do in this job, with NO external audio
filtering etc. I've made two recordings of a fairly weak beacon that can be
heard here in the daytime (daytime for a steady receive signal level). One
recording is with the FT-2000 in the CW-USB mode, the other in the CW-LSB
mode. Only TWO controls were adjusted during the recording process, the IF
bandwidth and the contour button!
Here is what you will hear on these recordings. The TARGET beacon is "AK".
They start out with the IF bandwidth set at the center detent (wide).
During the recording I will gradually turn the control anti-clockwise,
decreasing the bandwidth until I reach maximum selectivity (25Hz). At
approximately 1:30 into the recording I have reached the maximum selectivity
point and switch in the Contour button, there will be a "button press beep",
followed by the beacon. At roughly 1:45 in the recording I will switch the
contour OFF and the bandwidth back to "wide" to remind you of what it
sounded like that way.
The files can be found on my website, here.
http://www.ko6bb.com/audio_files/341-AK-LSB.mp3
http://www.ko6bb.com/audio_files/341-AK-USB.mp3
73 de Phil, KO6BB
http://www.ko6bb.com
DX begins at the noise floor!
Ten Meter CW Beacon KO6BB/B, 20 Watts 24/7 on 28.248MCs.
Merced, Central California, 37.3N 120.48W CM97sh