For WQ6X: Stereo-SSB creates Quite a Saucy sensation for a Sensational Sweepstakes

To understand the impetus behind this Blog's exuberant title, you should understand a little
bit about a concept that I have overall embraced in many different ways - namely, the idea
of Stereo-audio in HF radiosport operations.  

Over the years I have extolled what to me are the obvious virtues of Stereo-Cw and to a much
lesser extent Stereo-SSB.  With the Sweepstakes phone GiG securely behind us, mentally replaying
the remote operations run as NX6T (from WA6TQT in Anza) and WQ6X (from KN6NBT in Ramona), operating conditions were such that making use of the Stereo-SSB approach became absolutely crucial.

WQ6X's operations always create stereo audio effects by way of a pair of 45 yr.-old analog Autek
QF-1A audio filters; one for each channel.:   LEFT = VFO-A  ---  RIGHT = VFO-B.  QF-1A filters
come equipped with an aux. notch filter built-in to the left side of the front panel.  For the most part,
the audio frequency settings on each unit were set once and then left largely unchanged throughout the entire 30-hour Sweepstakes event.

When Ssb stations would move-in on the run frequency (creating that annoying high-pitched bird-chatter), the aux. notch filters could reduce the grating intensity down to tolerable levels (if there can be any such thing).  Running a K3/0-mini (rather than the usual Yaesu FT-2000) left me w/o a Contour control - something I've come to rely on with the newer Yaesu transceivers.

Another approach was to adjust the shift control somewhat off to the left, accomplishing an equivalent of Yaesu's Contour - except that the Elecraft shift is VERY sharp on the end of the adjustment - it's easy to go too far and dramatically reduce receive levels.  Of course, it has been been well established that the Bestest audio filter is the aural circuits already wired into our brain.

From time to time, the background sound-shape would become monotonously annoying, requiring
an audio frequency adjustment in either or both of the QF-1A's, creating a different listening "feel"
to the operation.  It is clear to me that "shaping the audio" not only makes operating more fun, it also contributes significantly to fatigue-reduction.  Bottom-line: the stereo-audio concepts have many applications in the world of successful radiosport operation.

Prior to an upcoming Ssb contest, I spend time tuning the lo-bands in the evening (40 & 80)
and the high bands in the daytime simply listening to Ssb QSOs while playing around with the
QF-1A controls as I discover the proper settings for the different kinds of voices heard.  Practice tuning in each station, adjusting the filters in your transceiver in conjunction with these external filters.  For a REAL challenge, tune around on 20 or 15 meters looking for a pileup of stations after a RARE DX station.  As you twiddle those knobs, certain voice characteristics will sometimes jump right out of the otherwise unintelligible jumble.

Have YOU ever utilized stereo audio in radiosport operations or even ragchewing?

What Discoveries DiD YOU make?