Using dual receive (dual watch) can be a very powerful tool for working DX in big pileups. The idea is to operate split frequency and a) listen to the DX in one ear and b) tune around to see if you can find the station that the DX is working with the other ear. It’s very easy to set this up on Remote Ham Radio’s web interface. Here’s the procedure:
Connect to a Remote Ham Radio Station
If there is a second transmit slice open in VFO B, close the slice by clicking “x Remove”
RHR will say there is no transmit slice open. Click “Fix This”
Tune to the DX frequency using the primary slice in VFO A
Tap on “Split” and select “Up 2”
On the VFO A button that says “Stereo,” click and slide the VFO A volume all the way to the left, which will put the audio into your left ear. Set the audio volume to a comfortable level.
On the VFO B button that says “Stereo,” click and slide all the way to the right. Initially, you won’t hear anything in your right ear because the default VFO B audio level will be zero. Adjust the VFO B audio level to a comfortable level.
You will now have the receive audio coming into your left ear, and the transmit frequency audio coming into your right ear.
Tune around with VFO B and see if you can hear the station that the DX is working. THAT’S THE DX STATION’S LISTENING FREQUENCY AT THAT MOMENT! If you call on that frequency, you have a much higher chance of breaking the pileup.
Listen to see if the DX station has a tuning pattern. Often, the DX will gradually work up or down the band. See if you can see which way the DX station is tuning!
If you happen to use the CTR-2 MIDI controller, you can use that to operate Dual Receive. When the VFO A slice is the only slice that’s open, you can use the CTR2-MIDI to tune the DX station.
As soon as you click on “Split”, the CTR2-MIDI tuning dial controls the VFO B slice, which is ideal for tuning around to find the DX station’s listening frequency using Dual Receive.
73,
Rob, W3DX