I think this info would be useful to operators.
With my SDR I can demodulate 24kHz maximum. But I don't use it because usually the pirate stations I receive are weak and a wider filter helps to a point but after that more noise will enter and render it noisy.
Listening to an SDR recording of KCPR, a pirate on the same side of the Mississippi as me, I was able to tell that I could hear more of the music at 24kHz wide. The conditions were noisy and at 24kHz the noise was annoying. So I settled on 16kHz for the best reception quality.
Most SW broadcast stations use 10kHz wide. But a SW Chinese broadcaster has a wider signal that really lets in more sound if I widen my filter to take advantage of it.
I recently learned that a transmitter's power gets used up on whatever music its transmitting. So if you only give it 10kHz, it will focus its power and strengthen that range of bandwidth. And hopefully be more legible for the listeners
-For the pirate listening mavens, is there a sweet spot that transmitters could shoot for?
-Do you agree it depends on the background noise conditions at the time of broadcast?