Looking for some practical advice on improving my CW receiving for DX work. I'm comfortable copying contest exchanges at 25+ WPM, but when it comes to weak DX signals buried in noise, I really struggle. My ears just aren't picking out those faint CW signals that I know are there - I can see them on the waterfall but can't copy them aurally.

Should I be using a 400 to 600 Hz bandwidth filter, centered on a comfortable pitch? Wider filters let you hear other stations and narrower filters may produce difficult-to-copy tone. Are there specific techniques for training your ear to pull weak signals out of the noise? Any recommended practice methods?

Your receiving filter should be set to 400-600 Hz bandwidth, centered on a pitch comfortable to your ear. I find around 600-700 Hz tone works best for my ears. Also try turning the sidetone/monitor audio down to a low level so you focus entirely on the received signal.

Ditch all the props - switch off CW readers, Skimmer, any decoders. You'll never improve if you rely on these devices. Your ears and brain are the best decoders of CW. Practice with actual weak signals during contests rather than strong ones.

For weak signal work, I've found that practicing with semi or full break-in mode helps you become comfortable hearing what's going on between the dits and dahs. Also, tune around and listen to stations making QSOs at speeds just above your comfort level - builds your pattern recognition.