out to be challenging. The broad lines can cover almost half of the spectral range in one order making a continuum fit unreliable. We therefore proceeded by normalizing to an interpolated continuum determined from the two closest orders where no lines are expected. The normalised summed spectra clearly show H$\alpha$ (in one order, left panel of Fig. \[fig:echha\]) and He[ii]{} $\lambda$4686 (spread over two orders, right panel of Fig. \[fig:echha\]). These lines are also detectable in the individual continuum-subtracted [ Echelle]{} spectra. [ The different profile of the He[ii]{} line in the [*lowres*]{} and Echelle spectra is most probably due to the S-wave modulation discussed below. This S-wave is much less prominent in H$\alpha$]{}.

Results
=======

The RXTE ASM lightcurve of XTE J1118+480 is shown in Fig. \[fig:lightcurve\] with the dates of our spectroscopic observations indicated by dashed lines. The source was in outburst during the entire period covered by our optical observations, with a flux about 40 mCrab in the 2-12 keV band (Fig. \[fig:lightcurve\]). Optical photometry [^1] also shows the source in outburst with a mean magnitude that decreased at most by $0.5$ mag (from its peak value $\lsim 13$) at the end of our observational program. Since 