Obviously he has not used the expensive spectrum analyzer to look at more than "where it's supposed to be". Maybe he has done this in a key-down condition, which would of course not show the clicks.
I would send him a letter -- or get a local ARRL OO to do so -- explaining the relationship of the shape of keyed elements to clicks, pointing out what others have said about his exciter and amplifier. I would explain the procedure for checking this with a spectrum analyzer -- while keying! -- or even an oscilloscope or just a receiver. He seems to believe that the clicks are unavoidable at his power level, which is total nonsense. What he is doing is not "good amateur practice" and therefore does violate FCC rules. In fact, if you can hear him in the SSB portion of the band, his clicks probably extend out of the band on the low side. If the above doesn't work, then yes, I would complain to the FCC. But if he is a reasonable guy, he should be open to listening to a technical explanation of what is wrong and how to fix it. On 6/11/2012 5:05 AM, callen1155 wrote: > > Hello, > > A while back I asked a question about receiving key clicks on 6 meters due > to a ham's beacon a mile away. Here's the link: > http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/cw-clicking-td5011614.html > > Honestly, those annoying, LOUD clicks make 6 meter operating impossible at > times (can't copy weak signals). Last night I was so fed up I just shut off > the radio and sent elecraft a message to cancel my 6 meter PR-6 pre-amp > order which was on back order. > > So yesterday I wrote the owner of the beacon a very polite email and > explained how severe the problem was. Here is some of what I said: > > "The reason I'm writing has to do with your beacon. Basically I can't get > away from it. I have key clicks in my receiver all the way from 50.000 cw up > past 50.170 SSB. I hear them regardless of the frequency I'm on. And I mean > loud annoying key clicks. I can literally copy your beacon's cw message when > I'm up in the SSB portion of the band. I receive the beacon at S9 +25 dB on > 50.060 but my poor S meter never gets a rest from the beacon. My S meter > constantly jumps from S3 to S5 when the beacon transmits, even when I'm up > on the SSB frequencies. I can't even get an S meter reading on a weak signal > station due to your beacon acting on the S meter. As you could imagine, this > makes operating very difficult, very annoying, and for a truly weak signal > I'm trying to pull out of the noise floor, it makes it impossible. I have to > try and 'deafen' my K3 with excessive Noise Blanking and DSP settings etc to > the point where I can't hear the 'weak signals'. Both antennas experience > the same affect." > > Before I post his entire response below my question is do I have a valid > complaint to take to the FCC or am I just wasting my time and need to learn > to be content : > > His response: > "Hi Chuck AF4XK, > I am sorry that you are experiencing problems on your receive. I have > had the beacon on 6 meters in operation since 1992 and it is within > the 3 khz. band plan for beacons. I have had it checked on a > $25,000.00 spectrum analyzer to make sure it was where it needed to > be. All beacons have to be checked every year to check for > performance. This 6m beacon is centered on 50.060 with a constant null > on either end. Being a member of the Intercontinental Beacon > Commision, I have to make sure it is within specs to keep it up for > propagation. I have it send in 1 watt, 10 watts, and 45 watts for the > purpose of overseas propagation. Since all beacons are turned off > during ARRL contests. I usually turn this off according to the rules > of each contest, and it resumes operation after the contest is > complete. > I also enjoy the voice SSB portion of six, and PSK31 but since the > beacon is located at this location, I am receiving the same clicking > and annoying spread that you are getting and more. So when contests > are going on, I jump on six for the short time I can use it also. I > have tried to find a site to move it so it won't interfere with the > hams in this area. But I haven't found one as of yet. Still looking > though. Don ( N8DDK ) and Jack ( N6UYB ) down the street less than 1/4 > mile, are both having the same problem you are having with the band > wipe out. And both are glad when it is turned off during contests. I > wish that there is something I could do to prevent this, but you are > not alone. Being it runs 24/7 for the watchers of propagation for > hams, and is totally funded by me for this purpose, this is my > donation to the ham community. If you know of a location that I could > move it to and not interfere with any other hams that wants to operate > on six meter, let me know. I would be glad to move it. > Richard --- KD4NMI/B" > > Is this in the spirit of amateur radio?? > > One thing further, I just purchased a IC-910H for satellite operation (sorry > elecraft, i wanted to give you the business but ...) and now I'm VERY > CONCERNED about his 2 meter beacon on 144.300 > > Thanks for any further advice. > > chuck > af4xk -- Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
