The SSB transmit chain has had a major rework. The results are very impressive.
1. The ALC is vastly improved. In fact you could say that the K3's ALC is perfect because it does not contribute any measurable levels of IMD to the SSB signal. 2. The increase in IMD levels when you turn on the speech processor is non existent. 3. Excessive IMD levels under heavy dynamic voice testing is almost non existent. 4. IMD levels as measured at 5, 10, 15 and 20khz are very impressive under dynamic voice conditions. If we use the measured data as per SM5BSZ's results, you could conclude that the K3 has one of the best levels of IMD suppression under dynamic voice testing conditions. 5. Under all levels of voice conditions, mic gain and speech processing settings it is just about impossible to make the K3 splatter. I did not do any 2 tone IMD measurements because i don't have much faith in 2 tone numbers as a reliable indicator of IMD performance under voice conditions. 6. In short, the K3's SSB transmitter performance is close to being PERFECT...... Equipment used: Bird Attenuators, Tektronix 2467B, Crystal Notch, Agilent 8594E, AOR7030+, SDR-IQ and a Anritsu ML422C level meter. All tests were done on 14 mhz SSB. 73 Craig VK3HE --- wayne burdick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > We've just completed the most extensive K3 firmware > update ever. The > full list of changes is provided below. > > *** NOTE *** You must use the latest version of our > firmware loader > (K3 Utility rev 1.1.4.1) or else you won't be able > to load all > components of the upgrade. It's available on our K3 > software page, > along with release notes: > > http://www.elecraft.com/K3/k3_software.htm > > As usual, if you have any difficulty with the > firmware upgrade, send > email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Both Lyle, KK7P > (DSP firmware) and > myself (MCU firmware) will be closely monitoring > your results in case > further tweaking is required. > > I'd also like to thank all of our K3 customers for > their patience. This > firmware release was delayed several times due to > testing, engineering > staff vacations, etc. Our field testers have been > pounding on interim > releases for weeks (thanks, guys). I hope you'll > find it worth the > wait! > > 73, > Wayne, N6KR > > * * * > > MCU 1.87 / DSP 1.69, 5-3-08 > > This release includes improvements in all areas. > Changes are > categorized below. > > NEW FEATURES: > > * CW KEYING IN SSB MODES: While in SSB modes, > you can now send CW > without > changing modes or using an offset. The other > station will hear the > signal at your CW pitch. > This is especially useful on VHF bands when SSB > signals cant be > copied. > To enable this feature, go into CONFIG:CW WGHT > and tap 1 until > you see SSB +CW. > > * FM MODE ADDED: Requires FM filter installed in > slot FL1. Those not > needing > FM mode can set CONFIG:FM MODE to OFF. To set > up a repeater offset: > Use the > CONFIG:RPT OFS menu entry, then hold ALT to > select -/+/simplex (-/+ > appear under > the FM mode icon). To set up tone encode: hold > PITCH, then rotate > VFO B to select > PL TONE or PL OFF, and rotate VFO A to select > the desired CTCSS > tone. (When > PL TONE is on, a letter T will appear near > the FM mode icon.) > Repeater offsets and > PL tones are stored per-band/per-memory. > > * VARIABLE AMP KEYING DELAY: Added CONFIG:TX DLY > menu entry, which > sets the time from KEY OUT jack (active low) to > first RF in 1-ms > steps, from 8 to 20 ms. > To minimize loss of QSK speed, use the shortest > delay that works > with your amp. > Most will work with the default (minimum) > setting of 8 ms. > > * LINE OUT ALLOWS RX/TX AUDIO RECORDING: > Normally, CONFIG:LIN OUT > sets a > fixed-level, receive-only output for main/sub > (L/R), compatible > with digital modes. Tapping > '1' switches LIN OUT to =PHONES, where the line > outputs match > headphone audio, > audio level controlled by AF/SUB gain controls, > and both RX and TX > audio available. > > * SIMULTANEOUS USE OF MIC AND LINE IN: If the > MAIN:MIC+LIN menu > entry is set to > ON, and MIC SEL = FP or RP, the present mic OR > line in can be used > for transmit audio. > NOTE: Setting MIC SEL to LINE overrides the > MIC+LIN menu entry (its > parameter > becomes "N-A"). When MIC+LIN is in effect, > rotating the MIC > control shows MIC GAIN. > The op has to set MIC SEL to LINE temporarily > to set LINE IN gain. > > * S-METER ABSOLUTE MODE: Use the CONFIG:SMTR MD > menu entry. Set to ABS > (absolute) to have S-meter stay constant with > preamp/atten > settings. Default is NOR (where > PRE/ATTN affect the S-meter). ABS mode requires > recalibration (SMTR > OF & SMTR SC). > > RECEIVE: > > * SSB RECEIVE PASSBAND EXTENDED AT LOW END (now > 100 Hz; was 200 Hz). > > * AM RECEIVE WIDTH RANGE INCREASED: The WIDTH > control in AM mode now > has > a range of 2.8 to 10.0 kHz. Wider settings > provide outstanding > fidelity for hi-fi speech > and other wide-band signals. This is the *IF* > filter bandwidth -- > the traditional way to show > bandwidth for AM, because the required IF > bandwidth is twice the > modulation bandwidth. > NORM selects an IF bandwidth of 6.0 kHz in this > mode. WIDTH > settings above 6.0 kHz > will not be useful unless you have an > FM-bandwidth crystal filter > installed (at FL1). > > * IF A 2.8 KHZ FILTER IS INSTALLED, SSB "NORM" BW > is 2.8 kHz (was > fixed at 2.7 kHz). > > * AUTO-SPOT (SPOT with CWT ON) now works with > both very weak and very > strong signals. > > * PSK AUTOTUNE ACCURACY improved. You may still > need to use RIT (FINE > steps) to > tune in signals for best built-in text decode. > (Also see CW-to-DATA > in the Owners Manual.) > > TRANSMIT: > > * TRANSVERTER POWER CONTROL: The value set in > CONFIG:XVn PWR now > correctly > sets a fixed power level on the associated > transverter band (0-1.50 > mW or 0-12W). > > * POWER ROLLBACK BASED ON REFLECTED POWER: Power > rollback begins at > about > 2.5:1 at 100 W (and of course much higher SWRs > are tolerated at > lower power settings). > Recovers to original target power level after > mismatch is corrected. > > * CW QSK further refined, with smoother > mute/unmute in the presence > of QRN and QRM. > > * SSB TRANSMIT BANDPASS EXTENDED AT LOW END. > Improvement is about 2 dB > at 300 Hz, 3 dB at 200 Hz, and 6 dB at 100 Hz. > Additional > improvement possible via TX EQ. > > * SSB TX POWER CONTROL improved. Set ALC for > about 5 bars (rarely 6+) > using MIC gain > control, then set CMP and POWER as desired. The > RF power bargraph > shows approx. > peak power when you whistle or shout, but will > typically show well > === message truncated === ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
