Hi Bill, One reason for the 1.8 kHz roofing filter is the male voice. If you set Fc to around 1 kHz and reduce the BW to 1.8 kHz, you get just enough voice components in speech to leave it intelligible, but will also eliminate almost every trace of signals to the sides. This is excellent for crowded bands and big adjacent signals. I've never used anything like it before on any other radio. It's like Elecraft decided on 1.8 kHz just for contesters, or for a better sunspot count than we have today.
One example from an afternoon a few weekends ago.... I was calling CQ on 20m on SSB and there was a guy off to the side by a couple kHz. When I tuned him in I found his sig was running S9+25 or so. Big signal and lotsa of overdriven audio, but he wasn't splattering. Well, I liked the freq I was on and just set the 1.8 BW mentioned above and continued CQing. I got a call a few minutes after starting and and QSO ensued. After less than ten minutes, the loudmouth came on our freq and asked us to move. And I'd actually forgotten that he was next door. I politely explained that his QSO wasn't bothering us, and that should be proof enough that there was no problem with QRM. However, we did move down another 2.5 kHz anyway just for etiquette and to get a little laugh out of it. Both our stations were using K3's barefoot at 50W or so, and we compared notes on the loudmouth for a little while, then went our separate ways. It's like the rest of the band just went *poof*, and you have your own island for QSOing. Be cautious though, because not everyone has this advantage and you may actually interfere with a station you can't hear at all any more. Situational awareness is still part of our responsiblities... Some of the loudmouths think that their $10k big-name radios entitle them to some special privileges, which I believe we can either A) safely ignore or B) have a secret chuckle over. 73, matt W6NIA K3 #24 On Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:03:30 -0700, you wrote: >You bring up the interesting question of configuration for the narrow >filter -- i.e., where do you set it to "kick in"? I opted for 1.9 kHz, you >opted for 2.1 kHz. I'm curious as to where others have configured the 1.8 >kHz SSB filter to kick in -- and why. > >Bill W5WVO > >-------------------------------------------------- >From: "Philippe Trottet" <trot...@unhcr.org> >Sent: Monday, January 11, 2010 10:05 PM >To: <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> >Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Want to buy a K3 > >> Fully confirm this assessment ! >> The 1.8Khz 8 pole in a congested environment is a must. I have it in >> addition of the 2.8Khz. >> Considering the H polar of my 40m antenna receiving signals from the close >> East, most are regular Ham's from ex-USSR area and also very active >> pirates on that side, up to 59 +30 is common. >> Sometime ago two of those big guns were respectively on 7.085 and 7.090 >> with certainly old amplifiers spreading their signal several KHz away from >> the normal spectrum with saturated audio, I've just clicked on the 1.8Khz >> filter and as Bill says, FC to 1.05~1.10 and was able to listen clearly >> and do the contact with JA8BOF on 7.088. >> Just a trick, to program with the Elecraft utility the1.8Khz filter, >> starting from 2.1Khz. >> When listening with the 2.8 moving the width down will activate >> automatically at 2.1Khz the 1.8 filter, it is helpful. >> 73's >> Philippe A65BI >> http://www.qrz.com/callsign/A65BI >> K3#3616 >> " By Ham's, For Ham's...What else ! " >> >> ( http://www.qrz.com/callsign/A65BI ) >> >>>>> "Bill VanAlstyne W5WVO" <w5...@cybermesa.net> 12-01-2010 6:53 >>> >> One thing the other posters have not mentioned (probably not being SSB >> types) is a narrow filter for SSB. I have the 1.8 kHz 8-pole filter, and >> it >> is amazing. You do have to reduce the hi-cut a bit to center the voice in >> the narrower passband (an FC of 1.05 is about ideal for most male voices). >> What you get is remarkable immunity from overload by extremely strong, >> close-in signals (providing of course that they aren't actually >> splattering, >> which you really can't do anything about). For SSB contest work, this >> filter >> is a must. If you don't work SSB much and/or aren't at all interested in >> SSB >> contesting/DXing, then you can probably skip it. But for me it's been a >> terrific addition. >> >> Bill W5WVO >> >> -------------------------------------------------- >> From: "John W2XS" <jm...@optonline.net> >> Sent: Monday, January 11, 2010 2:28 PM >> To: <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> >> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Want to buy a K3 >> >>> >>> You will get many opinions on this. Here's mine. I am primarily a CW >>> operator but I like to listen to AM BCB and Shortwave stations. My >>> antenna >>> is a multi-band Cobra Ultralite fed with ladder line and a Balun Designs >>> 4:1 >>> Tuner Balun. >>> >>> 1. KAT3 Tuner. If you have matched, coax-fed antennas, then you may not >>> need this. But it is a great addition to those of us with multi-band >>> antennas. It remembers the settings on small segments of each band which >>> is >>> incredibly convenient for QSYing, especially on 160m. >>> >>> 2. KBPF3 General Coverage Filter. If you stick only to the ham bands, >>> then >>> you may not need this. But it was on my "must-have" list (as was the >>> KAT3). >>> I have all 100 memories filled with short-wave and AM BCB stations all >>> over >>> the frequency spectrum. I've been listening to Radio China and Radio >>> Cairo >>> a >>> lot lately. >>> >>> 3. KPA3 100W Amplifier. Many people start out with the 10W option. I >>> have >>> had a lot of success with the K2 at 10W. But I wanted the K3 to be my >>> "QRO" >>> rig as it replaced a Kenwood TS-930S (which is a fine but aging rig). >>> >>> 4. KRX3 Sub receiver. I added this after a year and find it is >>> incredible >>> for working split-frequency DX stations. I cannot see ever going back to >>> the "push the TF Set" button days to try and figure out where the heck >>> the >>> DX station is listening. If you are not a DXer, or don't care about >>> diversity reception, etc, then you may not need this. >>> >>> 5. Filters. This was (and is) a hot topic. But I stand by my initial >>> decision, which was: >>> >>> A. 200 and 500 Hz 5-pole filters. There was an early posting that said >>> that >>> only the first 30 dB of slope is critical, and that a 5-pole filter would >>> be >>> more than enough. I went with that, and am happy. There probably is some >>> (small and subtle?) difference between the 5-pole and 8-pole performance, >>> but the main purpose of a roofing filter is to prevent the DSP (the main >>> selectivity in the rig) from overloading. Signals are generally weak >>> right >>> now, but will start to get stronger as conditions improve. It is >>> amazing, >>> though, to crank that knob down to 500 and then to 200 and know that >>> there >>> is no chance for any out-of-bandpass signal to get through. >>> >>> B. 2.7 kHz SSB filter. This comes standard. This is the only filter >>> that >>> I >>> have in the sub receiver right now. I based that decision on wanting to >>> hear >>> a wide bandpass most of the time to hear the station that the DX is >>> working. >>> >>> C. AM filter. This is a little bit disappointing to me as I thought that >>> I >>> would use this a lot. But I almost never use it. Unless you are >>> interested >>> in AM transmission or ESSB transmission, you might skip this one. >>> >>> D. FM filter. This is the one that I use for all my AM listening. I wish >>> they offered a less-expensive filter for receiving only. >>> >>> You can always buy the minimum configuration now and add later. A real >>> big >>> advantage of the K3 over most other rigs today is the roofing filter >>> concept, and signals will be getting stronger as conditions improve, so >>> think about getting at least one or two optional roofing filters to start >>> with. >>> >>> Good luck and 73, >>> >>> John W2XS >>> >>> >>> What elective boards should I consider purchasing to enhance the >>> functionality of the K3. >>> -- >>> View this message in context: >>> http://n2.nabble.com/Want-to-buy-a-K3-tp4287275p4288261.html >>> Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> 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 >>> >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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 >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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 >> > >______________________________________________________________ >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 ______________________________________________________________ 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
