[Elecraft] In praise of the K3
What a versatile little radio this is. I spend too much time operating Jt65a on 30m where stations transmit around 500hz under where the WSPR signals appear. The notch filter is just great for taking out the high pitched tone of loud WSPR signals. Not that most other radios with a manual notch filter couldn't do the same - but it works nicely for me. I use the ubiquitous Yamaha CM500 headset which is permanently connected to the phone jack at the back. The speakers are connected to the speaker jack and I've programmed the PF1 key to switch speakers on or off - who cares if the headphones are still active. Nothing connected to the front panel now - clean solution - and no wear on the jacks at the back. A while ago my shack was a patchwork of sound card interfaces, audio connectors, and other wires - the K3 has allowed me to rationalise all this. I still use a K1EL Winkey - but that's my only vice. I've had more fun with this radio than all the others combined. thanks! Julian Vk4CMV -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/In-praise-of-the-K3-tp4973653p4973653.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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
It is VERY well known that the most important octave bands for speech intelligibilty are the octave bands centered on 1,000 Hz and 2,000 Hz. Those bands range means from about 720 Hz to about 2.8 kHz. The 500 Hz is next most important (extending down to about 350 Hz), followed by the 4000 Hz octave band. Case in point? Just yesterday on 40 meters an S9 station with all that wonderful bass called me, and I had to adjust the shift lower (to cut bass response with the K3) and narrow the filter to be able to understand him through background noise that was several S units weaker than him. A friend in Australia with normal communications audio was a bit weaker, but much better copy. All that bass power wasted, being transmitted just to be filtered and discarded at the receiver. :-) __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] DC-supply for a preamp?
Hello all, thank you for all the info about losses in a coax cable, but the original question was if this is a good or a bad idea. Lots of qsb, so it disappeared in the noise. :-) I've been thinking about it myself, my conclusion is: no good idea. Even if the K3 passes the supply voltage to it's antenna jack, bad things can happen if you forget to switch the supply off, when you change antennas, switch to your dummyload, you name it. So it is a big NONO. Martin -- 73 , DM4iM __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] DC-supply for a preamp?
I seem to recall that several companies make bias T devices that allow RF to pass but block DC in one direction. Thus these are suitable for feeding DC to a antenna mounted preamp. Then the challenge of switching the preamp out of line for transmit is next. For my EME applications I have made my own bias T. I apply DC to the bias T that switches the preamp in line and supplies power to same. For transmit I remove the DC from the bias T thus turning off the preamp and switching it out of line. Personally, two feedlines, one for RX and one for TX and a separate DC control cable is the more reliable system, specially when running high legal limit power. I've vaporized more than one preamp PCB and other components in the past not to mention the more likely probability of a relay failure on the top side. My rule is the less stuff in the RF path, they better the reliability. Low loss feedline is the best approach. 73 Bob, K4TAX - Original Message - From: DM4iM hamra...@vr-web.de To: Reflector Elecraft Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 6:18 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] DC-supply for a preamp? Hello all, thank you for all the info about losses in a coax cable, but the original question was if this is a good or a bad idea. Lots of qsb, so it disappeared in the noise. :-) I've been thinking about it myself, my conclusion is: no good idea. Even if the K3 passes the supply voltage to it's antenna jack, bad things can happen if you forget to switch the supply off, when you change antennas, switch to your dummyload, you name it. So it is a big NONO. Martin -- 73 , DM4iM __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K3 not turning off
Glenn VK4FZ wrote: My K3 (S/N 544) is no longer turning off properlythe 12v sense mod is done, any ideas for further investigation I'd next try the remote Power Off command (PS0) via the K3 Utility. If that works and the power switch does not, then you might have a defective switch. 73, Bill -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-not-turning-off-tp4972515p4974007.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
Re: [Elecraft] QSK THUMPS?
I heard this too during a QSO not too long ago. It was intermittent tho and just started happening in the middle of the QSO. I was keying the rig through the USB-rs232 adapter with RUMLog's keyer at about 20wpm, I thought something had suddenly gone wrong. It did go away tho as the QSO went on... I can't reproduce it with the build-in keyer plus paddles into a dummy load at any power setting. Perhaps I'll have another go with this with the computer and see what happens. Interesting 73, LS W5QD -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/QSK-THUMPS-tp4971836p4974029.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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
It is also interesting that human hearing is most sensitive in the very area that the human voice has no energy. Some have speculated that to be an evolutionary defense which allowed early man to hear danger in the middle of a crowd of voices. There's actually quite a bit of short duration energy of the human voice at or near 3 kHz. Interestingly, the classic Fletcher-Munson (FM) family of curves shows peak sensitivity to sound pressure level also at or near 3 kHz. The speculation by many speech pathologists, audiologists and researchers is that the presence band near 3 kHz evolved over time, matching an important part of human speech for maximum intelligibility near the 3 kHz octave-band region. The 3 kHz peak is a function of the ear canal length. As I recall from my psychacoustics studies at NIU, the ear canal length does not change significantly from the time birth to adulthood. The resonance point on the FM curves is calculated as anyone would calculate the resonance point of a closed pipe. The tympanic membrane forms the closure on one end of the pipe. I would say that maximum articulation occurs at an upper audio cut-off near 3 kHz, with diminishing returns above that point. On the low end, it's easy to plot the lowest frequency generated by any voice. Using FFT software and a sound card, I've measured the fundamental point of most male voices between 80-95 Hz. That 15 Hz of difference may not seem like much, but the difference is significant. I've measured only a few voices on the air that reach slightly below 80 Hz and when they do, they're the ones that could do well with commercial voice-over work. Certainly any attempt to achieve a response in low-end audio below about 90 Hz is a wasted effort. Folks who adjust their low-end EQ to compensate for a lack of deep bass in their voices can do nothing to sound the way they really want to. Either we were born with the gift or we weren't and no amount of EQ will change that -- excessive boost just makes it sound like we're trying to compensate for something we don't have and can easily create a phantom carrier when speaking in ESSB mode. Paul, W9AC __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] DC-supply for a preamp?
Martin, it is a common idea. The antenna tuners and remote relays that use only the coax use the idea. The big danger is connecting the injection port incorrectly and putting the 12 volts on your transceiver. I have a dead TS-850 waiting for repair because I connected the injection port backwards for my MFJ Antenna Tuner. I have been holding off on this note because I hoped for official work from Elecraft, but I have seen none, so here is your Take it for what it cost free advise. The comments about putting the amp at the transceiver have merit. Personally, I don't have an external preamp and I have about 3 db loss in my cable, but I make some nice 6 meter contacts. The people with more equipment no doubt hear better than I. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ From: DM4iM hamra...@vr-web.de To: Reflector Elecraft Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Wed, April 28, 2010 6:18:37 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] DC-supply for a preamp? Hello all, thank you for all the info about losses in a coax cable, but the original question was if this is a good or a bad idea. Lots of qsb, so it disappeared in the noise. :-) I've been thinking about it myself, my conclusion is: no good idea. Even if the K3 passes the supply voltage to it's antenna jack, bad things can happen if you forget to switch the supply off, when you change antennas, switch to your dummyload, you name it. So it is a big NONO. Martin -- 73 , DM4iM __ 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] KX1 Wanted
Would like to buy your KX-1 Best Regards, G. Jude Miller Technology Strategist Lake Arthur, LA 70549 USA g.jude.mil...@gmail.com KB5FSG, C9A1, QRP-ARCI 12150, FP 1156 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] DC-supply for a preamp?
This will be my last comment on this thread, which seems to be digressing from the original inquiry. However, when I see information like the one below, I feel it needs to be addressed, so inexperienced readers do not get a wrong impression and experience equipment failure as a result. The biggest reason I can think of for running the preamp voltage up the receive cable is to AVOID what K4TAX recommends below. Running a separate unshielded power line up a tower to a preamp is a sure way to generate voltage spikes which will destroy a sensitive preamplifier. Of course such spikes can be caused by induction of nearby lightning but the most common problem is simply switching transients from the relay control lines also run up the tower. Using bias T's to send the voltage to the preamp via a shielded coaxial cable is the safest way to provide a stable controlled DC voltage to a preamp. The bottom line for K3 users is to keep the coaxial loss low and keep the preamp attached to the K3. If you are operating higher frequencies where your feed line loss will degrade front end performance and you MUST mount a preamp and relays at the antenna, use shielded cable to provide voltage to the preamp. GL and VY 73, Lance On 4/28/2010 11:42 AM, Bob McGraw - K4TAX wrote: I seem to recall that several companies make bias T devices that allow RF to pass but block DC in one direction. Thus these are suitable for feeding DC to a antenna mounted preamp. Then the challenge of switching the preamp out of line for transmit is next. For my EME applications I have made my own bias T. I apply DC to the bias T that switches the preamp in line and supplies power to same. For transmit I remove the DC from the bias T thus turning off the preamp and switching it out of line. Personally, two feedlines, one for RX and one for TX and a separate DC control cable is the more reliable system, specially when running high legal limit power. I've vaporized more than one preamp PCB and other components in the past not to mention the more likely probability of a relay failure on the top side. My rule is the less stuff in the RF path, they better the reliability. Low loss feedline is the best approach. 73 Bob, K4TAX - Original Message - From: DM4iMhamra...@vr-web.de To: Reflector ElecraftElecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 6:18 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] DC-supply for a preamp? Hello all, thank you for all the info about losses in a coax cable, but the original question was if this is a good or a bad idea. Lots of qsb, so it disappeared in the noise. :-) I've been thinking about it myself, my conclusion is: no good idea. Even if the K3 passes the supply voltage to it's antenna jack, bad things can happen if you forget to switch the supply off, when you change antennas, switch to your dummyload, you name it. So it is a big NONO. Martin -- Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WN3GPL, WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX) P.O. Box 73 Frenchtown, MT 59834 USA QTH: DN27UB TEL: (406) 626-5728 URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj LIVE MESSENGER CHAT: w...@hotmail.com 2m DXCC #11, 6m DXCC #815 Interested in 6m EME? Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME email! http://6meme.com/mailman/listinfo/magic_6meme.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] N2CQ QRP Contest Calendar: May 2010
~ N2CQ QRP CONTEST CALENDAR May 2010 ~ AGCW QRP/QRP Party (CW) ... QRP Contest! May 1, 1300z to 1900z Rules: http://www.agcw.org/en/?Contests:QRP-QRP-Party ~ Ten-Ten International Spring Contest (Dig/CW)...QRP Category May 1, 0001z to May 2, 2359z Rules: http://www.ten-ten.org/Forms/QSOPartyRulesRevised.pdf ~ 7th Call Area QSO Party (Ph/CW/Dig) ... QRP Category May 1, 1300z to May 2, 0700z Rules: http://www.codxc.com/new/page.asp?content=dryland7s ~ Indiana QSO Party (All) ... QRP Category May 1, 1600z to May 2, 0400z Rules: http://www.hdxcc.org/inqp/ ~ New England QSO Party (Phone/CW) ... QRP Category May 1, 2000z to May 2, 0500z May 2, 1300z to May 2, 2400z Rules: http://www.neqp.org/ ~ Adventure Radio Spartan Sprint (CW) ... QRP Event! May 4, 0100z to 0300z (First Monday 9 PM EDT) Info: http://adventure-radio.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page ~ AGCW Activity Week (CW) ... QRP Category May 5, z to May 9, 2400z Rules: http://www.agcw.org/en/?Contests:Activity_Week ~ VK/trans-Tasman Contests (80 M Ph) ... QRP Category May 8, 0800z to 1400z Rules: http://home.iprimus.com.au/vktasman/RULES.HTM ~ CQM International DX Contest (CW/SSB) ... QRP Category May 8, 1200z to May 9, 1159z Rules: http://www.cq-m.andys.ru/ ~ FISTS Spring Sprint (CW) ... QRP Category May 8, 1700z to 2100z Rules: http://www.fists.org/sprints.html ~ SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (Straight Key CW) ... QRP Category May 9, z to 2359z Rules: http://www.skccgroup.com/sprint/wes/ ~ CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW) ... QRP Category May 12, 1100z to 1200z and May 12, 1900z to 2000z and May 13, 0300z to 0400z Rules: http://www.cwops.org/onair.html ~ [North American Minimal Art Session] MAS Minimal Art Session (80M CW) *** QRP Homebrew Only! *** May 13, 9 PM to 1 AM ** LOCAL TIME ** North American Rules: http://tinyurl.com/MAS-QRPedia ~ Dayton Hamvention (QRP Event - FDIM) May 14-16 Info: http://www.hamvention.org/ ~ HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF SPAIN CONTEST (CW) May 15, 1200z to May 16, 1200z Rules: http://www.ure.es/contest/431-sm-el-rey-contest-english-version.html ~ Feld Hell Club Sprint (Feld Hell) ... QRP Category May 15, 1600z to 1800z and 2000z to 2200z Rules: http://sites.google.com/site/feldhellclub/Home ~ RUN FOR THE BACON (CW) *** QRP CONTEST *** EDT: May 16, 9 PM to 11 PM UTC: May 17, 0100z 0300z Rules: http://www.fpqrp.com/ ~ NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint *** QRP CONTEST! *** EDT: May 19, 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM UTC: May 20, 0030z to 0230z Rules: http://home.windstream.net/yoel/contests.html ~ EU PSK DX Contest ... Low Power (10W) Category May 22, 1200z to May 23, 1200z Rules: http://www.eu.srars.org/ ~ All America Contest (CW) ... QRP Category May 22, 1500z to May 23, 2359z Rules: http://www.powerline.com.br/cwjf/Regulamento_Ing.pdf ~ Baltic Contest (CW/SSB) (80 Meters) May 22, 2100z to May 23, 0200z Rules: http://www.lrsf.lt/bcontest/english/rules_html.htm ~ SKCC Sprint (Straight Key CW) ... QRP Awards May 26, z to 0200z Rules: http://www.skccgroup.com/sprint/sks/ ~ CQWW WPX Contest (CW) ... QRP Category May 29, z to May 30, 2359z Rules: http://www.cqwpx.com/ ~ QRP ARCI Hoot Owl Sprint (CW) ... QRP Contest! May 30, 2000 to 2400 LOCAL TIME Rules: http://www.qrparci.org ~ Michigan QRP Memorial Day Sprint (CW) ... QRP Contest! May 31, 2300z to June 1, 0300z Rules: http://www.qsl.net/miqrpclub/contest.html ~ Thanks to SM3CER, WA7BNM, N0AX(ARRL),
Re: [Elecraft] Data Modes Software for Mac
Ah, I noticed that this was working all of a sudden the other day. I have the 3.94 beta FW loaded into my K3, I happend to try PSK directly from RUMLog (using PSK-D) and was sending PSK at full speed. I didn't try RTTY tho Very nice! (tho yes not nearly as versatile as cocoaModem hi hi). 73, LS W5QD -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Data-Modes-Software-for-Mac-tp4971040p4975059.html Sent from the [HAM] 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
Re: [Elecraft] Data Modes Software for Mac
RUMlog can interface with the K3 now via the CAT only for RTTY operation. An Audio interface is not required. The K3 needs the latest (Beta) firmware - MCU 3.94 or better For further info see: http://dl2rum.de/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4t=192 -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Data-Modes-Software-for-Mac-tp4971040p4975026.html Sent from the [HAM] 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] K3 on 60m in the UK?
Will the K3 transmit on the UK 60m channels?. See: http://folk.uio.no/tomvs/la4ln/Worldwide%2060%20m%20frequency%20chart_v8 .pdf Further, do I need to buy the BPF option for 60m? Also, what is involved in minor retuning of the 60M bandpass filters, if anything? What test equipment is required to do this? -- 73 Ian, G3NRW __ 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] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
This may have been answered before, but I couldn't find any search terms that brought up the info I was looking for. What power and volume settings do people use for PSK-31? I have a 100w K2 and I use a SignaLink going into the K2's mic jack. The standard approach that has always been recommended to me is to set the rig's power to full power and then control output power with the transmit volume setting on the SignaLink. I set my SignaLink transmit volume so that the RF level on the K2 shows about 30 watts (essentially 3 tick marks) when I'm transmitting. I've noticed that the K2 gets very hot this way, with the fan going to high high speed. Is that the right way to run the K2, or should I be doing something differently? Thanks. Jon KB1QBZ __ 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] [K3] CW Sidetone Pitch Change Problem
A while back I raised the question of whether others had the same symptoms I had been hearing of the CW sidetone pitch of a received signal all of a sudden changing by so-many Hz (maybe up to 50 Hz but just guessing). It appears to happen when there is a slight pause in the senders signal and it almost sounds like some other station, a few Hz away has jumped into the party but that is not the case -- only a single station sending. Several responses commented that they had heard the same thing whereas some others said they never heard this problem. And, about two weeks ago or so someone sent me a message or maybe posted it to the Elecraft reflector asking if I still had the problem after installing the latest firmware (or, beta?). I have lost that message and I would like to know if this problem was specifically addressed by a firmware update. I am up to date on firmware with the exception of the latest beta that I have now installed yet. However, I still have this problem (it seems to happen with stronger signals, maybe S8 or better, and it seems to only happen in the pause between words for example and never to my knowledge in a string of characters of a word). 73, phil, K7PEH __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] QSK THUMPS?
You'll find that the louder the noise floor the worse the thumping. Again, reducing your RF gain, Turning on your NB and NR will help the thumping go away. It's possible that when you started hearing the problem the noise floor had risen up some, and then when it went away it had reduced again.. Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:00:36 -0700 From: lstavenha...@hotmail.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QSK THUMPS? I heard this too during a QSO not too long ago. It was intermittent tho and just started happening in the middle of the QSO. I was keying the rig through the USB-rs232 adapter with RUMLog's keyer at about 20wpm, I thought something had suddenly gone wrong. It did go away tho as the QSO went on... I can't reproduce it with the build-in keyer plus paddles into a dummy load at any power setting. Perhaps I'll have another go with this with the computer and see what happens. Interesting 73, LS W5QD -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/QSK-THUMPS-tp4971836p4974029.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 _ The New Busy is not the too busy. Combine all your e-mail accounts with Hotmail. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multiaccountocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_4 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW Sidetone Pitch Change Problem
Phil, what is the pitch you are using when this happens? Is it a multiple of 50 Hz? Or one of the in-betweens? 73, Guy On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 12:20 PM, Phil Hystad phys...@mac.com wrote: A while back I raised the question of whether others had the same symptoms I had been hearing of the CW sidetone pitch of a received signal all of a sudden changing by so-many Hz (maybe up to 50 Hz but just guessing). It appears to happen when there is a slight pause in the senders signal and it almost sounds like some other station, a few Hz away has jumped into the party but that is not the case -- only a single station sending. Several responses commented that they had heard the same thing whereas some others said they never heard this problem. And, about two weeks ago or so someone sent me a message or maybe posted it to the Elecraft reflector asking if I still had the problem after installing the latest firmware (or, beta?). I have lost that message and I would like to know if this problem was specifically addressed by a firmware update. I am up to date on firmware with the exception of the latest beta that I have now installed yet. However, I still have this problem (it seems to happen with stronger signals, maybe S8 or better, and it seems to only happen in the pause between words for example and never to my knowledge in a string of characters of a word). 73, phil, K7PEH __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW Sidetone Pitch Change Problem
I have no idea what the pitch is -- I will have to look the next time. On Apr 28, 2010, at 10:05 AM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Phil, what is the pitch you are using when this happens? Is it a multiple of 50 Hz? Or one of the in-betweens? 73, Guy On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 12:20 PM, Phil Hystad phys...@mac.com wrote: A while back I raised the question of whether others had the same symptoms I had been hearing of the CW sidetone pitch of a received signal all of a sudden changing by so-many Hz (maybe up to 50 Hz but just guessing). It appears to happen when there is a slight pause in the senders signal and it almost sounds like some other station, a few Hz away has jumped into the party but that is not the case -- only a single station sending. Several responses commented that they had heard the same thing whereas some others said they never heard this problem. And, about two weeks ago or so someone sent me a message or maybe posted it to the Elecraft reflector asking if I still had the problem after installing the latest firmware (or, beta?). I have lost that message and I would like to know if this problem was specifically addressed by a firmware update. I am up to date on firmware with the exception of the latest beta that I have now installed yet. However, I still have this problem (it seems to happen with stronger signals, maybe S8 or better, and it seems to only happen in the pause between words for example and never to my knowledge in a string of characters of a word). 73, phil, K7PEH __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
Jon, I would recommend setting the power to 30 watts. Then hold DISPLAY to change the metering to ALC - adjust the audio up just to the point where there is no ALC indication (adjust until you see ALC bars and then back off until there are none). That should give you a cleaner signal and better control of the output level. Since the gain of the K2 transmit chain varies from band to band, you may have to check the audio drive level again when changing to a different band. For further explanation, read on. For those using the K3 instead of the K2, set the audio to indicate between 4 and 5 bars on the ALC meter - the low end of the ALC meter scale on the K3 does not indicate ALC at all, but is more like a VU meter - ALC action starts at the 5th bar. Let the K3 control the power out with its normal control mechanism. The K2 and K3 control power in a different way than many other transceivers, in that they monitor the level of the output signal, and if that level is less than the level requested, the drive will be increased in an attempt to increase the power. So the likely result of you setting the K2 power to 100 watts and using the audio level to control the power results in the K2 trying to increase the drive to make the peaks as close to 100 watts as possible - of course, it can't make it because you have decreased the audio. but using the K2 that way will increase the residual level of the suppressed carrier and cause other parameters of the normal power control mechanism to do strange things. Theoretically, the audio level should be able to control the SSB power output, but also in theory, the suppressed carrier would be zero. In reality, there is a bit of residual carrier, and that is what messes up doing things by theory. Controlling the audio alone will work just fine in a transceiver which controls the output level by adjusting the drive at some point *beyond* the BFO injection to the balanced modulator, but the K2 uses the BFO injection to control the power output. 73, Don W3FPR Jon Perelstein wrote: This may have been answered before, but I couldn't find any search terms that brought up the info I was looking for. What power and volume settings do people use for PSK-31? I have a 100w K2 and I use a SignaLink going into the K2's mic jack. The standard approach that has always been recommended to me is to set the rig's power to full power and then control output power with the transmit volume setting on the SignaLink. I set my SignaLink transmit volume so that the RF level on the K2 shows about 30 watts (essentially 3 tick marks) when I'm transmitting. I've noticed that the K2 gets very hot this way, with the fan going to high high speed. Is that the right way to run the K2, or should I be doing something differently? Thanks. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
Why pre-DSP? He can do that in firmware. You can forget about a hardware mod. Why do we keep trying to remake a digital radio into an analog radio? A DSP version can have options. Just has to get in line with all the other things taking resources in a small business. How do you define headroom? 73, Guy. The only things that I would add to the K3 transmitter processing chain would be a bit more headroom, a Pre-DSP two band audio leveler/AGC and handles for Attack, Decay and Ratio on the RF Clipper. If Lyle could do this I would kiss the ring! __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW Sidetone Pitch Change Problem
It is my recollection that Wayne is doing something extra to have all the non-50 Hz things work on CW, e.g. if this is CW then add this number kind of thing. Since some (a lot?) of people will use a 50 Hz multiple, this would explain why some see and some don't. Also is a pointer to where to look in the code. 73, Guy. On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 1:09 PM, Phil Hystad phys...@mac.com wrote: I have no idea what the pitch is -- I will have to look the next time. On Apr 28, 2010, at 10:05 AM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Phil, what is the pitch you are using when this happens? Is it a multiple of 50 Hz? Or one of the in-betweens? 73, Guy On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 12:20 PM, Phil Hystad phys...@mac.com wrote: A while back I raised the question of whether others had the same symptoms I had been hearing of the CW sidetone pitch of a received signal all of a sudden changing by so-many Hz (maybe up to 50 Hz but just guessing). It appears to happen when there is a slight pause in the senders signal and it almost sounds like some other station, a few Hz away has jumped into the party but that is not the case -- only a single station sending. Several responses commented that they had heard the same thing whereas some others said they never heard this problem. And, about two weeks ago or so someone sent me a message or maybe posted it to the Elecraft reflector asking if I still had the problem after installing the latest firmware (or, beta?). I have lost that message and I would like to know if this problem was specifically addressed by a firmware update. I am up to date on firmware with the exception of the latest beta that I have now installed yet. However, I still have this problem (it seems to happen with stronger signals, maybe S8 or better, and it seems to only happen in the pause between words for example and never to my knowledge in a string of characters of a word). 73, phil, K7PEH __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Pro3 Going, K3 Coming!
Well that's the beauty of elecraft and the K3 and what really makes them stand out - if something really does turn up broken, you can report it and it'll get in the queue to get fixed! I've only found one what I would consider major problem in my K3 (a CW-to-data bug) and Wayne is already working on it or will be working on it soon. My K2 I havn't been able to find anything wrong with at all 73, LS W5QD -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Pro3-Going-K3-Coming-tp4975667p4975799.html Sent from the Elecraft 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] PR6 6 Meter Preamp Installation
KL7UW Wrote: I installed an ARR P50VDG preamp on the back side of my K3/10 using preamp in/out connectors on the KVX3. photo: http://www.kl7uw.com/K3-ARR-6mPreamp.jpg; The photo of Ed's preamp on the back of his K3 looks like a very sturdy mount. But my K3/100 has fans and heat sinks on the rear, so solidly attaching a 6M preamp via Ed's approach is not an easy undertaking. Therefore, my PR6 Elecraft 6M preamp is attached with the recommended back-to-back BNC connectors (no cables). This installation results in the amp sticking straight out the back of rig. That concerns me because when I need to shift my K3 or move items around it, I can tell that there is stress on the preamp's BNC connectors and I can visualize them failing at some point. Which brings me (finally) to my question: Since there is room inside the K3 for a second receiver and a 2M transverter, could there be a way to install the PR6 (or similar 6M preamp circuit) *inside* the K3? This would greatly simplify packing for Field Day and other portable operations. If this has been addressed before I cannot find a reference to it. Any ideas? Terry, W0FM K3/100 #474 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
Guy, You are absolutely right. While much of the pro-audio equipment is going digital to be able to more precisely control parameters without the expensive of many analog stages, we are seeing requests for adding an analog front end to the K3 digital audio processing as though that would accomplish some sort of magic. By the same reasoning, we might obtain improvement to our analog solid state transceivers by adding some front end vacuum tube gear! :-) 73, Don W3FPR Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Why pre-DSP? He can do that in firmware. You can forget about a hardware mod. Why do we keep trying to remake a digital radio into an analog radio? A DSP version can have options. Just has to get in line with all the other things taking resources in a small business. How do you define headroom? 73, Guy. The only things that I would add to the K3 transmitter processing chain would be a bit more headroom, a Pre-DSP two band audio leveler/AGC and handles for Attack, Decay and Ratio on the RF Clipper. If Lyle could do this I would kiss the ring! __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Pro3 Going, K3 Coming!
Jim, Good decision! I'm sure you'll be more than happy with your decision to keep the K2 along with your new K3. :) 73, Alan Alan D. Wilcox, W3DVX (K2-5373, K3-40) 570-321-1516 http://WilcoxEngineering.com Williamsport, PA 17701 Jim bennett wrote: OK guys (and gals) - been reading the mail here and see that there are a very small number of issues with the K3, although nothing major. I'm getting ready to list my Pro III on eBay and use the proceeds to buy a K3. So, please see if you can fix all those minor issues before I order mine! Just kidding! Looking forward to another Elecraft purchase (already have a K2) and the subsequent fun of playing with and learning a new rig. __ 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] OT MFJ 259B analyzer for sale
Antennas and SWR seem to be an ongoing topic on this list so I thought I would mention that a friend of mine has an almost new MFJ 259B antenna analyzer for sale. He wants to get something more advanced. He was mentioning $200. I think that included some accessories. If interested contact him directly as I have no further information. Bill K7BVO be...@cox.net David K0LUM -- Education should be an accumulation of understanding, not just an accumulation of facts. Dr. David M. Pozar __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW Sidetone Pitch Change Problem
Guy, Thanks for the comments. Tonight I will experiment a little by changing the tone Hz value and see what happens. It may take a few days to determine if anything is changed as I do not hear this problem all the time. peh On Apr 28, 2010, at 10:21 AM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: It is my recollection that Wayne is doing something extra to have all the non-50 Hz things work on CW, e.g. if this is CW then add this number kind of thing. Since some (a lot?) of people will use a 50 Hz multiple, this would explain why some see and some don't. Also is a pointer to where to look in the code. 73, Guy. On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 1:09 PM, Phil Hystad phys...@mac.com wrote: I have no idea what the pitch is -- I will have to look the next time. On Apr 28, 2010, at 10:05 AM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Phil, what is the pitch you are using when this happens? Is it a multiple of 50 Hz? Or one of the in-betweens? 73, Guy On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 12:20 PM, Phil Hystad phys...@mac.com wrote: A while back I raised the question of whether others had the same symptoms I had been hearing of the CW sidetone pitch of a received signal all of a sudden changing by so-many Hz (maybe up to 50 Hz but just guessing). It appears to happen when there is a slight pause in the senders signal and it almost sounds like some other station, a few Hz away has jumped into the party but that is not the case -- only a single station sending. Several responses commented that they had heard the same thing whereas some others said they never heard this problem. And, about two weeks ago or so someone sent me a message or maybe posted it to the Elecraft reflector asking if I still had the problem after installing the latest firmware (or, beta?). I have lost that message and I would like to know if this problem was specifically addressed by a firmware update. I am up to date on firmware with the exception of the latest beta that I have now installed yet. However, I still have this problem (it seems to happen with stronger signals, maybe S8 or better, and it seems to only happen in the pause between words for example and never to my knowledge in a string of characters of a word). 73, phil, K7PEH __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
Guys... Hold on... I have my reasons... Hear me out... Why pre-DSP? Maybe I should have said Before the input of the active audio processing area in the DSP section of the radio. That is, a way to control analog dynamic range at the input of the RF Clipper section of the DSP audio chain. What I was suggesting is an AGC funtion before the RF Clipping section touches the audio waveform. Something to smooth out the dynamic range of the audio input so that the DSP processing engine would not have to work so hard dealing with peaks and valleys and can be let loose some. The K3's DSP audio management software understands the Nyquist Limit of its ADC, and it plays a very conservative game :) The RF Clipper does a good job of controlling these, always keeping them within the ADC's non distorting range, but nothing is perfect. If you hit the input stage too hard (ever get excited calling a DX Station or a Multiplier?) the clipper grabs the peak, which then reduces the overall audio level. Since the decay value is somewhat slower than the attack, you end up punching a hole in the audio. Im really nitpicking here... Its really minor, but I notice it and have learned to live with it. But it *IS* there. He can do that in firmware. Thats just fine with me. I dont care if he does it with Squirrels on a treadmill, if it can be done, Im all for it! You can forget about a hardware mod. I was not aware that I was requesting a hardware mod. Where did you get that idea? I dont care how its done. I just hope that it *CAN* be done. Why do we keep trying to remake a digital radio into an analog radio? I was not aware that only *analog* radios had an AGC ahead of a limiter. I know many broadcast digital processors that have these features incorporated in software. You can always go to the nearest pawn shop and buy a Aphex Compellor and a mic preamp and do the same thing. Just would be nice to have it all in one box. A DSP version can have options. Exactly! This is just one more option! Just has to get in line with all the other things taking resources in a small business. I have no problem with that. K3 is not broken, Im not trying to fix it. Just in my opinion this would be a very useful feature. Its up to Wayne and his staff to make the ultimate decision. If I want to fix it, I have to dust off my Compellor and add some complexity to my station. I dont want to do that. How do you define headroom? The difference between when the input to the DSP is at its highest point (100% signal saturation) and the point where the input waveform clips appreciably (usually 10% above full modulation is a standard measurement) in an RMS waveform. Remember we are using a ADC here. It QUANTIZES the analog waveform in finite steps (254? 1024? Only Lyle knows what he has implemented). If its, for example, 0 to 254, then 255 is distortion because the value is undefined and is truncated in the quantization matrix. You have hit the Nyquist wall! For instance, in professional digital videotape machines, maximum level is defined as -20dB (-20dB = 0VU in analog) and saturation is defined as 0dB (the clip point in analog). The difference between these levels is defined as headroom (the Nyquist limit) for those RMS peaks that happen in wide dynamic range material. Back in the analog days we would use 0VU as the RMS reference level, but the peaks could go all the way into the red without distorting... But then analog systems went into distortion gracefully a lot higher than 0VU; they never run out of numbers (reach the Nyquist limit), but they do run out of the linear curve of the active devices in the circuit. Digital systems just clip when they run out of numbers, so there is no margin for error, hence the digital overhead to account for analog dynamic range built in to digital audio recorders. What Im saying is that since the difference in the K3 is somewhat narrow, because we are playing conservatively, in my opinion (I have not done quantitative testing, Its just my by ear opinion), if there were some dynamic range leveling before the ADC, it would be helpful to the overall system efficiency. I will shut up now, learn not to yell into the mic or go plug in my Compellor :) -lu-w4lt- __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
Don, I never suggested that this be implemented by an analog stage or in an analog fashion. I dont know where you guys are getting that idea! AGC can be perfectly implemented in a digital environment. It would quantize the waveform and bring the valleys up to the peaks, then hand them off to the clipper where the real fun begins. That's all Im describing! It has nothing to do with a 12AX7 at all! We have beat this to death enough, so as not to rase the ire of Eric the Mighty Moderator, I now terminate my comments on this thread. If we want to kibbitz, we can do it off the list. -lu-w4lt- - Original Message Follows - From: Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com To: Guy Olinger K2AV olin...@bellsouth.net Cc: lrom...@ij.net, elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:14:44 -0400 Guy, You are absolutely right. While much of the pro-audio equipment is going digital to be able to more precisely control parameters without the expensive of many analog stages, we are seeing requests for adding an analog front end to the K3 digital audio processing as though that would accomplish some sort of magic. By the same reasoning, we might obtain improvement to our analog solid state transceivers by adding some front end vacuum tube gear! :-) 73, Don W3FPR Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Why pre-DSP? He can do that in firmware. You can forget about a hardware mod. Why do we keep trying to remake a digital radio into an analog radio? A DSP version can have options. Just has to get in line with all the other things taking resources in a small business. How do you define headroom? 73, Guy. The only things that I would add to the K3 transmitter processing chain would be a bit more headroom, a Pre-DSP two band audio leveler/AGC and handles for Attack, Decay and Ratio on the RF Clipper. If Lyle could do this I would kiss the ring! __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
Maybe I should have said Before the input of the active audio processing area in the DSP section of the radio. That is, a way to control analog dynamic range at the input of the RF Clipper section of the DSP audio chain We should not be clipping at RF anyway. RF clipping, or clipping an entire band, is an old method that should have been retired years ago. What I was suggesting is an AGC funtion before the RF Clipping section touches the audio waveform. Something to smooth out the dynamic range of the audio input so that the DSP processing engine would not have to work so hard dealing with peaks and valleys and can be let loose some. The proper way to process speech is to split the speech into bands that are less than one octave wide. Then we clip and process each frequency band. The output is filtered in a filter to clean it up, and the results are remixed in the ratio the user wants. Take 300-500 and clip it, the closest harmonic is 600. Filter it at 300-500. 500-900 and clip it, the closest harmonic is 1000. Filter it at 500-900. 900-1700 and clip it, the closest harmonic is 1800. Filter it at 900-1700. 1700-3300 and clip. Filter it at 1700-3300. In a DSP algorithm this idea would be fantastic, instead of emulating something that was never that good to start with. Vomax did something like this in the 70's when op-amps first came out. I had a homebrew system with slow input AGC, gating, and split processing. Why turn back the clock to a compressor preceding an RF processor? Contest stations already waste too much energy in distortion and by transmitting useless frequencies. 73 Tom __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K3 not turning off
Or you may need to perform the mod that fixes this issue... http://www.elecraft.com/K3/mods/KPA3_12V_Sense_Modification_Rev_B.pdf ~Brett On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 4:55 AM, Bill W4ZV btipp...@alum.mit.edu wrote: Glenn VK4FZ wrote: My K3 (S/N 544) is no longer turning off properlythe 12v sense mod is done, any ideas for further investigation I'd next try the remote Power Off command (PS0) via the K3 Utility. If that works and the power switch does not, then you might have a defective switch. 73, Bill -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-not-turning-off-tp4972515p4974007.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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
On Apr 28, 2010, at 11:44 AM, Jon Perelstein wrote: What power and volume settings do people use for PSK-31? I have a 100w K2 and I use a SignaLink going into the K2's mic jack. The standard approach that has always been recommended to me is to set the rig's power to full power and then control output power with the transmit volume setting on the SignaLink. I set my SignaLink transmit volume so that the RF level on the K2 shows about 30 watts (essentially 3 tick marks) when I'm transmitting. I've noticed that the K2 gets very hot this way, with the fan going to high high speed. Is that the right way to run the K2, or should I be doing something differently? I would do the same thing that I do for RTTY. Unless you have some supplemental cooling, I would not set the power level to anything over 30 watts for any length of time. If you add a cooling fan to the top of the K2/100 heat sink, you can safely run 50 watts indefinitely. Note that the K2/100 amplifier is progressively less efficient as the power level is dropped. Also note that the K2 transmit gain varies from band to band, so you'll still have to adjust the volume on the SignaLink. You want to adjust it so you are not driving the ALC -- as high as you can go with little or no ALC indication. It's actually not hard to hit this point using the RF output meter. Turn up the volume until the output stops increasing, then reduce it slightly. Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASELMail: aa...@arrl.net Web: http://boringhamradiopart.blogspot.com Quote: Not within a thousand years will man ever fly! -- Wilbur Wright, 1901 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft SSB Net Announcement
On Sat 04/24/10 11:40 AM , Phillip Shepard ph...@rio.com sent: Hi gang, The weekly Elecraft SSB net will meet tomorrow (4/18) at 1800Z on 14.314MHz. I will be net control from Oregon, with help from some eastern relays. Ilook forward to hearing you all. Join us. 73, Phil, NS7P __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraftHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: Elec r...@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.netPlease 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
Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft SSB Net Announcement
On Sat 04/24/10 11:40 AM , Phillip Shepard ph...@rio.com sent: Hi gang, The weekly Elecraft SSB net will meet tomorrow (4/18) at 1800Z on 14.314MHz. I will be net control from Oregon, with help from some eastern relays. Ilook forward to hearing you all. Join us. 73, Phil, NS7P __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraftHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: Elec r...@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.netPlease 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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
I personally have just as much trouble as anyone else remembering to think of the K3 as digital. On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 4:03 PM, Lu Romero lrom...@ij.net wrote: Don, I never suggested that this be implemented by an analog stage or in an analog fashion. I dont know where you guys are getting that idea! Other than taking what you said as what you meant? Tough reading your mind at this distance. You said: ...a Pre-DSP two band audio leveler/AGC and handles for Attack, Decay and Ratio on the RF Clipper. That is, prior to Digital Signal Processing, or before analog is converted to digital. In your headroom explanation, is there a common instance of microphone ADC saturation that needs to be reported? That's a pretty seventh-grade mistake on Wayne's part if it's true. (Yeah, I know, the first Hubble lenses, and the unit snafu on the Mars landers, also very seventh-grade.) You also said: What I was suggesting is an AGC funtion before the RF Clipping section touches the audio waveform. Something to smooth out the dynamic range of the audio input so that the DSP processing engine would not have to work so hard dealing with peaks and valleys and can be let loose some. Elecraft is already accomplishing envelope leveling and shaping with digital functions that don't appear to resemble the sledge and wedge of RF clipping and AF variable band amplifiers. SOME folks get excellent results using the K3's leveling and shaping processes for TX audio. I would hate to bring up RTFM on setting up K3 mic gain and compression, but the manual procedure does seem to work. AND, since there is NO analog audio band circuitry in there anywhere, BUT there ARE banded TX and RX equalizer functions being done in the number soup, whose gains are being set by NUMBERS we enter in the menu, what makes us think he hasn't already done something proprietary about banded gain which he is developing further and is not about to reveal so the competition can't copy it for free? My grandchildren are growing up digital. My having my brain trained on analog is my problem, certainly not theirs. Grandkids think number soup and audio that turns analog as close as possible to the speakers is the good stuff, especially if the last stage is a big tube followed by a transformer (go figure). You should have seen the look I got from the oldest one when I asked him if the audio actually went through all the slide pots on one of those big digital mixers he was running, the look that says Please don't talk like that when my friends are around. Just a couple of the plentiful opportunities for mental disconnects, there is no K3 RX AF analog circuit controlled by AF gain. There is no K3 RX RF analog circuit controlled by RF gain. The AF and RF pot settings are immediately turned into advice numbers and passed along to the MCU. There is a lot of misadventure to be had thinking of the K3 in analog terms. 73, Guy. __ 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] Ignore message sent in error.
On Wed 04/28/10 5:44 PM , ph...@rio.com sent: On Sat 04/24/10 11:40 AM , Phillip Shepard ph...@rio.com sent: Hi gang, The weekly Elecraft SSB net will meet tomorrow (4/18) at 1800Z on 14.314MHz. I will be net control from Oregon, with help from some eastern relays. Ilook forward to hearing you all. Join us. 73, Phil, NS7P __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraftHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: Elec r...@mai lman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.netPlease help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraftHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: Elec r...@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.netPlease 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] Ignore message sent in error
73, Phil, NS7P __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
Don, I'm having trouble with this approach on 40 meters. I set the power on the K2 to 30 watts and then adjusted the TX volume on the SignaLink as high as I could without getting any ALC reading. When I do that, I essentially have zero power output. There's no deflection on the K2's RF meter and someone who was monitoring my signal said that my signal just dropped off the waterfall. I have a KAT100 and with these settings the SWR light would not light, indicating that there isn't even enough power out for the KAT100 to measure SWR). When I increased the SignaLink TX volume to get a 30 watt reading on the K2's RF indicator, I was getting 2-4 bars of ALC. On my FT-897, the power display when I'm transmitting PSK is fairly steady. On the K2 on 40 meters, it was bouncing all over the place, but that may be a function of how the K2 measures RF power out?? I had no trouble using the suggested technique on 20 meters. Any ideas as to why I'm having problems on 40? Jon KB1QBZ I had no problem using this approach on 20 meters, so I' --- On Wed, 4/28/10, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: I would recommend setting the power to 30 watts. Then hold DISPLAY to change the metering to ALC - adjust the audio up just to the point where there is no ALC indication (adjust until you see ALC bars and then back off until there are none). That should give you a cleaner signal and better control of the output level. Since the gain of the K2 transmit chain varies from band to band, you may have to check the audio drive level again when changing to a different band. For further explanation, read on. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
Don etc. May I suggest setting the K-2 to maximum output power, say on CW, and then adjust the TX level from the Signalink to produce about 30 watts output. Do not change the power level on the K-2. FYI - This should work very satisfactorly for any radio. With a PSK signal there will be some variation in output level depending on if one is looking at idle data or text data. 73 Bob, K4TAX Don, I'm having trouble with this approach on 40 meters. I set the power on the K2 to 30 watts and then adjusted the TX volume on the SignaLink as high as I could without getting any ALC reading. When I do that, I essentially have zero power output. There's no deflection on the K2's RF meter and someone who was monitoring my signal said that my signal just dropped off the waterfall. I have a KAT100 and with these settings the SWR light would not light, indicating that there isn't even enough power out for the KAT100 to measure SWR). When I increased the SignaLink TX volume to get a 30 watt reading on the K2's RF indicator, I was getting 2-4 bars of ALC. On my FT-897, the power display when I'm transmitting PSK is fairly steady. On the K2 on 40 meters, it was bouncing all over the place, but that may be a function of how the K2 measures RF power out?? I had no trouble using the suggested technique on 20 meters. Any ideas as to why I'm having problems on 40? Jon KB1QBZ I had no problem using this approach on 20 meters, so I' --- On Wed, 4/28/10, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: I would recommend setting the power to 30 watts. Then hold DISPLAY to change the metering to ALC - adjust the audio up just to the point where there is no ALC indication (adjust until you see ALC bars and then back off until there are none). That should give you a cleaner signal and better control of the output level. Since the gain of the K2 transmit chain varies from band to band, you may have to check the audio drive level again when changing to a different band. For further explanation, read on. __ 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] Fw: PR6 6 Meter Preamp Installation
My PR6 is connected with two 6 BNC - BNC cables. Connecting it using two double male BNC's seems like certain damage, sooner or later. (;-) 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP elecraftcov...@rfwave.net __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
Jon, That sounds like a classic case of RF where it is not supposed to be - in other words, first check for RF feedback - lay out a 33 foot piece of wire connected only to the K2 at the near end, and insulated at the far end. If the effects decrease, then look to your antenna system for the cure to your 40 meter problems. OTOH, there was a problem with the KPA100 developing parasitic oscillations under certain conditions (like high SWR when using an auto-tuner like the KAT100), and that parasitic was most prevalent on 40 meters. That problem was addressed by the KPA100UPKIT and is included on newer KPA100s. If your KPA100 has blue toroids at L15 and L16, then adding the KPA100UPKIT would be a prudent step. If you have blue toroids at L16 and RFC1, then your KPA100 is up to date, and my suspicion about the RF Feedback situation is amplified. The fact that you can use the procedure for adjusting the output level on 20 meters says that the method is valid, but you have some sort of other situation present on 40. 73, Don W3FPR Jon Perelstein wrote: Don, I'm having trouble with this approach on 40 meters. I set the power on the K2 to 30 watts and then adjusted the TX volume on the SignaLink as high as I could without getting any ALC reading. When I do that, I essentially have zero power output. There's no deflection on the K2's RF meter and someone who was monitoring my signal said that my signal just dropped off the waterfall. I have a KAT100 and with these settings the SWR light would not light, indicating that there isn't even enough power out for the KAT100 to measure SWR). When I increased the SignaLink TX volume to get a 30 watt reading on the K2's RF indicator, I was getting 2-4 bars of ALC. On my FT-897, the power display when I'm transmitting PSK is fairly steady. On the K2 on 40 meters, it was bouncing all over the place, but that may be a function of how the K2 measures RF power out?? I had no trouble using the suggested technique on 20 meters. Any ideas as to why I'm having problems on 40? Jon KB1QBZ I had no problem using this approach on 20 meters, so I' --- On Wed, 4/28/10, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: I would recommend setting the power to 30 watts. Then hold DISPLAY to change the metering to ALC - adjust the audio up just to the point where there is no ALC indication (adjust until you see ALC bars and then back off until there are none). That should give you a cleaner signal and better control of the output level. Since the gain of the K2 transmit chain varies from band to band, you may have to check the audio drive level again when changing to a different band. For further explanation, read on. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
Bob, As I stated in my original reply to Jon, that is not the best solution (in fact it can lead to trouble) for any transceiver that controls the power output by altering the BFO injection level to the balanced modulator ( the K2 does that). Transceivers that control the output *after* the balanced modulator stage will operate nicely as you state, but the K2 (and K3) control the output level prior to the balanced modulator, and will have trouble if used that way. Set the power to the level that is desired and then adjust the audio for no ALC for digital modes. 73, Don W3FPR Robert Mcgraw wrote: Don etc. May I suggest setting the K-2 to maximum output power, say on CW, and then adjust the TX level from the Signalink to produce about 30 watts output. Do not change the power level on the K-2. FYI - This should work very satisfactorly for any radio. With a PSK signal there will be some variation in output level depending on if one is looking at idle data or text data. 73 Bob, K4TAX __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
sometimes it pays to read your own posts or errors. If your KPA100 has blue toroids at L15 and RFC1, then it is the new design (and is not the problem source). OTOH, if the toroids are at L15 and L16 and have red cores, the KPA100 should be updated with KPA100UPKIT. 73, Don W3FPR Jon, That sounds like a classic case of RF where it is not supposed to be - in other words, first check for RF feedback - lay out a 33 foot piece of wire connected only to the K2 at the near end, and insulated at the far end. If the effects decrease, then look to your antenna system for the cure to your 40 meter problems. OTOH, there was a problem with the KPA100 developing parasitic oscillations under certain conditions (like high SWR when using an auto-tuner like the KAT100), and that parasitic was most prevalent on 40 meters. That problem was addressed by the KPA100UPKIT and is included on newer KPA100s. If your KPA100 has blue toroids at L15 and L16, then adding the KPA100UPKIT would be a prudent step. If you have blue toroids at L16 and RFC1, then your KPA100 is up to date, and my suspicion about the RF Feedback situation is amplified. The fact that you can use the procedure for adjusting the output level on 20 meters says that the method is valid, but you have some sort of other situation present on 40. 73, Don W3FPR Jon Perelstein wrote: Don, I'm having trouble with this approach on 40 meters. I set the power on the K2 to 30 watts and then adjusted the TX volume on the SignaLink as high as I could without getting any ALC reading. When I do that, I essentially have zero power output. There's no deflection on the K2's RF meter and someone who was monitoring my signal said that my signal just dropped off the waterfall. I have a KAT100 and with these settings the SWR light would not light, indicating that there isn't even enough power out for the KAT100 to measure SWR). When I increased the SignaLink TX volume to get a 30 watt reading on the K2's RF indicator, I was getting 2-4 bars of ALC. On my FT-897, the power display when I'm transmitting PSK is fairly steady. On the K2 on 40 meters, it was bouncing all over the place, but that may be a function of how the K2 measures RF power out?? I had no trouble using the suggested technique on 20 meters. Any ideas as to why I'm having problems on 40? Jon KB1QBZ I had no problem using this approach on 20 meters, so I' --- On Wed, 4/28/10, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: I would recommend setting the power to 30 watts. Then hold DISPLAY to change the metering to ALC - adjust the audio up just to the point where there is no ALC indication (adjust until you see ALC bars and then back off until there are none). That should give you a cleaner signal and better control of the output level. Since the gain of the K2 transmit chain varies from band to band, you may have to check the audio drive level again when changing to a different band. For further explanation, read on. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
Some quick questions (yeah, I know I said I would stop, but I cant help it, I want to understand!) ...a Pre-DSP two band audio leveler/AGC and handles for Attack, Decay and Ratio on the RF Clipper. That is, prior to Digital Signal Processing, or before analog is converted to digital. Where exactly does the input to the TX DSP section (OK, IF section) hit an ADC? Where do we move from the Analog domain to the Digital domain? Where is the quantizer for the mic input? Would make sense if it was before the Clipper, right? In your headroom explanation, is there a common instance of microphone ADC saturation that needs to be reported? That's a pretty seventh-grade mistake on Wayne's part if it's true. (Yeah, I know, the first Hubble lenses, and the unit snafu on the Mars landers, also very seventh-grade.) I don't believe that's it at all. I can punch holes into the audio if I speak softly then speak loudly. Sounds to me like there is some kind of compression happening (that is why I first incorrectly assumed that this thing used a compressor not a kind of IF/RF Clipper). What happens is that the radio grabs the loud syllable and holds off from releasing the gain reduction for a bit, then recovers. If you hit it with something loud, then something soft, you hear the hole. The decay of whatever is grabbing the peak is slower than the attack. There is no overshoot that I can discern with my ears, as the firmware must be dropping audio into a buffer and setting the response in kind. I once heard people complain about delay in the monitor, I do hear a very slight one. So there must be a look ahead buffer that computes the response to the peak. All I'm saying is that it would be nice to have a handle on at least the decay, so it can more match the attack. Probably cant do that as it would create more delay in the monitor. It's a fine line. What I was suggesting is an AGC funtion before the RF Clipping section touches the audio waveform. Something to smooth out the dynamic range of the audio input so that the DSP processing engine would not have to work so hard dealing with peaks and valleys and can be let loose some. Elecraft is already accomplishing envelope leveling and shaping with digital functions that don't appear to resemble the sledge and wedge of RF clipping and AF variable band amplifiers. SOME folks get excellent results using the K3's leveling and shaping processes for TX audio. I would hate to bring up RTFM on setting up K3 mic gain and compression, but the manual procedure does seem to work. I would like to get a better understanding of the process that is used here. I do use the manual settings, It does work well, and does sound good, but I would like to understand what is happening under the hood better so I can better adapt to what this rig likes to hear, which, to me, is consistent levels. My old admittedly analog rig was less picky and had much more room to play with (when I let it). Hopefully that is not Elecraft Secret Sauce. AND, since there is NO analog audio band circuitry in there anywhere, BUT there ARE banded TX and RX equalizer functions being done in the number soup, whose gains are being set by NUMBERS we enter in the menu, what makes us think he hasn't already done something proprietary about banded gain which he is developing further and is not about to reveal so the competition can't copy it for free? This is probably the Secret Sauce I'm talking about. Are you implying 8-band digital split band processing? You should have seen the look I got from the oldest one when I asked him if the audio actually went through all the slide pots on one of those big digital mixers he was running, the look that says Please don't talk like that when my friends are around. That's pretty funny. On my side, the video side, I was explaining to a pretty hot non linear editor how we did non-b-roll match frame editing with timecode on helical composite VTR's and the importance of the color frame sequence across 4 fields (360 degrees of subcarrier and matching subcarrier to horizontal sync) so that the picture wouldn't jump at the match frame in NTSC. Couldn't understand the process! Couldn't even begin to understand true A/B rolls either. So I know what you mean. there is no K3 RX AF analog circuit controlled by AF gain. There is no K3 RX RF analog circuit controlled by RF gain. The AF and RF pot settings are immediately turned into advice numbers and passed along to the MCU. Advice in the way of a VCA setting? Wonder what the granularity is. It is an analog pot, so logically we read a voltage and digitize it, then report it to the MCU. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, Guy. Now I know the probable true reason for the annoying cant talk to the RX controls while in TX behavior. A hybrid Parallel/Serial signal bus. I'm afraid I pushed paper from the left side to the right side of a desk for way too long. -lu- No virus found in
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 8:14 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: but the K2 (and K3) control the output level prior to the balanced modulator, and will have trouble if used that way. Set the power to the level that is desired and then adjust the audio for no ALC for digital modes. Except for the K3 which requires that audio be set for 4-5 bars ALC for digital modes. Bob NW8L __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] PR6 6 Meter Preamp Installation
Hi Gary, I certainly considered that, as that's the way I connected my first 6M RX converter back in 1962. Parks Electronics made my 6M outboard RX converter back then, I believe. My friend Bob Heil, K9EID, got me started on 6M then and helped me get the Parks converter in line with my Knight Kit R100 receiver. My most recent comment, while not expressed very clearly, was more in line with making the K3 more compatible with travel, Field Day, DXpeditions, etc. Whenever I can eliminate cables and outboarded accessories, I feel it to be a plus. I began to think about adding the Elecraft 6M preamp to the INSIDE of the K3 cabinet, in lieu of another unwanted option or two and thus eliminating extra cables and connectors, not to mention their associated weak spots. Just grab it and GO! With all the advantages available for 6M operation inside the K3 box. Thanks for your reply. Sorry I wasn't more clear in my post. 73, Terry, W0FM K3/100 #474 From: Gary Hvizdak [mailto:garyhviz...@cfl.rr.com] Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 8:02 PM To: terry.schie...@wirelessusa.com Subject: RE: [Elecraft] PR6 6 Meter Preamp Installation Terry, If you are concerned about the possibility of the pre-amp acting as a lever on the BNC connectors, then I suggest attaching it via a pair of short coax cables (perhaps a foot long) instead of the back-to-back male couplers. 73, Gary KI4GGX K3 #2724 _ Terry Schieler mailto:elecraft%40mailman.qth.net?Subject=Re:%20%5BElecraft%5D%20PR6%206%20 Meter%20Preamp%20InstallationIn-Reply-To=%3C013001cae6fe%2463b490a0%242b1db 1e0%24%40schieler%40wirelessusa.com%3E Wed Apr 28 14:12:40 EDT 2010 KL7UW Wrote: I installed an ARR P50VDG preamp on the back side of my K3/10 using preamp in/out connectors on the KVX3. photo: http://www.kl7uw.com/K3-ARR-6mPreamp.jpg http://www.kl7uw.com/K3-ARR-6mPreamp.jpg%22 The photo of Ed's preamp on the back of his K3 looks like a very sturdy mount. But my K3/100 has fans and heat sinks on the rear, so solidly attaching a 6M preamp via Ed's approach is not an easy undertaking. Therefore, my PR6 Elecraft 6M preamp is attached with the recommended back-to-back BNC connectors (no cables). This installation results in the amp sticking straight out the back of rig. That concerns me because when I need to shift my K3 or move items around it, I can tell that there is stress on the preamp's BNC connectors and I can visualize them failing at some point. Which brings me (finally) to my question: Since there is room inside the K3 for a second receiver and a 2M transverter, could there be a way to install the PR6 (or similar 6M preamp circuit) *inside* the K3? This would greatly simplify packing for Field Day and other portable operations. If this has been addressed before I cannot find a reference to it. Any ideas? Terry, W0FM K3/100 #474 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
4-5 bars of ALC is essentially the point where the ALC will begin to engage and is thus the same thing as what Don is referring to. ~Brett On Wed, 2010-04-28 at 21:52 -0600, Bob Cunnings wrote: On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 8:14 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: but the K2 (and K3) control the output level prior to the balanced modulator, and will have trouble if used that way. Set the power to the level that is desired and then adjust the audio for no ALC for digital modes. Except for the K3 which requires that audio be set for 4-5 bars ALC for digital modes. Bob NW8L __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] W2IHY 8 band equalizer and EQ Plus
Lu, I don't know if it is my email client or your responses, but I cannot make much sense of your in-line questions/comments. Please ask your questions in plain English in a single coherent statement. combing through a bunch of things trunchated by blue bars on my email client is totally confusing. Sorry if I am being an old 'fuddy-duddy', but I simply cannot readily see which are your questions and which are the things you are referring to. Concise questions please. 73, Don W3FPR Luis V. Romero wrote: Some quick questions (yeah, I know I said I would stop, but I cant help it, I want to understand!) ...a Pre-DSP two band audio leveler/AGC and handles for Attack, Decay and Ratio on the RF Clipper. That is, prior to Digital Signal Processing, or before analog is converted to digital. Where exactly does the input to the TX DSP section (OK, IF section) hit an ADC? Where do we move from the Analog domain to the Digital domain? Where is the quantizer for the mic input? Would make sense if it was before the Clipper, right? In your headroom explanation, is there a common instance of microphone ADC saturation that needs to be reported? That's a pretty seventh-grade mistake on Wayne's part if it's true. (Yeah, I know, the first Hubble lenses, and the unit snafu on the Mars landers, also very seventh-grade.) I don't believe that's it at all. I can punch holes into the audio if I speak softly then speak loudly. Sounds to me like there is some kind of compression happening (that is why I first incorrectly assumed that this thing used a compressor not a kind of IF/RF Clipper). What happens is that the radio grabs the loud syllable and holds off from releasing the gain reduction for a bit, then recovers. If you hit it with something loud, then something soft, you hear the hole. The decay of whatever is grabbing the peak is slower than the attack. There is no overshoot that I can discern with my ears, as the firmware must be dropping audio into a buffer and setting the response in kind. I once heard people complain about delay in the monitor, I do hear a very slight one. So there must be a look ahead buffer that computes the response to the peak. All I'm saying is that it would be nice to have a handle on at least the decay, so it can more match the attack. Probably cant do that as it would create more delay in the monitor. It's a fine line. What I was suggesting is an AGC funtion before the RF Clipping section touches the audio waveform. Something to smooth out the dynamic range of the audio input so that the DSP processing engine would not have to work so hard dealing with peaks and valleys and can be let loose some. Elecraft is already accomplishing envelope leveling and shaping with digital functions that don't appear to resemble the sledge and wedge of RF clipping and AF variable band amplifiers. SOME folks get excellent results using the K3's leveling and shaping processes for TX audio. I would hate to bring up RTFM on setting up K3 mic gain and compression, but the manual procedure does seem to work. I would like to get a better understanding of the process that is used here. I do use the manual settings, It does work well, and does sound good, but I would like to understand what is happening under the hood better so I can better adapt to what this rig likes to hear, which, to me, is consistent levels. My old admittedly analog rig was less picky and had much more room to play with (when I let it). Hopefully that is not Elecraft Secret Sauce. AND, since there is NO analog audio band circuitry in there anywhere, BUT there ARE banded TX and RX equalizer functions being done in the number soup, whose gains are being set by NUMBERS we enter in the menu, what makes us think he hasn't already done something proprietary about banded gain which he is developing further and is not about to reveal so the competition can't copy it for free? This is probably the Secret Sauce I'm talking about. Are you implying 8-band digital split band processing? You should have seen the look I got from the oldest one when I asked him if the audio actually went through all the slide pots on one of those big digital mixers he was running, the look that says Please don't talk like that when my friends are around. That's pretty funny. On my side, the video side, I was explaining to a pretty hot non linear editor how we did non-b-roll match frame editing with timecode on helical composite VTR's and the importance of the color frame sequence across 4 fields (360 degrees of subcarrier and matching subcarrier to horizontal sync) so that the picture wouldn't jump at the match frame in NTSC. Couldn't understand the process! Couldn't even begin to understand true A/B rolls either. So I know what you mean. there is no K3 RX AF analog circuit controlled by AF gain. There is
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
Bob, I thought I explained that the K3 ALC meter is like a VU meter for the first 4 bars - the ALC indication starts at the 5th bar. 73, Don W3FPR Bob Cunnings wrote: On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 8:14 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: but the K2 (and K3) control the output level prior to the balanced modulator, and will have trouble if used that way. Set the power to the level that is desired and then adjust the audio for no ALC for digital modes. Except for the K3 which requires that audio be set for 4-5 bars ALC for digital modes. Bob NW8L __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: PSK-31 Power Settings
Sorry, now I see that you did, in an earlier post. The context was lost (trimmed away) by the time the statement quoted below was made, so I took it at face value. I only remarked on this because the advice for any other rig in the world is to set audio for very little or no ALC indication. The requirement that the K3 be set for 4-5 bars of ALC has been a source of confusion for digital mode setup since the beginning, as a search of the archives will reveal. Bob NW8L On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 11:10 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Bob, I thought I explained that the K3 ALC meter is like a VU meter for the first 4 bars - the ALC indication starts at the 5th bar. 73, Don W3FPR Bob Cunnings wrote: On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 8:14 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: but the K2 (and K3) control the output level prior to the balanced modulator, and will have trouble if used that way. Set the power to the level that is desired and then adjust the audio for no ALC for digital modes. Except for the K3 which requires that audio be set for 4-5 bars ALC for digital modes. Bob NW8L __ 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
