[Elecraft] K3 latest firmware
I have just loaded the latest firmware. The NR is certainly different and appears to be a big improvement although at aggressive settings the audio output is very attenuated. There is another effect which doesn't seem to have been published. That is the maximum output that can be set by the power control is now 110 watts instead of 120 watts. Has anyone else noticed this or is it confined to my K3 ? 73 Barry Simpson VK2BJ __ 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 latest firmware
Barry, The power dropped to 110W with the previous public beta I think, in the interest of spectral purity as I recall. 73 Stephen G4SJP K3 #980 On 13/08/2009 12:10, Barry Simpson vk...@optusnet.com.au wrote: I have just loaded the latest firmware. The NR is certainly different and appears to be a big improvement although at aggressive settings the audio output is very attenuated. There is another effect which doesn't seem to have been published. That is the maximum output that can be set by the power control is now 110 watts instead of 120 watts. Has anyone else noticed this or is it confined to my K3 ? 73 Barry Simpson VK2BJ __ 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 latest firmware
Barry, the power level was dropped to 110 some time ago. Also, F3-4 and F4-4 are for instances of high signal ratio and noise; i.e. strong S9+ signals with high noise levels. It is still recommended to Use F1 and F2 settings for the best results. 73 de James K2QI On Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 7:10 AM, Barry Simpson vk...@optusnet.com.auwrote: I have just loaded the latest firmware. The NR is certainly different and appears to be a big improvement although at aggressive settings the audio output is very attenuated. There is another effect which doesn't seem to have been published. That is the maximum output that can be set by the power control is now 110 watts instead of 120 watts. Has anyone else noticed this or is it confined to my K3 ? 73 Barry Simpson VK2BJ __ 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 latest firmware
Actually it was published in the Firmware release notes... There is another effect which doesn't seem to have been published. That is the maximum output that can be set by the power control is now 110 watts instead of 120 watts. Barry Simpson VK2BJ __ 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 - Latest firmware (last nite) FM test results, not good for U.S.
I brought the K3 (#722) to work today once again, this time to check the FM operation of the radio. I had calibrated the oscillator a couple of weeks ago, and it has only drifted 16Hz since then! Measurements taken on the same equipment, same freq standard Motorola 2670, Spectracom 8195A. My FM measurements were as follows: Frequency was 52.525, did not check 10 meters. 12Db SINAD .47uV -113.4dBm Looses squelch (13) takes .79uV -109.0dBm to break Squelch closes at .33uV -116.5dBm Max modulation acceptance 4.90kHz TX CTCSS deviation .3kHz (at 114.8Hz) Maximum mic deviation 2.0kHz (at 1000 Hz mod frequency) Max overall deviation 2.29kHz (above two tones) Here are the issues. The TX deviation and RX mod acceptance are for narrowband operations. We need the CTCSS to be around .6kHz deviation and mic audio around 4.2kHz or so. Maximum overall deviation should not exceed 5kHz. In the US we are still wideband on these frequencies, in both commercial and amateur service, emission designator 20KOF3E. We need more deviation to sound good here in the US. That said, the recovered TX audio waveform looks great! With mic gain turned up all the way with the Elecraft mic, there was no distortion at all on the mod scope. Looked really nice, better than a $14k Motorola Quantar. Very nice modulation. It also simply takes too much signal to break squelch. Loose squelch should be able to break below the 12dB SINAD point. So, please more TX audio, or a way to select wide/narrow if narrow is needed elsewhere in the world, and better squelch action. So, for now, still on the MASTR II for 6 meters... 73 Josh K6ZRX ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K3 - Latest firmware (last nite) FM test results, not good for U.S.
Josh Elecraft need to see how other manufacturers configure their transceivers... The TS480, which covers the same bands as a K3, has wide/narrow TX deviation which toggles between the two when the FIL/Nar button is held down, this switches between 2.5 KHz and 5 KHz maximum deviation and also shows NAR on the display when set for 2.5 KHz dev. It's not easily implemented when the display and front panel don't include NAR. 73 Dave, G4AON K3/100 #80 (and a TS480) ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 - Latest firmware (last nite) FM test results, not good for U.S.
Dave G4AON wrote: Elecraft need to see how other manufacturers configure their transceivers... The TS480, which covers the same bands as a K3, has wide/narrow TX deviation which toggles between the two when the FIL/Nar button is held down, this switches between 2.5 KHz and 5 KHz maximum deviation and also shows NAR on the display when set for 2.5 KHz dev. It's not easily implemented when the display and front panel don't include NAR. Perhaps they could make it change depending on whether you have selected an HF or a VHF band. I agree it needs to be selectable by one means or another. Lower deviation is needed on 10m where there is no strict channelization and people tend to operate on 5KHz multiples than on 2m where 12.5KHz (15KHz in the USA?) channels are the norm. - Julian, G4ILO K3 s/n: 222 K2 s/n: 392 G4ILO's Shack: www.g4ilo.com Zerobeat Ham Forums: www.zerobeat.net/smf -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/K3---Latest-firmware-%28last-nite%29-FM-test-results%2C-not-good-for-U.S.-tp17064915p17066013.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
re: [Elecraft] K3 - Latest firmware (last nite) FM test results, not good for U.S.
Sorry for the last incomplete post. Josh, K6ZRX wrote: - My FM measurements were as follows: Frequency was 52.525, did not check 10 meters. 12Db SINAD .47uV -113.4dBm Looses squelch (13) takes .79uV -109.0dBm to break Squelch closes at .33uV -116.5dBm Max modulation acceptance 4.90kHz TX CTCSS deviation .3kHz (at 114.8Hz) Maximum mic deviation 2.0kHz (at 1000 Hz mod frequency) Max overall deviation 2.29kHz (above two tones)- snip I no longer work in the 2-way field... so I don't have easy access to a Communications service monitor, but I can say that on-air tests on a 6-meter repeater bear out the lack of audio... When I worked in a Motorola shop (half-a-lifetime ago)we used to shoot for a CTCSS deviation of between 450 and 600Hz... and Josh is right on with his comment regarding a target voice deviation of 5.5KHz. I also agree that the squelch needs some work... As the operator at the far end during my on air testing commented... You'll need a lot more audio if you expect to work anyone in a mobile who may be riding with the windows open! I am certain that these problems will be addressed in a subsequent firmware update... and hope it will be soon. I've tried some of the other enhancements... I love the ability to send CW while in SSB mode with an offset that will allow a station zero beat (on ssb) to hear the CW. Thanks guys, for adding this feature... and for all the tremendous work on firmware to enhance and improve the K3 experience. 73, Joe - W1AIU ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
