[Elecraft] Audio Improvements on a K2

[Don Wilhelm]

Ron and all,

Having just set up a K2 for SSB, I can directly relate to what you are
saying - the filter bandwidth of the SSB filter (OP1) is about 2300 Hz wide
(or at least the ones I have worked with) - and you just can't get hi fi
through that tight a bandpass, but it certainly can be quite effective for
communications clarity.

This slightly narrow SSB bandpass does bring up a valid point that you have
mentioned several times - it is important that the USB and LSB BFOs are set
properly - especially if you have a voice that has a lot of energy in either
the low or the high end of what is considered to be the 'normal'
communications speech frequencies (300 to 3000 Hz).

I personally use Spectogram to set the OP1 filter for SSB, and in doing so I
set markers at 300 and 2300 Hz, then adjust the BFO so that the displayed
passband fits evenly between those markers with particular attention at the
low frequency end (I look at the slope) - it works for most voices, but an
individual can adjust slightly higher or lower if one needs to compensate
for his/hers particular voice.

73.
Don Wilhelm  - Wake Forest, NC   W3FPR home page: http://www.qsl.net/w3fpr/
  QRP-L # 485   K2  SN 0020   mailto: w3fpr@arrl.net

*** Life is what happens when you're making other plans -- Mike Cross  ***

----- Original Message -----
>
> What I am getting from my K2 is what we called, back in the 50's at least,
> "excellent communications quality", which means speech shaped for best
> intelligibility, not fidelity.
>
> So far, I haven't heard a K2 that could be accused of producing anything
> approaching a "high fidelity" audio - meaning the sort of sound you
usually
> hear on the AM or FM Broadcast band. I agree with George that the filter
> design probably precludes getting any sort of sound like that.
>
>