[Elecraft] Re: S meter operationg ...

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Larry wrote:

>  WHY turn the AGC off in the first place? It was designed for a
> reason -- to keep the audio output reasonably constant with varying signal
> levels, so a loud signal won't blow the earphones off your head. But maybe
> some of you folks are old rock-and-rollers who just can't stand not having
> your eardrums pounded by something. :-)

You bring up something that I do plan to add to my K2: a hard audio limiter!

This OT wears earplugs to the (rare) movie that I attend because apparently
the whole audience is stone deaf! The volume at most concerts and movies is
so totally and absurdly loud as to render them useles for "entertainment"
IMHO.

It is nice to have a very good limiter set just below the level of "pain" so
that a loud noise of any sort won't do serious damage. A "hard limiter"
doesn't do anything until the trigger level is reached, then it prevents the
audio signal from getting any louder no matter what. So, unlike an AGC, it
has no effect on the received signals until it's needed.

AGC, like most of the various "conveniences" in our rigs, has it's
limitations. When it comes down  to critical operating, there are few things
that can beat the computer and sound processor between our ears.

Ron AC7AC
K2 # 1289