[Elecraft] More Audio OUTPUT please

[k6se@juno.com]

Mike, AD5IU wrote:

"1. First and foremost I submit it's not the *audio* gain that is the
issue. Indeed, my K2 spot/sidetone audio level can/will 'rock the house'
on internal/external speaker or phones. Otherwise my K2 does not come
close to being able to 'produce enough audio to be painful if not
actually damage your hearing'. Thus I believe the problem lies somewhere
in the RF gain/sensitivity chain."
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I agree.
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"2. There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground either... Those with
plenty of "audio" state setting their AF gain to anything beyond more
than the 9-10 o'clock position will produce very loud audio whereas those
lacking audio need to set *AF and RF* gain (at least) past 12 to achieve
"adequate to normal" listening levels."
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On my K2, on strong signals 9 o'clock is plenty for the audio gain
control.  On weak signals in the noise, fully CW is inadequate.  The AF
gain pot mod has been incorporated in my K2, BTW.
==========

"3. I've not been able to ascertain where the dividing point is but
appears earlier K2 (SN# under 2K?) do not exhibit this problem. OTOH it
seems pretty much all later K2's do. I think it would be very
enlightening that anyone commenting pro/con regarding their audio to
include their 'normal listening' AF, RF gain settings and (especially)
SN# in their response."
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Interesting point about earlier K2s.  My K2 is S/N 2622, purchased in
late April 2002.

AF gain settings are as I described above (depends on signal strength). 
My RF gain is always fully CW.  On CW, I usually run with the AGC turned
off (which makes the audio louder on all but the very weakest signals). 
Preamp is always on.

I've spent countless hours on this problem, checking the gains of each
stage in the receiver.  The gain of each stage is very close to what Gary
uses as one of his criteria when troubleshooting K2s.  In fact, loss
through my K2's xtal filters is much less than his criteria!  I've been
through the AGC circuitry with a fine-toothed comb, also.  I've finally
concluded the it is just an inherent trait of the K2 to not have enough
gain on weak signals.  The minimum discernible signal figure on my K2
seems as good, if not better, than my FT1000MP and TS-830S.  It just
doesn't have enough ooomph on weak signals.

Some may mislead you by suggesting that something is wrong with your K2. 
I doubt if there is any difference between early and late model K2s.  I
may be wrong, but I attribute the difference is in the user rather than
the radio -- many K2 users may not be always searching for that weak DX
station hidden in the noise on Topband like I do.

73, de Earl, K6SE