[Elecraft] K2 rev B low sensitivity

[Wallace, Andy]

> -----Original Message-----
> 
> If you set S9 on 40m, the other bands will fall somewhat 
> short of that for the same signal level.  Or if you set 
> S9 on 20m, say, then 40m will read a bit high.

I'm not quoting the author's name here because he replied direct
and may not want that -- but he brings up a good point and I want
to clarify.

What I am trying to determine is not whether my S meter is calibrated
compared to someone else, but whether my rig is as sensitive as someone
else's. 

The Elecraft method of calibration has you do the cal-s-meter-L with RFG at
max
to just turn out the bottom (S-1) LED. Then you do cal-s-meter-H to just
turn on the top (S9+40dB) LED with the RF gain at minimum. This cal
procedure
is done before the RF board is done; I don't think it matters what band you
do this on after assembly, though I'd make sure the preamp is off and the
antenna is unplugged.

So it's not calibrating S-9, per se, it's calibrating min and max. In my
case, these levels came out to 019 and 183 if I remember right, in the CAL
settings. This matches what Gary and Tom told me earlier, so I don't think
my S meter is miscalibrated. 

So therefore if someone else out there has an S meter calibrated this way,
and tells me that to get S-9 they put in 80 uV with the preamp off, and
in my rig it's 150 uV, I know my rig is insensitive. Yes, it will vary by
band, as you say -- so let's do this on 20m, where the QST review specifies
115 dB (preamp off) and 19 dB (preamp on) if possible. I'm just trying to
get a handle on whether it's up to snuff. With the preamp on, it sure sounds
like it is. 

Andy