[Elecraft] K2 - QSK

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

This one comes up a LOT.

First of all:

"QSK: Can you hear me between your signals and, if so, can I break in?"

So WHAT is a "signal"? For decades that has meant any significant =
pauses.
That is, it is asking or reporting that the sending station doesn't have =
to
throw a bunch of switches to hear anything at all. The T/R function is
"automatic".=20

As far as I am concerned, the K2 has great QSK. That is, I can ALWAYS =
hear
if someone's breaking between words, usually between characters, and
sometimes between letters if the speed is low enough.=20

I realize that doesn't satisfy some operators. But neither does 2 =
kilowatts
into 20 elements at 500 feet or a receiver that can hear a mouse sneeze =
via
long path.=20

My point is that the claims for the K2 having exceptional QSK are quite
true. So if you buy a rig that has "great QSK" and expect to hear =
between
dits at high speed are going to be disappointed a lot!=20

If your operating style requires that you can hear that aforesaid mouse
sneeze between dits at 60 wpm.... That's quite a different issue from =
the
standards of "QSK" that I've known.

Have fun pursuing it!=20

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
Has anyone had any luck with QSK on the K2? If I set the Break-in delay =
to
0.00, I get thumping. If I set it to 0.02 the thumping goes away. But in
either case I can't listen between the dits and dahs. The keyer speed is =
at
25WPM. It sure would be nice to have true QSK. Am I doing something =
wrong or
is this the way the K2 works? I have tried lowering the value of R17 on =
the
Control Board to 470K, but still can't match the QSK of my 950. Any
suggestions? 73, N2TK, Tony #3481