[Elecraft] AGC

[Don Wilhelm]

Even if the KX1 does not have the capability to turn the AGC off, one can
reduce the effect of AGC significantly by cranking the AF gain way up and
using the RF gain to control the volume.
Just another way to do things - no switches required.

To my mind, that is the most sane thing to do - when 'just tuning around'
set the RF gain on full and use the AF gain as volume control, but when
operating (especially CW), use the RF gain as the volume control with the AF
gain set to max.  We had to do it that way on the older receivers without
product detectors and AGC circuits designed for AM carriers - with newer
receiver designs, it is not as important, but there are other advantages to
doing it that way - for one thing, CW signals just 'sound' better.

73,
Don W3FPR

----- Original Message ----- 

| Pleased to hear that I am not alone preferring AGC off. And as Ron points
| out the KX1 has a RF control. I remember, maybe it was 20 years back, that
| my IC735 had a big nice Squelch knob on the front panel and a small tiny
| slider for RF inside a plastic cover. This was almost useless, so I made
| some modifications and fially ended up with the squelch knob as an RF
knob.
| I could never understand why the japaneese constructors put a squelch on a
| HF transceiver. But working inside one of those factory build rigs was a
| mess. Once I had assembled my K2 I set the S-meter to off. I only put it
on
| occasionally when I have non-amateur visitors. Things like leds do impress
| on people who does not know anything about radios. I give reports by ear.
| Ron, keep up the good work with the manual. Before I received my K2 I read
| the manual three or four times and it certainly helped me once I finally
| got it.
|