[Elecraft] Re :K2 Key clicks. My method of testing

[Martin]

Hello elecrafters,
my test-setup was as follows:

TX: K2 #2706, CW, 30WPM, Dipole, just enough pwr to show S9 on the RX
(less than 1 Watt). Sidetone-level 0. Frequency 3.530 Mhz.

RX: TS-850, CW, 400Hz Inrad-Filters in 8.8Mhz & 455 khz IF.
Noise-blanker off. No ant connected.
Frequency 3.530 (during daytime, so no activity there).
I also tested on 10m (dead band at that time). The results can be
reproduced on any band though.

Sent a string of dots & zero-beated the RX.
Then slowly moved the RX away from the center-freq. At 3.530,5 the sidetone
was no longer noticeable, but loud clicks. The S-meter reads S3.

At 3.531 the clicks were still noticeable, all digits on the S-meter
were off. I keyed �now 1000Hz offset� and i could read it!
Remember: tx-sidetone-level 0 !
Sort of an auroral sound.

At 3.531.5 the clicks were hard to hear, but still there.

Finally, above 3531.8, the clicks are gone.

You get similar results when tuning in the opposite direction.

If you perform this test with a S9+20 db-signal, the situation
becomes even worse. A weak signal, say somewhere between 3.530,5 and
3.531, would become unreadable. Even a loud signal is no fun to
listen to.

The good part: The FT1000MP i had was even worse before i modified it.

Let us hope that Elecraft has the cure with the upgrade they
announced. I would rather upgrade today than tomorrow.

Wayne & Eric, if you need someone to "fieldtest" the upgrade, you found
someone.

  

-- 
Best regards,
 Martin
K2 #2706                          mailto:dl1iaq@gdxf.de