[Elecraft] T33C DX-pedition: comments from a member

[Bob Nielsen]

On Wed, May 05, 2004 at 05:55:48PM -0700, Earl W Cunningham wrote:
> Greg, DF2IC wrote (via Martin, DL1IAQ):
> 
> "As most of you already know, the T33C DX-pedition was using K2/100's for
> all modes. We had 8-9 K2/100's running 24hrs for two weeks, three for
> SSB, three for CW, two for the Digital modes and one for the Pactor link
> to ZL."
> ==========
> I was surprised to learn that T33C was using K2/100s because their SSB
> transmit audio was so poor on all of the bands.
> 
> I worked them on SSB and CW on every band from 80m thru 10m (CW only on
> 30m) for a total of 15 QSOs.  Every time I heard them on SSB it sounded
> like they were talking through a tube into the microphone.  I heard the
> same comment about the T33C SSB audio from several other DXers.
> 
> I assume that the problem is misalignment of the SSB xtal filters,
> Martin.  You might want to alert the owners of those K2s of this.
> 
> Otherwise, it was a great DXpedition with excellent operators and was
> easily workable.

A few weeks ago I talked to Denny, W7SNH who mentioned he had worked
one of the T33C operators near the end of the DXpedition and discussed
the SSB quality with him.  As I recall, he was able to pin down the
problem to the known sensitivity to the magnetic field of a nearby
linear power supply (apparently the T33C team was unaware of this).  A
rearrangement of the equipment improved the audio, but that was after
most of their SSB QSOs had taken place.

Bob, N7XY