[Elecraft] K2 Side tone level Setting

[Tom Hammond]

Hi Nigel:

>Am Seeking some advice from the experienced operators relating to how you
>set and use the side tone volume.   I have an urban QTH and a vertical so
>the noise level can be s5-7 or higher.

Sounds all too familiar.

>Being new on air I found that the receiver noise threw/thru me when it
>popped up between characters when sending so I have set my t-r to 0.2sec
>which seems to mute the receiver between characters and un-mute it between 
>words (15wpm).  (This latter noise is a good reminder to me not to run my 
>words together)

Being a bit 'bothered' by received signals (and noise) between characters 
and character elements is not terribly unusual, especially for newbies to 
full break-in operation. It sometimes takes a bit of 'getting used to' in 
order to not let the interspersed noises/signals get in your way. Though, 
with continued use of full QSK, you'll learn to just tune it right out... 
guaranteed.

>I find, although not easy for me, that when I put the Spot tone on I can
>match the received tone to it If the sound levels are about the same.  Now 
>here's the problem. I use headphones and only need to set the side tone 
>level to 004 for it to be as loud as I want it when sending with the
>receiver muted. However at this level it is just not discernable with the
>noise at s5-7 and the level needs to be more like 012 to 018. This is just 
>too loud for my ears when sending. It would be nice to be able to fix the 
>muted side tone level at a lower level and then be able to adjust the Spot 
>tone level as necessary to accommodate the signal being spotted.
>
>Ideas, suggestions?

Your ears are MUCH more sensitive than mine... I run the ST L at about 
20-25 all the time...

I can appreciate your dilemma, and unfortunately, I'm not certain I can 
offer a really good solution. I know of no way to have two different 
sidetone levels, one for operating and the other for spotting. And your 
rather lower then normal (I think) operating sidetone level just 
exacerbates the problem...

>The other quick way of zero beating/spotting I use is to leave the filter 
>at 1.5 or 0.7, turn AF2 on and tune smartly across the signal stopping at 
>the loudest tone. This usually gets me within 50Hz. Then toggling CW and 
>CWrev with a fine adjustment gets it closer

This might be your best bet for now. NOTE that, when you are tuning in the 
CW signal, there will be a point at which the received signal will appear 
to 'disappear' within (or behind) the SPOT tone. That's the point of zero 
beat, and although it is best to attempt to match the two tones in level, 
the 'disappearing' act can usually be accomplished even when there's a 
pretty significant disparity between the two levels.

Finally, there are two different circuits available which will aid you in 
achieving an acceptable zero beat on an incoming station without having to 
use the spot tone. They were developed for those who feel they are tone 
deaf, and for those who just like to add bells 'n whistles to their rigs. 
Regardless of the reason, they DO work... and better than I'd expected. I'd 
always been a skeptic, but this new design has made a believer out of me as 
well.

If you do to my web site:  http://www.n0ss.net  and click on the QuikLinks 
for either the KR5L or the K6XX CW Tuning Indicator, you will find circuits 
which will blink an LED when the signal being tuned is within 20-30 Hz of 
the desired zero beat tone frequency.

The KR5L design was first published here (on the reflector) about 4 years 
ago. It originally used a tiny LED installed inside the VFO LOCK button on 
the K2. Since that time builders have determined how to use the 10th LED of 
the K2's S-meter as the zero beat indicating element, so no cutting or hay 
wiring is now necessary to install the circuit.

The circuit is not difficult to assemble. It can be easily built using any 
of the more commonly used assembly methods (dead bug, Manhattan, wire-wrap, 
PC board, etc.).  I've offered thru-hole PC boards for the KR5L design even 
since it was first published. And more recently I've been offering 
thru-hole PC boards for the K6XX design, which I personally feel is a bit 
superior to the KR5L design. And I am in the process of kitting 39 kits for 
an SMD version of the K6XX CW Tuning Indicator. I hope the have them 
offered by this time next week. They'll quite easily fit in the space 
between the K2's Front Panel and Control PC boards. Price for the thru-hole 
PC boards is $5 (US) postpaid within the US. DX price is $5 (US) plus the 
actual additional postage (to be determined on a case by case basis). 
Pricing for the SMD kits is yet to be determined, but will be less than $20 
(US) ppd stateside.

Thru-hole components for either the KR5L or K6XX designs are fairly readily 
available from most electronic supply houses. The SMD parts are a bit more 
difficult to locate, but they are still readily available.

As I said, there's NO reason you couldn't build one of these tuning 
indicators using readily available components, and NO PC board. But if you 
are interested in a {C board, I will have them available. And if you want 
to make your own PC board, I'll gladly supply the artwork (no charge) for 
you to start with.

73,

Tom Hammond   N0SS