[Elecraft] Headphone output levels on the K2?

[Steve Kallal]

Hello again!

I have a requirement that my rigs have relatively high audio output wo/
distortion from the headphone jack. I have a moderate hearing loss, about 45
db down especially in the speech region. The audiologists calls that
MODERATE. 60 db down is considered more serious. Wow! Even the FCC wants tx
spurs down 40 db or so.

I have been using a FlexRadio SDR-1000 rig mostly because of the great DSP.
One of the advantages is the external Firewire sound card which is able to
boost audio into the headphones. I even found a cheap set of KOSS UR29
headphones have more output than my Heil's. The headphone output on the PRO
II causes the headphone audio to distort before its loud enough for me.

But the simplicity of CW seems wasted on a lot of hardware hanging off a PC.
I am a new CW op. Started last fall getting my code speed up after 31 years
as a ham and 29 years on HF. Do about 15 wpm on a good day. A friend of mine
thinks the K2 is a good rig for copying weak CW popping through the QRN. The
SDR is the best I've found so far. It certainly puts my PRO II to shame on
rx.

I think the best thing about a kit like the K2 is that adding a small audio
stage internally before the headphone jack doesn't ruin the rig. But I would
hope that won't be necessary.

Also I don't wear my hearing aids with headphones because of feeback. I went
with behind the ear hearing aids. Maybe a heaphones with larger deeper cups
would help.

I welcome comments from those who are familiar with the headphone output
level on the K2. I don't want to drag around some external mixer to listen
to CW, hi hi.

73,

Steve N6VL
FISTS #12707
SKCC #2383
 
n6vl at yahoo.com