[Elecraft] Re: K3 S-Meter and 6dB

[Darwin, Keith]

I agree that 5 dB per S-unit makes good engineering sense.  Sorry to the
standards group, but 6 db per s-unit just doesn't add up.  Having the
S-meter at S-1.5 with the antenna disconnected?  Can we say useless?

With modern rigs, it would be a fairly simple matter for the
manufacturer to use the DSP to correct the s-meter.  AGC may not be
linear but the DSP could compensate and provide a corrected drive for
the meter that would provide S-0 with no signal, S-9 at 50 uV and a
pretty even 5 db per s-unit between there.

If that were done and if the user knew it was 5 per unit, then we'd be
able to actually start using the s-meters to indicate something more
than just "you have signal".

S-meters are only useless because they've been built that way for too
many years.

- Keith N1AS -
- SKCC 344c -