[Elecraft] K3 operating tip: AFX (audio effects)

[Leigh L Klotz, Jr.]

I became interested in this feature after reading the binaural receiver 
article in the ARRL handbook, and at Pacificon it was the first demo I 
asked for on the K3.

Let me say I am not an experienced SSB contester, but I did enjoy this 
feature in the ARRL Sweepstakes yesterday and today.  I used Delay 5, 
not IQ, because it had a more pronounced effect.

Noise seemed more separated from signal with it on, but it didn't make 
the noise go away, just sound separate.  In fact, compared to NR, I 
prefer it for careful listening, at least so far.

I thought I found it tiring after a while and would turn it off, and 
notice the noise level went down, but then the signal went down too, and 
signals were harder to distinguish from noise. So I turned it back on.  
Eventually I realized that either off or on was eventually tiring 
(here's my lack of SSB contest experience showing), and cycling itoff 
and on occasionally was what reduced fatigue.

All in all, an interesting and useful feature that will take me some 
time to figure out exactly how it works best for me, but I wouldn't want 
to be without it.

Leigh/WA5ZNU

On Sun, 18 Nov 2007 9:57 am, wayne burdick wrote:
> If you have stereo headphones and/or two speakers plugged into your K3, 
> you can use the AFX (audio effects) function.  This creates a simulated 
> stereo or binaural audio "space" that is hard to describe -- you'll 
> just have to try it  :)   For some operators it reduces listening 
> fatigue when compared to monophonic audio, and can even help improve 
> signal copy.