[Elecraft] K3 PTT -- done!

[Bill W5WVO]

Tom Hammond wrote:
> Actually, it' might not all that redundant, since there ARE times when, even 
> in QSK, you might NOT want to allow the rig to return immediately to RX... 
> WHILE SENDING... for instance when you're in the middle of a transmission 
> and someone
> (not the guy you're sending to) REALLY LOUD comes on the same freq. You 
> might not want to hear the QRM from the other station (which your guy might 
> well not be able to hear due to prop.) until you complete whatever it is 
> you're sending...
> Just hit the foot switch (connected to PTT) and you'll mute the RX until you 
> let up on the footswitch.

The scenario you articulate here is EXACTLY why many CW contesters prefer PTT 
on CW. Listening to all the QRM while you're transmitting, and having to focus 
on your own sending while doing so, gets exhausting after a while, and when 
you get mentally exhausted, errors ensue.

This is the way virtually all IKenSu transceivers work today. In other words, 
PTT has priority. It's as simple as that. Pressing PTT puts the rig into TX 
state, muting the RX, until it is released. Doesn't matter if you're doing QSK 
or semi-QSK. Hitting the foot switch overrides that functionality instantly 
for as long as it's held down (but no longer).

I don't think this is quite what the Elecraft implementation does, as it 
sounds like you have to actually be in "PTT mode" by manual operator setting 
in order for PTT to put the rig into the CW TX state. This is probably fine, 
as most ops will either prefer to use PTT CW or one of the other modes, and 
won't feel the need to be able to override in QSK or semi-QSK modes. But the 
"override" method is how most rigs work today, at least the ones I've used.

Bill W5WVO

>
>> Yes, a little clarification (or language lessons) seem to be
>> appropriate here. How is 'Transmit mode' different from
>> 'transmitting already because the key was tapped'?
>> Does closing PTT when in QSK mode inhibit a return to receive until
>> the PTT is released? - that is the only thing I can think of.
>
> My guess it that yes, it will inhibit auto-return to RX upon key
> release.
>> It certainly seems that the generation of RF is controlled by the
>> paddles in any case (except for the new TX inhibit condition).  A
>> few things were clarified, but confusion still reigns high in my
>> mind.
>
> 73,
>
> Tom   N0SS
>
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