[Elecraft] K3 & ADAT ADT-200A by HB9CBU

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

John KD8K wrote:

. This discussion does raise a few questions in my mind that I 
would like to ask. To me it is a question of the theoretical as opposed 
to the practical. Does it really matter if a receiver can hold up to a 
80db over 9 signal 2 KHz away or is this just a theoretical exercise? 
Would not the transmitted Phase Noise, IMD, and perhaps key clicks be 
the limiting factor or am I wrong about this?

Is there is a point of no return where increased close in dynamic range 
no long matters because modern transmitters simply can not or do not 
transmit a signal that clean. If so, then has the K3 and the Perseus 
reached that point of no return and the question of which one has a 
better close in dynamic range is more of a theoretical then a practical 
exercise.

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Good points to consider, *especially* realizing that the transmitter you're
hearing might have been built anywhere from 1930 onward. There's lots of old
gear in use out there, and there are a lot of homebrewers learning
"hands-on" engineering building their own stuff with little or no equipment
to do this sort of critical analysis. It's all perfectly legal and proper to
use on the Ham bands - even encouraged. 

I doubt if many 1950 Viking I, Elmac, B&W, Hallicrafters or similar vintage
transmitters are found in contests these days. So the concern expressed is
really by the hard-core highly-competitive contesters working in extreme
conditions most of us will never experience. For others it's the fun of the
chase toward ever and ever "better" performance as an end in itself, whether
or not it has any practical application on the air. Those, too, are
perfectly legal and proper pursuits - even encouraged. 

For the rest of Hamdom, these specifications are rather unimportant. 

Ron AC7AC