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

[Larry Phipps]

Yes, it has been an informative thread indeed. I considered weighing in, 
but everything seemed to be covered in excellent detail. I will say 
that, based on my measurements, a much bigger issue today is transmitter 
performance rather than receiver performance. The main culprit is of 
course synthesizer noise, but splatter and key clicks are also 
contributors. I have pictures from my panadapter, which uses a xtal 
oscillator LO, of an analog signal generator feeding the panadapter 
directly at about S9+80dB. The picture is clean as a whistle. The same 
signal going through the K3 shows some spreading of the signal within a 
few kHz due to the effect of the synthesizer. The noise floor 
degradation is a modest 10dB at 2 kHz, and none at 5kHz.. The same 
setup, fed by a signal from my TS-480S is unbelievable. The noise floor 
jumps about 25 dB, and extends tens of kHz either side of the signal. A 
signal 2kHz from the TS-480S would have to be S9+10dB to be heard!

On the interface, I love having the option of controlling the K3 by hand 
or through one of the connected programs. to me, it's the best of both 
worlds.

Good point about virtual studio. I retired just before they came into vogue.

73,
Larry N8LP



Toby Deinhardt wrote:
> Hi Larry,
>
>>> I have lots of experience with video editing suites, both 
>>> traditional, and
>>> high end workstation based systems. They each have their advantages, 
>>> and I
>>> haven't noticed any speed advantage for either when it comes to
>>> post-production. When it comes to live production, however, buttons and
>>> knobs win hands down IMO. 
>
> The point is not so much *if* buttons, sliders, knobs and the like are 
> better, but how the operating controls are arranged. For example, I 
> would hate to think of doing a live edit of a sports event if 
> everything is mounted a vertical plane.
>
> Otoh, I was involved in a live sports magazine show, which was 
> produced in a virtual studio - this would not have been possible 
> without a context sensitive GUI on a computer screen.
>
> For a contest situation I would like a little of both, especially if 
> my hands do not have to "wander" around to operate various parts of 
> the station and at the same time do the logging.
>
> vy 73 de toby
>
> PPS: Amazing how my innocent question whether the ADT-200A had been 
> tested somewhere, has resulted in a wonderful thread dealing with many 
> aspects of modern radio design...
>