[Elecraft] K3 #1037 in IARU contest

[Bill W5WVO]

This is probably slightly OT, but Ed's and Jim's comments prompt me to take
this thread further.

I can add my agreement to the generally poor state of the transmitters of a
few of the top contest operators on 6 meters during the recent ARRL contest.
Some of them you could literally hear 20 kHz away on either side -- with the
NB off, the preamp bypassed, and the attenuator kicked in to boot. Of
course, this is just plain unacceptable technically, but more to the point,
it is very rude and not in keeping with long-standing amateur traditions of
technical excellence.

Now, I've been told a couple times times that I was splattering, and in all
cases it was found to be untrue, as reported by other stations on the
frequency who were using correctly adjusted receivers and confirmed I was
about 2.4 kHz wide. (The complaining station having his noise blanker
enabled is the most usual culprit, though you would think all hams would
know about this and check for it before opening their mouths.)

When you have done your technical due-dilligence on the receive end and you
know for a fact that another station is splattering badly and QRMing you and
a lot of other people... How do you tell him? Or do you? I hate creating bad
feelings on the air, and the usual rejoinder when I've actually tried this
is angry defensiveness and sometimes even abusiveness.

Jim and Ed, your thoughts would be appreciated, along with those of others
who are long-time SSB contest operators.

Bill W5WVO


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Brown" <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com>
To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 2:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 #1037 in IARU contest


> On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:16:37 -0500, Ed Gray W0SD wrote:
>
> >BTW having just got back from operating TO5E for 10 days the on the air
> >audio of 40% of the hams we worked is a VERY, VERY sad commentary on
> >operators inability to operate there equipment correctly.  They sounded
> >horrible.  On the positive side about 40% were excellent for cutting the
> >pile up and were still excellent communication quality.  About 20% had
> >good rag chewing audio. The K3 "TEST" mode should make it possible for
> >any amateur to make sure there signal sounds OK.  Obviously or lets say
> >I assume the 40% that sounded terrible had never listened to themselves.
> >   When I say terrible I really mean it!!!
>
> I STRONGLY AGREE!  For at least the past five years, there are guys
> trying to do serious contesting whose transmit audio, especially on
> computer playback, is so awful that I can't copy their call, even when
> they're 30 dB above the noise, and even when I listen to their CQ more
> than a dozen times!  It's serious distortion, plain and simple, probably
> caused by badly overdriving the audio input of the radio. This is so bad
> that there are guys I simply could not work because I couldn't copy their
> call. In some cases, I called these guys anyway, worked them, then got a
> fill on their call from his live mic.
>
> Ed -- please send this part of your commentary to NCJ and every contest
> forum you can think of, especially those that hams from other countries
> will read. It is VERY much needed.
>
> 73,
>
> Jim Brown K9YC
>
>
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