[Elecraft] K3 - S Meter query

[G4ILO]

Stewart G3RXQ wrote:
> 
> I have my K3 S meter set on Absolute Mode as I like S9 to be 50uV
> whether the Pre Amp is switched in or not.
> 
> I would have though that with no signal into the K3 the S meter
> should read S0 with or without the Pre Amp.
> Mine reads S2 with the Pre Amp switched OFF.
> It also reads S4 if the Pre Amp = OFF, and the Atten  = ON.
> 
> Surely my K3 can't be that noisy as to give a S4 meter reading
> with no input, on all bands  ?
> 
> Please someone help me resolve this on a very wet British Bank
> Holiday !!
> 
> 
It's fine and sunny here, Stewart (unusually for Cumbria) but it's spoilt by
a rather blustery cold northerly wind, which is why I'm here in front of the
computer.

I set up my K3 S meter using the XG1 module, following the procedure in the
manual. Though the absolute mode seems to do a good job of keeping the S
meter reading the same at the S9 level, regardless of whether the ATT or
PREamp are switched in, when no signal is present it's a different story.

On 10m I'm getting S1 occasionally flickering to S2 with no ATT or PREamp,
no indication (S0) occasionally flickering to S1 with just the PREamp, and a
steady S3 with only ATT selected.

Well, it's a ham radio S meter not a precision instrument. :) If you do the
adjustment you could probably reduce the reading with no signal, but the 2 S
point increase with ATT enabled appears to be a constant!



-----
Julian, G4ILO  K3 s/n: 222 K2 s/n: 392
G4ILO's Shack: www.g4ilo.com
Zerobeat Ham Forums: www.zerobeat.net/smf
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