[Elecraft] K3 AFSK RTTY overdrive - no ALC

[Chad WE9V]

Radio is in DATA operating mode, with DATA MD set to AFSK A.

Not sure what you mean by soundcard setting.  I'm using the stereo line out,
with isolation transformers on each channel, with left channel going to K3
and right channel going to FT-1000.  Audio is fine on FT-1000 TX.  Swapping
the L/R so that the FT-1000 audio channel is driving the K3 has the same
ticking/overdrive issue on the K3, at least until MIC gain is set to only 2
bars.  Reducing the soundcard output and then compensating with MIC gain
also has the same results.  Only 2 ALC bars are allowed, beyond which the
ticking sound begins.

Chad WE9V

On Sun, Nov 23, 2008 at 12:10 PM, Greg <ab7r at cablespeed.com> wrote:

>  What setting do you have your soundcard set to?  And, do you have the
> radio in Data mode and DATA MD set to AFSK, Data-A or FSK-D?
>
> Greg
> AB7R
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Chad WE9V <chad.we9v at gmail.com>
> *To:* elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> *Sent:* Sunday, November 23, 2008 9:37 AM
> *Subject:* [Elecraft] K3 AFSK RTTY overdrive - no ALC
>
> I'm no stranger to soundcard RTTY or to my K3, but today I decided to mix
> the two and fire up MMTTY on the K3.  The first thing I noticed is that
> there was a very strange ticking sound in the monitor.  While it was
> difficult to hear on frequency on another radio, you could hear clicking
> off-frequency.
>
> Long story short, I guess it was due to overdriving.  If I backed the mic
> gain WAY down, or the soundcard output way down, the clicking went away.
> (I'm using FP.L - the same connection as I do for soundcard SSB.)  Upon
> further investigation, I need to set the MIC gain to light up only 2 bars on
> the ALC meter.  Anything less and I'm not getting full output power.
> Anything more and I'm getting the ticking sound (assumed to be overdrive).
> I can't get nowhere near 5 bars of ALC, and this setting is very touchy...a
> fine line between full output power and distortion.
>
> I've used this same soundcard and homebrew interface for many, many years,
> on several different radios.  It does include isolation transformers and
> works fine on SSB.  I've also listened to the monitor while in TX TEST mode,
> and the same problem exists, so it's not an RF issue with the station.  It's
> definitely audio related.  I've tried FP.L, RP.L, and LINE, all with the
> same results.  For the LINE, I had to crank up the soundcard to max output
> and MIC all the way up to 40 (of 60) just to get 2 bars of ALC and nearly
> full output power.  Any further and again I hear the ticking/distortion.
>
> I got the the latest SW (well, prior to 11/18 it was the newest),
> 2.63/1.95.
>
> Any ideas out there?  I'd like to run this thing with a few more ALC bars
> and have it so it's not so touchy between having distortion and getting full
> output power.  I've seen emails from others saying they are able to run 5
> ALC bars.  Not sure why I can't.
>
> 73 and thanks,
> Chad WE9V
>
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