[Elecraft] K3 ACL setting for PSK31

[Iain MacDonnell - K6IAM]

Haines Brown wrote:
>> The noise you see on the waterfall should correspond with the DSP BW
>> you have set using the WIDTH knob.  The TX filter must be either the
>> 2.8 or 2.7, which ever you have installed.
> 
> Indeed, I can increase the width by adjusting the DSP BW width, but
> only to a small degree.
> 
> As for the filters, I installed the 2.8 kHz and 400 Hz filters, and
> apparently assigned the 400 Hz to data modes. But as I indicated in my
> other message, I'm having trouble switching the data mode to use the
> narrower filter to see if that makes the waterfall the right width. 
> 
>> Put the radio in TX TEST mode and hit the software TX button to send
>> audio to the K3.  Now adjust using the MIC gain control (sets the
>> line in level) for 3-4 bars ALC.  If you are not getting any ALC
>> reading your soundcard output may be set too low.  Try increasing
>> that and try again.  I have good success with the soundcard output
>> set to about 20%.
> 
> Here I'm stumped. My directions for setting ALC in general are
> different than setting it for DATA and nothing for DATA speaks of
> putting the K3 in to TUNE mode.
> 
> When I do hold the TUNE button to enter TX TEST mode,

Holding the TUNE button does not enter TX TEST mode. Holding the
MODE "UP" (^) button enters TX TEST mode, which allows you to
adjust your TX settings without putting a signal on the air. TUNE
produces a carrier on the air to allow you to tune your amp / antenna
system.

BTW, at least here, the meters always change to SWR / PWR when TUNE
is active, so there is no ALC reading then.

     ~Iain



> my display shows
> that I'm set for about 20 Watts and that I'm using FL2 (the 400 Hz)
> filter, but now the mode on the display has changed to CW. If I exit
> TUNE, I'm jumped back to DATA mode. While in CW, the ALC reads 7 bars,
> which is too much for DATA. 
> 
> When I do software TUNE in my fldigi, while in the K3 DATA mode,
> there's nothing registered on the ALC scale.  
>