[Elecraft] K3 ACL setting for PSK31

[Julian, G4ILO]

KB1GRM 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, 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.  
> 
> 

As others have said, while it may be better to use a narrow filter for
receiving data modes, DATA A is still an SSB mode, and so for transmit you
must use the SSB filter. I don't know why you're having trouble selecting it
though. But that's sure to be the reason you aren't seeing any output, as
your audio signal may not be coinciding with the filter passband. It's fine
to have the narrow filter selected as well. Then you can select it on
receive using the width control. The wide filter will always be used on
transmit.

You should not be using the TUNE button on the K3 front panel to adjust the
drive level. As you have discovered, it puts you into CW, key down mode, so
you can twiddle the controls on an external ATU.

You should use the Tune option in your sound card software, Fldigi. That
should put the rig into transmit and send a pure sine wave. You can then
adjust the line input level until you get a steady 4 bars on the meter. If
you don't get anything then either the SSB filter isn't assigned, or you
haven't selected LINE IN for the input, or there is something wrong with
your computer to K3 audio connection.

I take the point about the Linux version of the updater not being as up to
date as the Windows version. But I don't think there is anything that
prevents it from being used to upload the latest firmware. The reason you
aren't seeing 2.57 (or now 2.58) is because that is a beta firmware not a
release version. To get it you have to follow the instructions on the
website to manually download it to a folder on your computer, and then point
the updater at that folder.

-----
Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392  K3 #222.
http://www.g4ilo.com/ G4ILO's Shack   http://www.ham-directory.com/ Ham
Directory    http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html KComm for Elecraft K2 and K3 
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