[Elecraft] [K3] Noisy K3 Receiver

[Julian, G4ILO]

A new noise has recently started appearing at this QTH on 10m, which was
previously a quiet band. Normally the S meter would read about S2, but now
it reads about S5. This noise, heard through the K3, has a distinct
"buzzing" sound.

I decided to switch the antenna to the FT-817 in order to record the noise,
because the 817 is connected to the default sound card that Windows Recorder
will record from. On that radio the noise sounded completely different. The
buzz was not audible at all, it was just a sort of "mush". Except for the
increased level (the FT-817 S-meter was reading S8 with preamp on) you might
think you were listening to band noise.

Now why would noise sound different on one radio to another? I'm sure the
buzz is really there, coming from some new device a neighbour has acquired,
and the K3 isn't making it up. So perhaps the K3 is reproducing the sound of
the band as it really is, while the lesser receiver has a lot more
intermodulation that is mixing up all the noise which just happens to make
it sound less harsh and easier on the ears?

I find it hard to believe that the K3 receiver is actually noisy, in the
sense that it is generating noise internally that makes it harder to hear
weak signals compared to another RX. Those MDS figures can't lie, surely?

So why is a new DSP board needed, except to "fudge" the sound so that it
doesn't sound as noisy? You aren't going to hear anything with the new board
that you wouldn't have heard without it.

-----
Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392  K3 #222.
* G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com
* KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html
* KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html

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