[Elecraft] K3 receiver noise questionable test results

[Al Lorona]

I have been frustrated by the lack of measurements that we can hold on to as we discuss the noisy K3 receiver that many folks are reporting. 

Help me out here: are we talking about the *amount* of noise, or the *character* of the noise? I don't even think we've established the answer to this.

If it's the amount of noise that folks are hearing, wouldn't you just turn the gain down to match your Other receiver? No two receivers have the same amount of gain, and I think this point has been lost on some of us.

If it's the character of the noise, and if you find it objectionable, and if no settings of gain, filtering or noise reduction change it, I'd say it's time to go back to the Other receiver, and I'm not being facetious about this.

But in lieu of measured data, let's ask the folks with noisy K3 receivers a few empirical questions:

1. Set up your K3 and your favorite Other receiver to receive the same band noise. Set them up like you usually do: AF gain, RF gain, etc. Note the noise level of the Other receiver... don't look at S-meters, voltmeters, etc., just memorize the noise.

Now switch to the K3 and go into the CONFIG menu.

a. Is there any setting of AGC THR that gives you the same noise as Other? 

If so, use it.

If not, proceed to step b.

b. Is there any setting of AGC SLP that gives you the same noise as Other?

If so, use it.

If not, I don't know what to tell you.

Actually, there might be a possible Step c., and that would be to adjust the RF gain on the K3 to match Other.



Al  W6LX