[Elecraft] Help, please. K3 and PSK31

[David Herring]

Dave

I use the SignalLink USB with my K3 and it works like a charm.  I use line in, line out, and PTT from the SignalLink's RJ-45.  On the K3, I use a mono jack into line out, a stereo jack with the "right channel" disconnected into line in, and a RCA jack to PTT. 

I've used this with HRD and fldigi with no problems whatsoever.

I chose to use line out rather than the headphone socket because I wanted to plug my headset in to the back of the rig, and I'm not one for swapping cables on a regular basis. 

I chose to use the SignalLink USB rather than plug directly into my computer's sound card because my computer serves multiple purposes and I wanted to keep the ham radio functionality separate from the onboard sound card.  I also postulated that it would give me more RF isolation...I had been having RF problems with my computer, but in the end that wound up being due to the mouse acting like a receiver. :-(

I was initially concerned that I had to crank the K3's line out volume up past the "10" that is recommended in the K3 manual to get good response on the waterfall display on HRD or fldigi.  I puzzled over that one for a while but finally got the idea to turn the K3's AGC off and whoa! ... no longer had that problem! (and also had to peel my eardrums off the wall, hi hi).  I get ample line out levels and thus plenty of waterfall with line out set to 10 when the AGC is off.  I tend to use shift and width to narrow in on the signal I wish to receive, and AGC doesn't seem necessary but your mileage may vary.

In all, I'm very happy with the SignalLink USB, and of course, the K3.

73,

Dave
K6DCH


On Dec 27, 2009, at 1:21 PM, David Lankshear wrote:

> I'm getting round to trying PSK31 and later maybe some other data modes.
> 
> I want to use either the stereo line out source or the headphones socket on the back panel of the K3, which is getting mighty full of connections these days.
> 
> I could use some advice from the collective HI!
> 
> Should I use a stereo jack with tip active, sleeve ground and ring unconnected, or should ring and tip be paralleled for use with line out? 
> 
> Would I be best using the line out or headphone socket (with configuration speakers+phones=yes)?
> 
> Also, if anyone has experience of using the Tigertronics Signalink USB with the K3 I'd be very interested to have your comments.
> 
> Grateful thanks for any assistance and a very Happy New Year to all my readers HI!
> 
> 73  DaveL  G3TJP
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