[Elecraft] K3 Narrow CW Filter

[WILLIS COOKE]

I have not found NR to be useful for CW reception.  It distorts the signal even on the lowest setting and to me makes the signal harder to copy than without NR.  I use 50 and 100 HZ DSP a lot and these narrow settings seem to improve the signal to noise level a lot.  

I just finished a lot of operation as K3Y/5 where a number of operators were having a competition to see how low they could set their power and still make a sort of contact.  It gave me a lot of practice in copying ESP level signals with the other guy running well less than a watt.  I have the 8 pole 250 Hz filter, but I think the DSP filter is doing the heavy lifting.

So far, I have not found the NR to be useful for SSB or CW.

Willis 'Cookie' Cooke 
K5EWJ, K3 1025


--- On Mon, 2/2/09, Darwin, Keith <Keith.Darwin at goodrich.com> wrote:

> From: Darwin, Keith <Keith.Darwin at goodrich.com>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Narrow CW Filter
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Monday, February 2, 2009, 7:50 AM
> NR in the K3 is a tool that primarily turns the volume down.
>  Well, in
> all fairness, it does so selectively, turning down the
> noise more than
> the signal, but it does result in a reduction in signal
> even though the
> S/N ratio gets better.  I'm thinking at 100 hz, there
> is so little noise
> for NR to process that it is easier for the signal to get
> treated as
> noise and to be attenuated.
> 
> You may find you get the rig to sound better if you quit
> using NR and
> adjust the AGC slope or threshold instead.  Set the AGC
> threshold higher
> and reduce the ratio a bit.  This will help to generate
> more of a ratio
> between the signal and background noise.
> 
> ESE - nice call by the way !
> 
> 73
> 
> - Keith N1AS -
> - K3 711 - 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of John
> Huffman
> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 10:05 AM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Narrow CW Filter
> 
> I'm getting used to my new K3, but have a question. 
> 
> My K3 has the 400hz 8-pole filter and the latest firmware. 
> I've noticed
> that the difference between running the DSP filter at 100hz
> and 150hz is
> greatly increased volume at 150hz.  With the NR on (F2-4)
> easy listening
> at 100hz will bow your ears out at 150hz.  Is this just me?
>  I run AF
> gain at 9 o'clock and RF gain at 12 o'clock.
> 
> I have a second question. I liked to run my Orion on CW
> with the AF gain
> up, RF gain down, narrow filter and NR on.  That way it
> listening to the
> other station was like listening to a code practice
> oscillator.  On the
> K3 I still get background hiss with the noise reduction on.
>  Are there
> better settings to use to get the sound I want with no
> background noise?
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> 73 de K1ESE
> John
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list:
> http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list:
> http://www.qsl.net/donate.html