[Elecraft] K3 QSK

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Merv, KH7C wrote:

I posted that I could not duplicate the thumps on #2603.  After trying a few
more times I am hearing exactly what Mike describes, and after talking with
Toby, it may be a difference in terminology, at least on my part.  I hear
the same thing but I describe it as pops or clicks,  and as Mike says it
seems to be from the high background noise, not that I have a high level of
background noise, mine is S2,  but from the high level of the RF gain
control...

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Certainly you can create higher-frequency "clicks" and other noises. That's
a matter of turning up the gains so you have band noise (QRN) coming through
the audio, then adjusting the keyer and TX timing so that only very short
bursts of noise blast through between code elements. 

That's perfectly normal in a QSK system. You are "hearing" in the very short
interval between code elements. 

That's not the low-frequency "thumping" that occurs in some QSK circuits by
the transition from tx to rx. Typical "thumping" will be heard with the RF
gain turned all the way down (to suppress the band noise) and sounds just
like someone thumping of a big bass drum or hollow log. 

Ron AC7AC