[Elecraft] Newbie Questions for K3...subreceiver module

[Vic K2VCO]

Phil Hystad wrote:

> So, my first question is, "Why do I want a sub-receiver?"...

I use it for two things:

1) Diversity reception. I find that weak CW reception is greatly improved with diversity. 
For example, on 40M, I use a dipole connected to the main antenna and a small vertical on 
the subreceiver. When the signal fades on one antenna, it often comes up on the other. And 
the response to noise seems to be different in the two receivers. The result it that far 
fewer characters are 'questionable', and copy is easier.

2) Pileups. I listen to the DX station on the main receiver and the pileup in the sub; the 
K3 is in split mode so it will transmit on the sub's frequency.  I have the K3 set up to 
use the same antenna in this case, but I use a narrow bandwidth in the main and a wider 
one in the sub. I have set the K3 to send the main signal to both ears and the sub only to 
the left in this mode. This allows me to easily pick out the station that the DX is 
working and be on the right frequency when I call him.

This sounds complicated, but the K3 is designed to do this stuff (the antenna setup is 
sticky for diversity/non-diversity, and the channelization of the audio only affects 
non-diversity). Combined with the macro capability, it takes ONE button-press on the K3 to 
activate either of these modes.

-- 
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco