[Elecraft] K# and data modes

[Mike]

Julian, G4ILO wrote:
>
> Mike-39 wrote:
>   
>>
>> Hi Julian -
>>
>> Direct keying = FSK
>> Audio keying = ASFK
>>
>> See http://www.aa5au.com/gettingstarted/rtty_start_intro.htm for some 
>> pro/con arguments re: RTTY. I've always used FSK, so it's my preference 
>> not to change. I also don't want to deal with the offset between SSB and 
>> FSK. Or does the K3 deal with that internally?
>>
>> I'm not too sure about the PSK31 scheme either.
>>
>>
>>     
>
> I took a look at that article, and it seems to me that the K3 negates all
> the arguments it raises against using AFSK. The K3 has a dedicated data mode
> so you don't need to worry about disabling compression and switching the
> audio source, that's done automatically, and it does let you use narrow
> filters on receive. Furthermore it's very easy to set up the audio drive
> level so you would have to try very hard to overdrive the TX and produce a
> distorted signal.
>
> I'm not sure what you mean about the offset between SSB and FSK. Personally
> it has never bothered me that the display is reading the suppressed carrier
> frequency while I'm operating somewhere 400 - 2400Hz higher. But in fact
> just about all of the sound card software will add the audio frequency on to
> the dial frequency so it will log the exact frequency anyway.
I appreciate your points, but I want to do it the way I want to do it.  
<g> That of course may change as it seems to be unusually difficult to 
accomplish with a K3.
 
Re: PSK/direct earlier... Copied from the K3 user manual

"Modes USB, LSB, AM, FM, CW, and DATA. In DATA mode: FSK D (Direct), AFSK A
(Audio), PSK D (Direct) and DATA A (Audio; PSK, etc.).  Built in PSK, 
RTTY, and
CW text decode/display."

What I mean by offset is having to tune xnnn Hz up/down from the carrier 
frequency. I'ts just one more mental step that slows me down, and it's 
un-necessary. I don't understand what your comment about the 400-2400Hz 
means, unless it's the offset I'm talking about. I've never operated 
AFSK, so I may be using the wrong terminology.

We may be in the area of, as someone said, 'The U.S. and England are two 
great friends separated by a common language'. Or something like that.

I don't really care what frequency is logged, as long as the band is 
correct. Prehaps log is not what you meant?

I use the MMTTY engine in my home brewed logging program, but not the 
MMTTY GUI.