[Elecraft] K3 : SSB modulation

Fri Aug 20 14:49:01 EDT 2010

 > Are any of you guys driving your K3 with W2IHY or other audio rack
 > gear?

Why bother?  The K3 already provides all of the capability of the
W2IHY 8 band EQ/noise gate, adds downward expansion in the noise
gate and there is no issue with external hum loops, RF pick-up, etc.

 > I'm still waiting for my K3 to get back from the factory, but I plan
 > on running the full stack of W2IHY gear with a Heil GM-5 Mic.

I've used wide range (broadcast style) mics and the Heil HC-5 element
with the K3's internal EQ and find that configuring the K3 for a 6 dB
per octave roll off below 400 Hz (50 Hz: -16dB, 100 Hz: -12dB, 200 Hz:
-6 dB), a -6dB "notch" at 800 Hz and 6 dB per octave rise above 1000 Hz
(1600 Hz: +6dB, 2400 Hz: +10dB, 3200 Hz: +12dB) yields extremely good
audio reports with the "broadcast" mic and a lot of "presence" without
the "restricted" sound on the HC-5.

Coupled with "CMP" at 25, this provides plenty of "punch" without
sounding over processed and "all highs" like the HC-4.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV

On 8/20/2010 11:54 AM, Tim Tucker wrote:
> Are any of you guys driving your K3 with W2IHY or other audio rack gear?  If
> so, I'm curious as to the settings you ended up with on the rig.  I'm still
> waiting for my K3 to get back from the factory, but I plan on running the
> full stack of W2IHY gear with a Heil GM-5 Mic.  I imagine I will probably
> end up with the comp and EQ on the rig turned off, but I'd like to hear what
> others do.
>
> Tim
> AE6LX
>
> On Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 7:57 AM, Philippe Trottet<TROTTET at unhcr.org>  wrote:
>
>> Hi James,
>> I'm using MH2 also for Field day opertions and almost same as you, set
>> MIC=2&  COMP=20  TX equalizer has been adjust to my loud voice given
>>   preferential to medium high audio. Great
>> 73's
>> Philippe A65BI
>> K3#3616
>>
>>>>> <k2qi.nyc at gmail.com>  20-08-2010 18:54>>>
>> Who uses the Elecraft hand mic? I do and mic gain has to be set low; i.e.
>> around 8 or 9 to prevent clipping and flat topping  as viewed on a monitor
>> scope.  This is with mic sensitivity set to low in the menu.  I was once
>> told that the hand mics are a tad hot, but mine seems to be excessively so.
>>
>> Regardless, my comp is set to 15 or 20 and I get excellent audio reports.
>>
>> James K2QI
>> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Stephen  Prior<sjp at sjprior.fsnet.co.uk>
>> Sender: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:21:00
>> To: elecraft<elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 : SSB modulation
>>
>> I use the Heil MD2 microphone which has an electret element.  I have both
>> compression and mic gain set to 25, and mic set to front panel low with
>> bias.
>>
>> I have far more 'talk power' than I have enjoyed with any previous radio.
>>
>> 73 Stephen G4SJP
>>
>>
>> On 20/08/2010 04:24, "Joseph Trombino, Jr"<w2kj at bellsouth.net>  wrote:
>>
>>
>>>> Hi
>>>>
>>>> We are the proud owners of 6 K3/100 used at the FY5KE contest station.
>>>> These radios has been delivered around mid-2008 and their serial numbers
>>>> are in the 012xx range.
>>>>
>>>> After using mostly these rigs for SSB contesting in FY5KE or in other
>>>> places, we are still facing a lack of "dynamics", "punch",
>>>> "penetration", "power", whatever you call it. In other words, when
>>>> comparing this rig to our radios we previously used (TS-850), with the
>>>> same microphone (Heil HC-4 element) and the same output RF power, the K3
>>>> is clearly way behind in term of "average power" we can read on the Bird
>>>> wattmeter wired on its RF output. Even if observing the wattmeter needle
>>>> is not a very scientific measurement (we admit it), various comparative
>>>> reports on the air do confirm our feeling.
>>>>
>>>> We spent time on various available settings (mic gain, compressor level,
>>>> etc), with no luck, excepted a very distorted and awful audio to roughly
>>>> reach the same level, which is not acceptable.
>>>>
>>>> After a little Googling, it appears that other contesters suffers the
>>>> same issue (e.g. www.bavarian-contest-club.de/projects/K3_english.pdf
>>>> pages 6 and 10).
>>>>
>>>> Some questions :
>>>>
>>>> - Do other contesters (or not) here have noted the same problem ?
>>>> - What settings did you modified (or not) to achieve a good result ?
>>>> - Is there any possible HW or SW upgrade we aren't aware of, that could
>>>> help us ?
>>>>
>>>> We must confess we are currently preparing our next contest season, and
>>>> we are seriously considering reselling these radios and bring others
>>>> Japanese models if we can't solve this problem, despite we really
>>>> appreciate them in many other aspects (size, weight, etc.).
>>>>
>>>> 73
>>>>
>>>> For the FY5KE/Win-Test team,
>>>>
>>>> Larry - F6FVY
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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