[Elecraft] [K3] Key Clicks

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

I have never heard a K3 barefoot with key clicks.

I have heard one where the owner was attempting to operate QSK with a
famous brand amp with slow frame relay T/R transfer and was hot
switching the amp all the way.  The COMBO had key clicks. Really bad
key clicks. Probably frying stuff in the amp too.  I'm sure you could
generate clicks with a K3 (or any rig) by overdriving a small amp and
using ALC to set the level.  God would have key clicks if treated that
way.

K3's do not have key clicks.  There certainly are some Yaesu's with
key clicks.  They don't really seem to care that much about CW
bandwidth.  If they did care they would be as narrow as a K3.

73, Guy.

On Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 5:00 PM, Doug Alspaugh <dalspaugh at comcast.net> wrote:
> If you’re a ARRL member you can see a scope output in the K3 review on line.
> They called it out standing.
>
>
>
> 73 Doug N3QW
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Corboy - Poteet
> Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 3:19 PM
> To: Elecraft reflector
> Subject: [Elecraft] [K3] Key Clicks
>
> OK, this has been bashed about pretty good.  So my question is: if someone
> puts a spectrum analyzer on the CW output of a K3, are key clicks
> detectable?  On make, on break?  Close in, far out, in between?  If they
> exist, what is the level of the click relative to the signal?  If they
> exist, are the clicks really a problem?  I've not heard any K3 with
> detectable clicks (but I haven't been trying to find them either).
>
> Mike   W5FTD
>
>
>
>>
>> On Dec 3, 2010, at 11:06 AM, Jan Erik Holm wrote:
>>
>>> Yes 99% of all CW stations clicks at the "break" side.
>>>
>> That makes perfect sense, Jan.
>>
>> If they are using simple IIR filters, the slope discontinuity is
>> worse at the onset of switching than when it is at the end of the
>> leading edge or trailing edge (visualize the RC constant diagrams
>> that we learn in school :-).
>>
>> Now, the onset of switching states happens to occur at low power
>> (zero power) on the rising edge of a CW pulse, so even if it is
>> dirty, you are not putting out energy.  But it the worst part of an
>> RC filter occurs at the highest power location at the trailing edge
>> of a CW pulse.
>>
>> If the click spectra is mostly coming from slope discontinuities,
>> the energy from the clicks are going to be much greater when the
>> key is breaking than when the key is making.
>>
>> This is why a couple of us has said that it is not the "rise time"
>> (or fall time) that is important, it is the n-th order
>> discontinuities (slope discontinuity contributes more than higher
>> order ones obviously, when you look at it as a Fourier series).
>>
>> Someone else can probably explain better than I can.  I can't do it
>> without using equations.  English is my third language :-).
>>
>> 73
>> Chen, W7AY
> OK, this has been bashed
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