[Elecraft] Recommended AGC settings for separation of signalsin CW pile-ups

[Dave Hachadorian]

This thread is not about copying signals that are separated by 
100 Hz.  We are talking here about multiple nearly-on-frequency 
callers in a pileup.  In those circumstances, with most rigs, you 
can separate the signals by amplitude, or slight pitch or other 
CW idiosyncrasies.  The K3's agc has a problem dealing with that. 
Signals are compressed together, such that you can't copy anyone, 
unless you reach for the rf gain control.  If you turn agc OFF, 
you have to deal with the crazy AF Limiter.


Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Yuma, AZ




-----Original Message----- 
From: Hector Padron
Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2010 9:22 AM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Recommended AGC settings for separation 
of signalsin CW pile-ups

Oh well,I don't like to argue anybody or disagree anybody but I 
was at the contest as well and and I could easily separate CW 
stations that were off  between 100 200 Hz with my K3 using the 
400Hz roofer and the DSP set to 100Hz and also moving the Shift 
acordingly,.no problem at all with the selectivity and also I 
used the great help of the APF as well.
If it has to be with the AGC or not,these are my settings that 
has been working for me in any case:

AGC DCY.....SoFt
AGC HLD.....0.05
AGC PLS.....OFF
AGC SLP.....0.07
AGC THR.....007
AGC-F.........080
AGC-S.........020

To help in the RX filtering I have set my RX EQ this way:

0.05 at minus 16
0.10 at minus 16
0.20 at minus +0
0.40 at +3
0.80 at +3
1.60 at minus 16
2.40 at minus 16
3.20 at minus 16
PITCH at 400 (I like to hear better at low pitch)

With these settings my K3 is super selective and have no ringing 
noise even at 50Hz DSP bandwiith.
In those conditions I can work any contest no matter how crowded 
it will be.

AD4C







"If freedom means something,it is the right to tell others what 
they don't want to hear" –George Orwell

--- On Sun, 12/5/10, Tommy Alderman <aldermant at windstream.net> 
wrote:


From: Tommy Alderman <aldermant at windstream.net>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Recommended AGC settings for separation 
of signals in CW pile-ups
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010, 10:47 AM


Bob -

I agree with the observation about the K3's effectiveness  in 
separating
contest signals in big piles as that was the only thing that 
irritated me
during CQWW CW contest. I have just started to try and optimize 
the AGC
settings for large signal conditions and so far, I'm not anywhere 
close yet.
If I can find anything useful, I will post it here. I certainly 
do hope
others who may already have optimized their K3 AGC for large 
signal contest,
will also post their information.

161,
Tom - W4BQF


-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bob 
Henderson
Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2010 4:39 AM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Recommended AGC settings for separation of 
signals in CW
pile-ups

CQ WW CW is now over.  We used K3s at P3F this year.  While 
performance was
generally considered good, some questions were raised over the 
effectiveness
of the K3 in separating signals in large piles.

Similar concerns appear to have surfaced from other users 
including the guys
at 9L5VT and C6ATA.  Anecdotal evidence suggests the old TS930 
and TS850
performed better in such circumstances.  I suspect the AGC 
systems of the
K3s used had not optimised.

Has collective experience of the K3 contesting community derived 
optimum
settings for the K3 AGC system in this kind of situation?

Thanks

Bob, 5B4AGN
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