[Elecraft] AF1 - Practical Use Question

[stan levandowski]

Don, I don't have any of that fancy equipment unfortunately.  But I just 
met with success anyway!

I was expecting to hear a "pure" sidetone - what I hear is a buzzing 
sound along with some modulation that sounds reasonably close to the 600 
Hz I set.  When I took my hand away from the AF1, the buzzing stopped 
and the sidetone, still sounding just a little bit constricted in the 
BP2 position (not nice and pure and loud like in the barefoot K2) was 
completely reasonable and useable.

There is a Sprint on right now.  I found an extremely weak signal on 
7.033 with lots of QRM.  Using the AF1 I was able to copy him and QSL 
the exchange.  And he came right back to me so apparently I don't have 
any issues with offsets.

I am quite impressed by this experience.  And I don't even know yet if 
I'm really using it correctly!

Very impressive item!

I have an enclosure on order and that should solve the hand issue.  In 
receive, the hand on the knob does nothing bad; on transmit it does.

Thanks for your assist tonight!



Stan Levandowski WB2LQF
HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years!
QCWA #35038   OOTC #4558   NAQCC #4740   SKCC #6488   FISTS #14992


On Tue, Dec 14, 2010 at 8:34 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Stan,
>
> If you have problems deciphering the AF1 peaking controls to place the 
> peak at 600 Hz (or whatever your chosen sidetone pitch may be), I 
> suggest using Spectrogram (or Spectrum Lab or another FFT audio 
> spectrum analyzer) to set the AF1 peak to the same frequency as your 
> K2 sidetone.  Use a broadband noise source at the K2 antenna and peak 
> the displayed response at your chosen sidetone pitch.  The AF1 has a 
> wide range of frequencies, and if not set correctly, you will not 
> enjoy the full capability of this audio filter.
>
> You can "set it by ear" if you are good at such stuff, but many cannot 
> do that - I use Spectrogram as my "crutch".
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 12/14/2010 8:23 PM, stan levandowski wrote:
>> Don, thanks very much.  Now all I have to do is figure out how to do 
>> all
>> this and try to understand it at the same time.  My sidetone pitch on
>> the K2 is set to 0.60 and I seem to recall that was a K2 default 
>> option
>> which I didn't mess around with.  Presently, I don't seem to have any
>> difficulty with the transmit offset.  I use "Spot" to make the other
>> station "disappear" and Voila - contact!
>>
>> I'll wake up tomorrow and get working on understanding and fixing all
>> this.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Stan Levandowski WB2LQF
>> HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years!
>> QCWA #35038   OOTC #4558   NAQCC #4740   SKCC #6488   FISTS #14992
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Dec 14, 2010 at 8:02 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>>
>>> Stan,
>>>
>>> Another subtle point that some do not grasp without further
>>> information is that the sidetone pitch entered into the menu is also
>>> used to control the transmit offset (except on the K1).  If you do 
>>> not
>>> have your sidetone pitch and the audio frequency that you are
>>> listening to the sending station in agreement, then you will end up
>>> coping him "off frequency".
>>>
>>> So bottom line - set the menu sidetone pitch to the same frequency 
>>> as
>>> you wish to listen to (and have your IF filters aligned to), and you
>>> will potentially make more contacts.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>> Don W3FPR
>>>
>>> On 12/14/2010 7:02 PM, stan levandowski wrote:
>>>>     Stan, it sounds like you do not have the AF1 tuned to the same
>>>> frequency as
>>>>> the K2 sidetone.
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