[Elecraft] Calibration

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

Setting PRE or ATT causing the S-meter go up and down is how analog
radios have worked forever. The S meter was reading the voltage off
the AGC bus which usually controlled the gain of half a dozen tube
stages.  Some folks WANT their digital radio to behave like their
previous analog radios and view every divergent behavior as something
potentially wrong with their K3.  They'll take the better performance,
but they don't want to learn a new paradigm to use it.  Hence a lot of
dual personality items in the K3.

But having the input absolute is indeed useful. In this mode PRE and
ATT are just a range switch for RF gain.  Like LOW, MED and HIGH.

Using ABS and calibrated, seeing a 40 over S9 indication (five
MILLIVOLTS or more)  on an Italian 40 meter ham signal tells me
something.  Like should I REALLY bother trying to override him, or is
he going to SO LOUD in EU, I might as well go find another run
frequency.

73, Guy.

On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 6:38 PM,  <k6rb at baymoon.com> wrote:
> I would add that I don't need to see the s-meter jump when I kick in PRE
> or fall when I kick in ATT. With my old FT-1000, there were differences in
> S levels when I did either, and so for consistency sake, if someone asked
> for a signal report, I would cancel either PRE or ATT. With ABS, that's
> not necessary. I can hear the difference, don't need to see it :-).
>
> Rob K6RB
>
>> I just completed the RF Gain and S-Meter calibration on my K3 (4521) and
>> all
>> went smooth. However I am left with a question (of course!). If I leave
>> SMTR
>> MD in NOR, changing PRE or ATT, the affect will be seen on the S-Meter. If
>> I
>> leave SMTR MD in ABS, the S-Meter does not respond to any change in PRE or
>> ATT.
>> What is the advantage of leaving SMTR MD set to ABS since I would guess it
>> would be meaningful to the operator to actually see the effects of using
>> PRE
>> and/or ATT?
>> Tom - W4BQF
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>