[Elecraft] Attenuator and RF Gain Settings

[David Y.]

Lance and All,

I don't think this is so much an "issue" (as in rig specific) as it is a 
fact of life.  In other words, this technique works with just about any 
receiver.  While each rig I own has somewhat different characteristics, they 
all benefit from not over-relying on AGC and RF gain.  A long time ago I 
sort of stumbled onto the fact that running the RF gain relatively low was a 
good thing.  I've been more reticent to disengage my AGC because I use 
headphones a lot, and there always seems to be someone out there who will 
suddenly pop up on a frequency running mucho power!  However, I did go 
through the process as described by Barry, N1EU, and it does work extremely 
well.  Furthermore, I tried it on a couple of other rigs, and got the same 
beneficial result.  It was an improvement over my more simplistic process of 
just running both gain controls at minimum, or at least running the RF gain 
at minimum.

I rarely use the pre-amp, and now I'm experimenting with the attenuator. 
Obviously I've been underutilizing this tool.  Anyway, I'm enjoying the 
comments in this thread, and hopefully learning something!

Dave W7AQK


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lance Wilson" <lancew_1 at q.com>
To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 7:42 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Attenuator and RF Gain Settings


>
> This is a very interesting thread. I am seeing a similar RF gain/AGC issue 
> on
> my K3 (I posted a description of this effect on 1/31). While I have also
> defaulted to presetting the AFG and use the RF gain to control receiver
> performance, I have noticed issues with the AGC on the K3 that make it
> behave differently than other radios that I have tried. The K3 has both
> hardware and DSP/firmware AGC.
>
> Strong signals (over S9) cause the AGC to behave normally but weak signals
> (DSP/firmware) behave oddly with an apparent, and I say apparent, noise
> issue. Audio quality of weak signals with the AGC on also seems to be
> slightly compromised as compared to operation with the AGC off.
>
> Perhaps weak signal performance of the K3 with AGC on needs some
> DSP/firmware modification. In the meantime, I am using the rig in a 
> similar
> fashion as Barry and other have described.
>
> Lance, NR7N
> -- 
> View this message in context: 
> http://n2.nabble.com/KAT3-antenna-tuner-tp4490403p4501164.html
> Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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