[Elecraft] K3 and W2IHY EQ Plus!

[Bill VanAlstyne W5WVO]

I received the same reports as Lance (distorted or "gravelly" transmit 
audio) from local hams listening to my SSB signal when using the K3 noise 
gate feature, as compared with having it turned off. I simply opted not to 
use it any more, since I wasn't getting complaints about too much background 
noise anyway.

What is interesting to me is that this noise gate audio problem even exists, 
given Elecraft's usually careful engineering practices. Since I know Lance 
is a 6-meter guy -- as I am -- I'm now wondering if the distortion 
experienced when using the noise gate maybe only exists on 6 meters.

To be fair, I haven't tried using the noise gate in the most current release 
of firmware, so there's a possibility that this problem got fixed somewhere 
along the way. But I wanted to verify Lance's experience with it, FWIW.

Bill W5WVO

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Lance Collister" <w7gj at q.com>
Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 8:40 AM
To: "Gordan Hribar" <t93x_gordan at yahoo.com>
Cc: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 and W2IHY EQ Plus!

> Hello Goran,
>
> I use the W2IHY Dual Band Noise Gate with my K3 and am very happy with it. 
> If you
> only want to adjust the audio spectrum you can always use the built-in TX 
> EQ in
> the K3.  However, I have never bothered to adjust the equalizer inside the 
> K3.  My
> primary goal was to eliminate the high level of background noise from my 
> VHF
> amplifiers when I operate SSB mode.
>
> Before I had my K3, I used a Heil HC5 element with the W2IHY, but now I 
> use the
> Heil Proset K2 headset with my W2IHY and K3.  My mic setting on the K3 is 
> for the
> Rear Panel (where I have the W2IHY plugged in) with no bias.  This K3 
> setting is
> also the same setting I must use if use the HC5 alone (however, I must 
> change the
> setting to add bias if I use the Proset K2 directly).  I set the K3 option 
> for the
> TX GATE to OFF.
>
> Back in 2008, I was excited to learn that Elecraft was incorporating an 
> internal
> noise gate into the K3, since I had hoped it would permit me to get rid of 
> the
> external W2IHY unit.  However, when I tried to use the internal TX GATE 
> built into
> the K3, I would always get reports of distorted audio.  Since I went back 
> to the
> old reliable W2IHY Dual Band Noise Gate (over a year ago), I have only 
> received
> excellent audio reports.
>
> I have not heard any comments from Elecraft regarding plans to develop a 
> more
> effective internal noise gate.  Therefore, if your interest is in using a 
> noise
> gate to produce quiet TX audio, I highly recommend the W2IHY unit.  GL and 
> VY 73,
> Lance
>
>
>
>
> On 1/25/2010 8:37 AM, Gordan Hribar wrote:
>> Hi all!
>> Anyone using a W2IHY EQ Plus with the K3?
>> If so what are your experiences and what microphone are you using
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> e72x - Gordan
>>
> -- 
> Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WN3GPL, WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, 
> E51SIX)
> P.O. Box 73
> Frenchtown, MT  59834  USA
> QTH: DN27UB
> TEL: (406) 626-5728   URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
> LIVE MESSENGER CHAT: w7gj at hotmail.com
> 2m DXCC #11, 6m DXCC #815
>
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> email!
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