[Elecraft] Regarding the K3 and high QRN levels

[Don Wilhelm]

Tom,

I do agree that a specially tuned analog system will provide better 
results for the specific task that it is tuned for than a digital system 
any day.
The advantage of digital is that it can be made "almost as good" while 
being more flexible through the use of computing power.
Your desires tend toward weak signal CW operation on the low bands - we 
all know that.  But an analog system tuned to those needs would not be 
ideal for ease of operation in say a ragchewing SSB situation - for one 
thing the filters are too narrow :-) .
The major advantage offered by DSP is the ability to change the 
filtering with the turn of a knob, and process the modulation and 
demodulation tasks with computational algorithms rather than changing 
the hardware - tailoring the algorithms to each task.  Is it as good as 
analog tuned for a specific task?  NO - but it is usually better than a 
general purpose analog system that attempts to be "everything to 
everybody".  The equivalent flexibility with the same degree of 
"best-ness" would be cost prohibitive if attempted in analog.

73,
Don W3FPR

Tom W8JI wrote:
> I'll probably get lynched for saying this, but for my ears I've never found 
> a DSP system that is as good as a pure analog system when there is rough 
> noise. The K3 is much better than my Orion I, but I strongly prefer full 
> analog IF's with rough noise or when a signal is right at noise floor and 
> the floor is a little rougher than white noise.
>
>   
>> Recently, a thread took place on eHam (I know, I know...) about an op's
>> issue with another DSP based rig and high levels of QRN.  A comment in
>> the thread from another op leaves the impression that his K3 also has
>> the same response to high levels of QRN, a sort of reverb as he
>> described it.
>>     
>
> To me it sounds more like a little intermodulation or mixing of the noise 
> and signal.  I've even considered building an analog IF system just to see 
> if I like it better. :-)
>
> 73 Tom
>
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