[Elecraft] K-3 RF Gain Calibration

[Mike]

Good point, Tony. You missed the "calibrated s-meter" in my post though.

No antenna on 20M - S3
With antenna, no sigs - S10
50uV from the XG2 - S9

73, Mike

N2TK, Tony wrote:
> Maybe the S-meter needs to be calibrated as per the manual after the RF Gain
> test?
> With no antenna attached on 20M I get no reading on the S-meter. With the
> antenna connected and no signals the S-meter kicks up to about S3. With a
> 50uV. signal the S-meter reads S9. That seems correct. 
>
> 73,
> N2TK, Tony
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of RLVZ at aol.com
> Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 2:22 PM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] K-3 RF Gain Calibration
>
> Mike,
>  
> Are you saying that your S-Meter reads 3-4 s-units MORE noise level now  
> that you did the RF Gain calibration with the XG-2?  I was going to make
> the 
> same adjustment with my K-3.  But if you are getting a 3-4  s-unit higher 
> noise level after the adjustment has been done... I won't be  making the 
> adjustment as my K-3 is already more sensitive than I need on the low
> bands.  
> I'd use a 20dB ATT on the low bands often if I had one  available.  Perhaps 
> one day we'll be able to change the K-3's RF Gain per  band via software to 
> help adapt to our local noise environment.  (mine  is very noisy on the low 
> bands with thunderstorm QRN off the  Atlantic).  For those who may be 
> concerned, yes I do use the RF  Gain control.
>  
> 73,
> Dick- K9OM
>  
>  
> Sorry if this comes across more than once, I'm having some e-mail  issues.
>
> I just did an RF gain calibration, using the XG2 and the K3  utility on 
> my kit K3 (built in Sept. '09).
>
> There seems to be a  dramatic difference in my noise level, 3-4 s units, 
> with a calibrated  s-meter. I think I can pull more stuff out of the 
> ditches and weeds  now.
>
> Does that seem reasonable?
>
> 73, Mike  NF4L
>
>
>