[Elecraft] k3:TX Monitor-some odd sound -beta?

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

K3 is not an analog radio.  Mic goes to a fixed gain op amp, an AF
multiplexer switch, and then to analog-digital conversion and number
soup.  All sanity and/or weirdness is digital sanity and/or digital
weirdness.

Whistling is usually 20-30 db louder than your spoken voice. That's
why people whistle when a shout doesn't make it.  Takes a practiced
whistler to whistle softly. More like trying to play a woodwind
intrument.  I'm sure some couldn't whistle soft to save their lives.
My mother couldn't, but she didn't need to.  In my growing up
neighborhood, every mom had a distinctive whistle to round up their
kids.  I could hear that whistle over the rumble of the big planes
over on the runways at Kirtland AFB, and she would never take "I
didn't hear it" as an excuse.  But I digress...

You're expecting hi-fi whistling into a mic?  Not many voice mikes
will tolerate whistling and are already into distortion in the element
at that point.  Why should a designer/manufacturer of a communication
rig spend any time/money to make sure a whistle is hi-fi?

If you CAN whistle softly, try whistling at a level that only shows
ALC of 3 or 4 when the MIC/CMP is set up for your voice.  Turn off MON
unless you are using headphones.  Listening to MON on a speaker while
using a microphone seems to be third grade bad operating practice and
begs for SOME kind of distortion from looping audio.

Since this is a digital radio, the artifacts from looping audio and/or
smash-mouth overload may not be the familiar analog symptoms.

I'm really not sure you're reporting a "trouble".  But at least we
haven't had anyone reporting that the K3 case is weak because it got
bent after being dropped out of an airplane.

73, Guy

On Mon, May 3, 2010 at 7:26 AM, juergen <plebian99 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi
>
> Just noticed this when playing around with the K3's monitor.
>
> With the Gate off
> EQ flat
> MH2 hand MIC
> TX test mode
> Band 7mhz
>
> While whistling there is a odd artifact. If I whistle I get a sound that sounds  like a oscillator pulling in a receiver. I dont get any odd sounds with normal voice testing
>
> .With a continuous whistle I get this artifact that  is a mirror of the whistle, however it seems to shift frequency or pull the louder you whistle.It might be a IMD  product? I have never noticed this before in the K3's monitor. I will also check the clubs K3's and report back.
>
> Anyone else get this?
>
> John
>