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

[Don Wilhelm]

Guy,

You are quite right about the ability to whistle softly - and I might 
add, with only a single tone - usually a whistle is multi-frequency.

I would suggest a better solution for testing than to 'whistle into the 
mic'.  There are some PC based tone generators available as freeware - 
run the tone generator on the PC and direct the microphone in front of 
the speaker (or use the line input on the K3 to inject the audio - it 
depends on what you are trying to test).  Google for "Marchland Function 
Generator" for a nice generator capable of several different waveforms 
or "ttg.exe" for a sine wave only generator with sweep capability.  I 
use both and they work well, and I am certain there are others - you can 
use NCH tone generator for a trial period before it stops working,

73,
Don W3FPR

Guy Olinger K2AV wrote:
> 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.
>   
>