[Elecraft] cw 'clicking' ??

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 9:24 PM, Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:
> First, make
> sure your Noise Blanker isn't turned on. Noise Blankers can CAUSE key clicks.
> Second, if you still hear clicks,

Afraid I can't go with you on this one, Jim. Simply saying don't use
NB in a K3 doesn't cut it.

In analog RX, the only available noise blanking is a purely
reactionary process which shuts off the IF for a short time.

In the K3, there are TWO processes, not one.  The first is the
traditional noise blanker from analog radios, retained because it is
still useful for certain noise.  The SECOND NB process is pure DSP.
Both processes come up for settings when the NB button is held to get
LEVEL,  "dSP" and "IF".

Only the "IF" is the traditional analog IF chopper, and this method
may be set to "OFF" with VFOB.  Personally, I rarely use this method,
though it does work well on some rare noise on 80m that I have never
identified.

The OTHER method: DSP noise blanking takes place entirely in the
number soup and is NOT subject to the key click generating problems.
As best as I can tell from watching a scope, it doesn't acheive its
results by blanking, but rather by detecting suspicious high rises in
the wave form that qualify for noise spikes and subtracting the wave
form. It has proven its ability to reduce key clicks, having used it
sucessfully on the worst of them in DX tests on 40m where high power
EU and New England stations are still generating them into our 5
element fixed northeast monster quad.

In my prior post I recommended a DSP only NB setting for key clicks
and I stand by that,

And yes we have tested over and over that click levels track an input
attenuator precisely down even 60 dB, so the K3 is NOT generating the
clicks in its RX.

Hamdom has been very stubborn about recognizing clicks as their own
problem and for the most part has blamed everything except the keying
envelope.  And even when the K2 in its early years got a mod from
Wayne to a nicely shaped and quiet waveform, there were denials on
this very reflector that the K2 had a problem, and "I'm not going to
do that mod", etc.

73, Guy.