[Elecraft] CW Sidetone

[Tom W8JI]

Toby,

For me, sidetone or monitor level linked to volume setting 
is very distasteful. Depending on the signal to noise ratio 
and the type of noise or signal, I'm always fiddling with 
the volume. I pretty much always want one sidetone or 
monitor level, and want it independent of volume.

The only case I can think of where I might want level linked 
to volume is where I might have a poorly implemented setup 
with grossly different levels in speaker or headset. I don't 
have that problem at all because I have a separate external 
amplifier (MFJ-616) driving my speaker and I set the level 
on that, while the K3 and my other radios always match the 
level needed for my headphones.

As a matter of fact my headphones are always active, and 
bridge off the speaker lines at a selector switch. All audio 
lines are isolated with transformers.

http://www.w8ji.com/my_shack.htm

and someday I will have more at

http://www.w8ji.com/cables_and_wiring.htm

With a simple basic one radio system where I plug in 
headsets I would equalize the volume in headsets with an 
attenuator if they are too sensitive. I dislike having to 
greatly adjust volume settings when gong from speaker to 
phones.

I don't use the headphone jacks on any of my gear, I use the 
speaker outputs for everything. I have a switch the cuts the 
speaker in and out and the headphones are always on.

I think this is one of the half the people want it one way, 
half the other issues. It is very easy to build an 
attenuator or put a little effort into the speaker and 
headphone system, and there is no need to grossly change 
audio levels on sidetone.

73 Tom



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Toby Pennington" <toby423 at embarqmail.com>
To: <Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 8:37 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] CW Sidetone


>I know I have heard that  some want the cw side tone to 
>work like it does,   but I have never heard why?
>
> You set the sidetone to a certain frequency and the volume 
> never changes.   It is not tied to the AF gain like most 
> rigs.
>
> I notice I have had to change the side tone when going 
> from headphones to speaker.  Perhaps some impedence issue 
> there,  but my phones are louder than my speaker requiring 
> constant adjusting of the sidetone.
>
> Several modern rigs I have owned have the AF gain tied to 
> the sidetone volume,  why not the K3?
>
> Toby  W4CAK
>
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