[Elecraft] K3 - If you're having audio problems

[K4IA at aol.com]

I don't operate phone much but when I tried to I  heard a weak pulsing buzz 
corresponding to the USB port polling the radio.   I also had trouble 
getting the mic gain and compression right.  It seemed I  had to turn both way 
down and yell in the mic because if I turned either up, I  got a rushing noise 
in the audio.  There was no RF "bite" and I was using a  star-point ground 
system so I assumed I did not have any RF in the  shack.

I asked Joe at Microham about it and he suggested the two mods on  the 
Elecraft website dealing with bypassing a few RF chokes and modifying the  
microphone jack.  These mods are for early K3s and the instructions tell  how to 
check if you need them using a DVM.  My K3 #101 was a  candidate.  Neither 
mod is particularly difficult and the only part  required is a bit of wire.  

I am glad to say that after performing  the surgery the pulsing buzz is 
gone and the mic gain and compression settings  are working normally.  Night 
and day difference.

I offer this as  advice to anyone who experiences issues with noise in the 
audio or difficulty  adjusting the mic gain and compression.  

Buck
k4ia
K3 #101