[Elecraft] K3: Contesters using N1MM voice keyer versus K3DVK

[Luis V. Romero]

Hi Doug: 

Welcome to the wild, wonderful world of logging software on Windows! As with
anything, there are good and bad things about it.  For me it has been mostly
good.

So to answer your questions:

My station is as follows:

K3-100/KRX3/P3.
Ameritron ALS600 modified for full QSK (AD5X relay board).
MFJ 998 Intellituner (when needed).
Dell GX280 P4/3gHz under Windows XP Pro SP3, N1MMLogger (latest version).
microHAM microKEYER 2 for CAT via USB; microHAM USB Codec for DVK.
microHAM "Router" software with virtual serial ports and configuration
control.
Yamaha CM500 Boom Headset (electret) (90% of the time, and growing). 
OR Koss SB40 headset (Dynamic) (sometimes).
OR Heil ProSet headset with DX4. (Rarely anymore).

I do not currently own the K3DVK board.  I have found no real need for it in
my operational environment wether here or at multi's when I take my personal
radio.  

Positives with this setup are:

Unlimited storage, DVK storage is limited only by your available hard drive
space.
I can create custom DVK folders for each operator in a multi-op environment,
recalled by OPON.
I have read in the alphabet and numbers, so can do a phone contest without
uttering a word!
It comes with the software, its easy to implement, and its free.
Works mindnumbingly easily using the microKEYER's built in sound card.
No hum, no issues ever heard as the audio lines are essentially double
isolated in each device.
Requires no "macro-ized" commands to play the DVK.
I have 24 separate messages, instead of only 4, all can be easily
re-recorded on the fly.
Never ever get *any* RF into the audio chain, even at Multi's with legal
limit amps.

Negatives are few:

Not easy to record and play back off air recordings to people (but you dont
do this in a contest!).
Takes a little work to set levels between all the parts, once done, you dont
need to touch them again.
You need to have a computer and the microKEYER running and interfaced to use
DVK.
You need to buy the MK2, but it has other, added features, that add value to
the equation.

I record directly through the microKEYER into the computer, using the MK2's
sound card (the same sound card that will be used to *play back* the audio).
I have set the level from the microKEYER mic input to the computer sound
card via the hardware adjust in the MK and the sofware adjust in the MK
soundcard.  Once set, you dont mess with them again.  Then, I set the output
levels on the MK software and the radio input, once these are set, you dont
need to mess with them again.

I have found that I sound exactly the same with the "canned" recordings vs a
live microphone.  Rarely do I hear a difference... Well, honestly, I hear it
after, for instance, 20hrs worth of working Sweepstakes in my fresh DVK vs
my not so fresh live mic sound! :).  

I also have a microKEYER "original" on my second radio, a TS570.  For that
one, I use a $4 USB sound card on the end of a USB cable with two short 8
inch stereo cables to feed the audio into the MK. It works perfectly as
well, and can even reuse the MK2 recordings for SO2R. This is now the
standard sound card at NQ4I's station, where I multi-op. I will be
obsoleting this sound card when I install a u2R SO2R controller, then the
MK2 will feed audio to both radios as selected by the SO2R controller and
the N1MM software.

The key to making this work is recording through the MK2's sound card with
the *SAME* mic youre going to use on the air.  DONT be tempted to "mess"
with the recorded audio in a editing package, other than trimming the heads
and tails of the messages, as needed.  Dont add EQ, compression and what
have you via the audio editing software. Simply record clean, unprocessed,
flat mic audio into the computer, and let the RADIO PROCESSOR and EQ take
care of the rest.  This way, the mic audio will match the "canned" audio
exactly. It wont sound so great listening to it out of the computer, but
remember that you wont be playing it on your local speakers, you will be
playing it through the K3's processor and EQ to air.  

This setup has worked flawlessly for me for over 2 years, and I am very
pleased.

I have toyed with the idea of purchasing the K3DVK, solely for the purpose
of recording folks off air and playing their audio back.  Its much easier to
do it this way.  However, this also colors the recording with your radio's
EQ and processor settings.  And not getting it means I can spend that money
on other stuff that I need... :)  Nothig against the K3DVK, but I cant
justify having it here for just that reason alone.  

I do this in a "offline" way now... I have a Zoom H2 audio recorder that I
can record line out with.  I simply record the QSO on the Zoom H2, then
email it to the requesting party as a MP3 file.  This way, I think, is more
realistic, as they get to hear themselves as I received them here, without
atmospherics and without coloring their audio with my EQ and Processor
settings.

This works very well for me, but of course, your milage may vary.

Regards and 73

Lu Romero - W4LT
K3 # 3192/P3 # 1301


============================

Message: 21
Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2011 21:46:03 -0400
From: DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL <dougzzz at gmail.com>
Subject: [Elecraft] K3: Contesters using N1MM voice keyer versus K3DVK
To: Elecraft Reflector <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>

Message-ID:
<CA+u=Ds00Wee9G4JFdyCbcLCnm2Dz-0oDLLjoZyDizvWqn=Fw-A at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hi...
I am a fossil using CT on DOS.? I am now upgrading and am wondering
about using the N1MM "DVK" option versus or in conjunction with the
K3DVK (which I do not yet own).
I suggest that you reply off-reflector; that is, directly to me, but
clearly, "your choice."

1.? If you utilize the "DVK" in N1MM instead of the K3DVK, please
discuss that with me

2.? If you utilize N1MM to key the K3DVK please discuss that with me.

3.? Something else?

I'd like to know "why" in each case.

Thanks,

de Doug KR2Q