[Elecraft] K3: FSK, AFSK, CW

[Michael Adams]

In theory, all you should need to do CW is a straight key or a paddle.  :)
 (And you can send PSK, FSK RTTY, and AFSK RTTY with a paddle...)

All you should need to do AFSK, soundcard, and computer-keyed CW are a pair
of audio cables and a serial cable.

I have a Navigator Interface, which I acquired for my prior rig, whose K3
assembly adds cable to the ACC port for traditional FSK support.

The Navigator is probably overkill for the K3, but I keep mine in the mix
because I like having a separate sound interface.   If I were starting out
fresh, I would go with an (add-on soundcard + sound cables + serial cable +
USB-serial adapter) arrangement for in-the-shack.

One think to keep in mind is that on the K3, the gap between FSK and AFSK
RTTY is narrower than on most rigs.  The K3's AFSK mode (as opposed to DATA
for soundcard modes) gets you the dual filters, the on-screen decode, and
the K3 is rated to run AFSK RTTY at full power in that mode.  If you have
your audio levels set correctly (ALC meter four bars solid with the fifth
bar flickering) AFSK RTTY should be virtually indistinguishable from FSK
RTTY on the K3.

It's above my paygrade to get into a debate about the merits of FSK over
AFSK on a K3, and I'll admit that I prefer FSK on general principle... but
it's probably reasonable to declare victory once you get AFSK RTTY working.

-- 
*Michael D. Adams* (N1EN)
Poquonock, Connecticut | mda at n1en.org



On Sat, Dec 15, 2012 at 10:33 AM, Bill Miller <k9hxo at yahoo.com> wrote:

> If you have experience using your K3 with these modes, I would greatly
> appreciate how you went about it. West Mtn. offers the NOMIC, but I want to
> do FSK and that product doesn't make it easy. I'd like to switch modes
> easily, avoiding any cable swapping, if possible. I've looked at the
> archives, but searhing them was not possible for me.
> Tnx es 73,
> Bill K9HXO
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