[Elecraft] FW: K3: CW in SSB mode broken?

[Oliver Dröse]

Hi Joe,

indeed, there are a lot of (but luckily not all) LNAs and PAs needing too 
much switching time. That's why you will get into trouble with CW with a 
sequencer behind the K3 even using the TX-INH feature. Therefor we designed 
the CW buffer into our sequencer as well as a holdtime to avoid relay 
chatter between CW characters. Then no problems with both problems anymore. 
The pay-off is you can't use BK anymore, only Semi-BK. But your signal sure 
sounds much better without truncated CW signs. ;-))

Basically a sequencer should always be installed before the TRX in the chain 
(so mic/cw-key, then sequencer + LNA/PA, then transceiver). But the TX-INH 
functions quite well with the K3 and some (most?) Yaesu radios so if LNA/PA 
switching times are not too high using TX-INH is the more comfortable 
solution as you still can use the TRX's built-in voice/cw-keyer which is not 
possible with a sequencer up-front (that's why we designed those right into 
the box, too, and of course 'cause not every transceiver has those built in 
;-)).

So to repeat myself: it always depends! ;-))

73, Olli - DH8BQA

PS: Let me also say a big thanks especially to you to you and Don (W3FPR) 
for your great replays to questions here on the list. A lot of stuff to 
learn from you guys ... :-))




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <lists at subich.com>
To: "Oliver Dröse" <droese at necg.de>
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2012 2:29 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] FW: K3: CW in SSB mode broken?


>
> Oliver,
>
> > Well, it actually depends on the sequencer, I'd say. ;-))
>
> Very good!  Unfortunately, most stations I've seen require an
> excessive delay (generally the LNA Bypass is far too slow) which
> really means "paddle break-in" is not particularly effective
> due to truncated/missing initial characters.
>
> Where intelligent switching is possible it's certainly the right
> way to handle the problem.
>
> 73,
>
>    ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 2/2/2012 7:17 PM, Oliver Dröse wrote:
>>> While it might be possible to modify control to allow CW in SSB with
>>> PTT if PTT and CW were activated at the very same instant (by adding
>>> diodes from key in, dit in and dah in to PTT In), that would not fix
>>> your issue with a sequencer since the sequencer (and foot switch) will
>>> generally set PTT some fraction of a second *before* CW in any case.
>>
>> Well, it actually depends on the sequencer, I'd say. ;-))
>>
>> Within the "FA station manager" 
>> (http://www.dh8bqa.de/fa-sm/fa-sm-en.html) I
>> designed the sequencer to only switch input trigger = output trigger. 
>> That
>> means if you trigger the sequencer by PTT (i.e. from the mic) it will 
>> switch
>> all stages for pre-amp, amp, etc. and then PTT to TRX as the last stage. 
>> If
>> the trigger is CW then it will switch all stages for pre-amp, amp, etc. 
>> but
>> *not* PTT to TRX but just opens the CW interlock to TRX so the radio will
>> not see a PTT signal, only the CW signal. Therefor CW in SSB with the K3
>> works perfectly well even using a sequencer. ;-))
>>
>> Nevertheless using TX-INH is probably the easier solution for K3's that
>> already have a DVR built in (plus CW anyway). I've designed a solution 
>> for
>> that case, too, but not yet up on my website.
>>
>> Vy 73, Olli - DH8BQA
>> http://www.dh8bqa.de/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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