[Elecraft] K3 has internal noise with high compression settings

[goldtr8 at charter.net]

Thanks Eric,

That is why I asked, now I can go back to RF hunting and fix my 
antennas.

Don

~73
Don
KD8NNU


On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 2:04 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote:

> 35 is too high of a compression setting. A setting of 35 can easily 
> pick up internal electrical noise in the radio, in addition to shack 
> background noise. This is much higher than normal  compression setting 
> and results in excessive microphone input gain.
>
> Its not unusual to hear some low level acoustic noise from inside the 
> K3 when transmitting.
>
> 73,
>
> Eric
> ---
> www.elecraft.com
>
>
> On 1/12/2012 10:46 AM, goldtr8 at charter.net wrote:
>> Hi Don,
>>
>> First I agree that that is not a normal setting to run that high.
>> Normally I only have it in the range between 10 to 20 mostly at 15 
>> like
>> you do.
>>
>> I did the experiment as when the antennas were hooked with the RF
>> issue, I found that dialing down compression to under 10 sometimes
>> helped reduce the RF triggering.
>>
>> So as stated I wanted to find the boundries when connected only to 
>> the
>> dummy load.   The part that it showed power output at that high level 
>> of
>> compression is not that suprising.
>>
>> What concerns me is that I clearly heard internal to the K3 something
>> like a ferrite buzzing.  I put my ear directly on the top of the case 
>> to
>> listen and this buzzing was internal.
>>
>> I only want to know could this be considered normal.
>>
>> Or if there is an internal component problem and my K3 is more 
>> sensitive
>> to RF issues than normal which is contributing to my problems.
>>
>> ~73
>> Don
>> KD8NNU
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 1:26 PM, Donehrlich at q.com wrote:
>>
>>> Don,
>>>
>>> My first reaction is that compression of 35 is way too high.  I 
>>> never
>>> go over 15 or so because of all of the background noise in the shack
>>> that is picked up by the mic at high compression settings. 
>>> Something
>>> of that sort is perhaps what you are hearing .. maybe a fan or other
>>> hum-like sound in the local environment.  High compression makes the
>>> system super sensitive to low level sounds.
>>>
>>> Don K7FJ
>>>
>>>