[Elecraft] OT - 6 meter beacon clicks followup ????

[callen1155]

Hello,

A while back I asked a question about receiving key clicks on 6 meters due
to a ham's beacon a mile away.  Here's the link:   
http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/cw-clicking-td5011614.html
 
Honestly, those annoying, LOUD clicks make 6 meter operating impossible at
times (can't copy weak signals). Last night I was so fed up I just shut off
the radio and sent elecraft a message to cancel my 6 meter PR-6 pre-amp
order which was on back order.

So yesterday I wrote the owner of the beacon a very polite email and
explained how severe the problem was. Here is some of what I said:

"The reason I'm writing has to do with your beacon. Basically I can't get
away from it. I have key clicks in my receiver all the way from 50.000 cw up
past 50.170 SSB. I hear them regardless of the frequency I'm on. And I mean
loud annoying key clicks. I can literally copy your beacon's cw message when
I'm up in the SSB portion of the band.  I receive the beacon at S9 +25 dB on
50.060 but my poor S meter never gets a rest from the beacon. My S meter
constantly jumps from S3 to S5 when the beacon transmits, even when I'm up
on the SSB frequencies. I can't even get an S meter reading on a weak signal
station due to your beacon acting on the S meter. As you could imagine, this
makes operating very difficult, very annoying, and for a truly weak signal
I'm trying to pull out of the noise floor, it makes it impossible. I have to
try and 'deafen' my K3 with excessive Noise Blanking and DSP settings etc to
the point where I can't hear the 'weak signals'. Both antennas experience
the same affect."

Before I post his entire response below my question is do I have a valid
complaint to take to the FCC or am I just wasting my time and need to learn
to be content :

His response:
"Hi Chuck AF4XK,
I am sorry that you are experiencing problems on your receive. I have
had the beacon on 6 meters in operation since 1992 and it is within
the 3 khz. band plan for beacons. I have had it checked  on a
$25,000.00 spectrum analyzer to make sure it was where it needed to
be. All beacons have to be checked every year to check for
performance. This 6m beacon is centered on 50.060 with a constant null
on either end. Being a member of the Intercontinental Beacon
Commision, I have to make sure it is within specs to keep it up for
propagation. I have it send in 1 watt, 10 watts, and 45 watts for the
purpose of overseas propagation. Since all beacons are turned off
during ARRL contests. I usually turn this off according to the rules
of each contest, and it resumes operation after the contest is
complete.
I also enjoy the voice SSB portion of six, and PSK31 but since the
beacon is located at this location, I am receiving the same clicking
and annoying spread that you are getting and more. So when contests
are going on, I jump on six for the short time I can use it also. I
have tried to find a site to move it so it won't interfere with the
hams in this area. But I haven't found one as of yet. Still looking
though. Don ( N8DDK ) and Jack ( N6UYB ) down the street less than 1/4
mile, are both having the same problem you are having with the band
wipe out. And both are glad when it is turned off during contests. I
wish that there is something I could do to prevent this, but you are
not alone. Being it runs 24/7 for the watchers of propagation for
hams, and is totally funded by me for this purpose, this is my
donation to the ham community. If you know of a location that I could
move it to and not interfere with any other hams that wants to operate
on six meter, let me know. I would be glad to move it.
Richard --- KD4NMI/B"

Is this in the spirit of amateur radio??

One thing further, I just purchased a IC-910H for satellite operation (sorry
elecraft, i wanted to give you the business but ...) and now I'm VERY
CONCERNED about his 2 meter beacon on 144.300

Thanks for any further advice.

chuck
af4xk

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