[Elecraft] [K3] Phase Noise / CW Key Clicks

[Jan Erik Holm]

On 2012-09-14 22:15, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> Key clicks are CW modulation sidebands. Key click management is about having
> CW sidebands that occupy a reasonable amount of the spectrum, not
> eliminating them entirely. Eliminating clicks (the sidebands) is easily done
> - just don't key the signal. But then you can't send CW.
>
> 73, Ron AC7AC
>
Yes I know this Ron. You are quite right.
You haven´t got this at all. I´m not talking about modulating
anything.
I know for a fact that transmitters can be keyed without producing
key clicks that can be detected in a receiver using 250Hz bandwith
with steep filters and tuning just outside that passband. Still the
keyed CW signal is "hard" enough to be perfectly readable even if
it´s weak. Clicks from a K3 can be heard approx 500Hz out from the
passband null, in other words it is not click free.
Now, the rise/fall time on a K3 is approx 5ms and the CW signal is
quite hard (almost ringing) when listening to it. This is just fine
from a communication standpoint but the price we pay are "mild key
clicks".
I have a feeling, if we just could increase the rise/fall to 6 or 7ms
the K3 would be click free or more or less click free. IMO it´s a
shame we can´t do this.

/ Jim SM2EKM