[Elecraft] K3 and a timewave Dsp 599zx

[Jim]

Yes, I have hooked up a TimeWave 599ZX to the K3 and am very satisfied with the results.

 

The audio amp in the K3 has significant audio hiss as I am using Bose QC-15 earphones with a good high frequency response.

 

The 599ZX has an excellent, low noise, audio amp.  I set the 599ZX in the band pass mode with the lower cutoff at 300 Hz and the upper cut off at 1500 Hz.  These settings also reduce the atmospheric noise and crashes that are present in any radio.

 

I know the K3 has an audio receive equalizer, and that works for the atmospheric noise, but has NO effect on the hiss from the K3 audio amp.

 

The reduction of high frequency hiss is especially helpful if you are working a contest or long periods of operation with headphones that have a high frequency response like the Bose.

 

The only question you need to answer is does one get the "value" for the rather expensive 559ZX.  I had one friend that has a K3 station, and he worked Sweepstakes CW and will be getting one.  I am keeping mine.

 

The other functions in the 599ZX, as it relates to receiving, are not as good as the features found in the K3.  For example, there is only one NR noise setting and if it does not help with the noise you are experiencing, you are out of options.  The 599ZX has test equipment like features that may be of importance to you.

 

I talked to TimeWave, and the current processor is maxed out on memory, so they are not adding any more noise reduction options.  I mentioned removing the test equipment features, making "room" for more NR options and they stated that they thought of that, but their market uses the test equipment features and they got a lot of calls when they did release a version with less test equipment features.



YMMV, but I am happy with it.



Jim

WA9ZBV