[Elecraft] [KX3] Noise blanker comments

[gm4jjj at yahoo.co.uk]

I use my KX3 on 144 MHz (with external transverter). 
Comments regarding the KX3 Noise blanker:
It is effective for some kinds of power line noise and ignition noise, I normally leave it on at a setting of 6.
It is not effective at all with heavy rain or snow static. 
By way of comparison I have an SDRPlay dongle connected to the same transverter and using the HDSDR software can enable the RF noise blanker in that software and it can reduce an S9+20 rain static noise that masks all signals to almost zero and allows me to decode a distant weak CW beacon that is just above the noise floor. On the KX3, just S9+ noise no matter what setting used on the NB.
I wonder if the DSP noise blanking could be improved in the KX3 to blank such heavy static? Does the KX3 noise blanker work in the demodulated audio or the RF domain?
Many thanks.
-- David GM4JJJ