[Elecraft] [K3] Setting RF gain & AGC correctly

[Don Wilhelm]

The K3/K3S AGC settings have a lot to do with the apparent "noisy K3" 
syndrome.
IMHO, the K3 default AGC settings are not optimum.
Look at my website www,w3fpr.com for information on how to customize 
your K3/K3S/KX3 AGC settings to optimum for your ambient noise and 
operating preferences.  You will find a 'different receiver' when you 
adjust the AGC parameters.

Pay particular attention to the method of evaluating the results. You 
must do the evaluation on pauses in the SSB communications or 
word/sentence breaks in CW.  If you try to evaluate based on band noise 
alone, you will end up adjusting the parameters "backwards", and the 
result will be worse than when you started.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 4/8/2016 8:04 PM, Al Lorona wrote:
> Again and again, I have asked (privately) those reporting 'bad K3 audio' to furnish me with settings, measurements, recordings -- anything-- but I haven't ever received anything with which I could diagnose the problem.
>
> Bad. Noisy. Fatiguing. These adjectives have been used continually to describe K3 audio. I believe you, I just don't know exactly what you're hearing.
>
> In the meantime, the analysis and recommendations that Ian, GM3SEK made here on 23 March are excellent and what I would consider required reading for anyone plagued with 'bad audio'. I must second all that he said.
>
> In conjunction with Ian's tips, if you're not in the habit of using Bob, K4TAX's technique [see below] to set your RF gain correctly, please consider doing so. I have come to believe that many hams may not want to turn down their RF Gain (or turn off their preamps, or turn on their attenuators) perhaps for fear of not hearing very weak signals? However, you can't hear anything below the atmospheric noise level... so once the receiver can hear the external noise floor, any further sensitivity or gain doesn't buy you anything and only increases the noisiness -- which is what many of the complainants complain about.
>