[Elecraft] K3: very quiet on CW

Don Wilhelm donwilh at embarqmail.com
Sat Nov 19 14:36:18 EST 2016


Bill,

If you have your 2.7 and 2.1 roofing filters (not the 6kHz) enabled for 
CW, all should be well.
The total noise heard should be reduced as the DSP bandwidth is reduced 
because the noise bandwidth is narrowed as well.
However signals which are tuned to the PITCH you have set (default is 
600Hz) should not be weaker than they are in a wider bandwidth.
Try using the WIDTH knob to increase the DSP bandwidth, and you should 
hear the total band noise increase.

Yes, the K3 is quiet as far as hearing the internal receiver noise (what 
you hear when the antenna is removed).  When you attach the antenna, you 
should hear an increase in total noise if all is well - how much will 
depend on the DSP bandwidth that is set.

Remember that many SSB stations are running high power, while many CW 
stations are running low power - that may be part of the difference you 
are hearing.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/19/2016 12:33 PM, Bill wrote:
> I have not used my K3 for CW, so I have no experience with it. So, a
> couple of days ago I decided to give it a try, after all - winter is
> coming.
>
> When I switched to CW mode - things got deathly quiet. Quiet as in all
> the background noise vanished - along with most of the signals. I could
> see them unchanged on the P3 - but, had to turn up the audio gain to
> hear them. With the audio gain up, I could hear everything that my other
> rigs were hearing - except no background noise. Compared to my past
> experience - this is not normal.
>
> I am using a K3 set up for SSB and only having the 2.7. 2.1, and 6 kc
> filters. Some ACG changes have been made to afford improved arm chair
> copy on 75 and 40 meters.
>
> My question: Have I been missing out on using the quietest CW rig ever
> made or is there something wrong with my receiver? It just seems too quiet.


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