[Elecraft] [K3] The Way We Rank Receivers (long)

[Don Wilhelm]

All,

While the suggestions of simulating contest conditions for testing may 
have merit, I believe the existing tests demonstrate that the low phase 
noise of the K3(S) allows you to 'saddle up' closer to an offending 
station in a contest or DX Pileup.  The 2kHz test results does indicate 
that to me.

Just how much improvement is gained for each receiver is open to some 
question, and depends on what tools are available and used.  Certainly 
the K3(S) APF function would be of help with its 30Hz peak, but if 
testing is to be conducted using very closely spaced multiple signals, 
then it would be necessary to specify which of the interference 
abatement tools were used on each receiver.  I doubt if Rob Sherwood 
would want to buy into that form of testing, there are simply too many 
variables in that all receivers do not have the same interference 
fighting tools.

A long time ago, I built a receiver based generally on the HBR-16 
design, except that it used a double-coupled 85kHz IF instead of the 
100kHz IF.  I added a Q-multiplier stage at 85kHz, and it was fantastic 
at pulling a signal out from the 'mud'.  I have no idea about the 
dynamic range or the 2kHz test for it, but it was quite capable.  The 
K3(S) APF provides similar capability to the Q-multiplier of old.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 10/25/2016 10:32 AM, Bill Frantz wrote:
>
> I like Brian's idea of simulating contest conditions to test receivers.
> Such a simulation would need to be reproducible and good enough that it
> can't be gamed. For testing CW reception, perhaps a fixed set of signals
> modulated through a very linear SSB modulator would work. That could
> give at least 2KHz of signals for the receiver to handle.
>