[Elecraft] K3 - RF Gain / S-Meter

[Wes Stewart]

Have you done the "RF" (really i-f) gain calibration?  If not, any wackiness you 
see is unsurprising.

On 9/24/2016 12:16 PM, Dick Dickinson wrote:
> I have an early, but updated K3.  I used to be one who thought the K3 was
> often uncomfortable to listen to.  In the recent past while I have reset my
> AGC values AND started cutting back the RF Gain.  For me this has made all
> the difference in listenability.  However I find something curious with the
> action of the K3 S-Meter relative to the RF Gain setting.
>
> My daytime 40 meter background noise level runs S-6 and sometimes S-7 with
> the RF Gain full clockwise.  That's per the K3 S-Meter which is calibrated
> with the XG1 on 40 meters.  When I turn the RF Gain counterclockwise (down)
> the S-Meter reading of background noise drops down to about S-4/5 when the
> knob is at about 1:30.  This seems to be a sweet spot from a couple of
> points of view.  Obviously background noise coming through the speaker is
> less.  Signals above the noise level continue to come through fine.  Turning
> the RF Gain further counterclockwise causes the S-Meter reading to rise as
> expected.  The sweet spot seems to may vary a little by band / background
> noise level.
>
> This action of the S-Meter relative to the RF Gain is different from what I
> have experienced with previous radios.  I can understand the S-Meter not
> 'rising' while the RF Gain is turned down...until the RF Gain action begins
> to exceed the full CW reading, but I don't understand it lowering the
> S-Meter level while moving CCW...to a point and then rising.  In my
> experience with analog radios don't recall encountering a dip in S-Meter
> reading when the RF Gain is turned down.
>
> Perhaps this is common in the K3, but it is new to me.  I find it easy to
> tune to a dead spot on the band and find the null in the S-Meter level.  I
> do really enjoy listening now in this sweet spot area and it seems I'm
> listening to 12dB or so less noise.
>
> Is this common for the K3 and is it somehow different from other / analog
> rigs?
>
>
> Dick - KA5KKT
>
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