[Elecraft] K3S SSB TX monitor

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

On Thu, Apr 6, 2017 at 1:53 PM, Richard Lamont <richard at lamont.me.uk> wrote:

> When I'm using a voice mode with a microphone, I need the TX monitor
> audio to appear in the headphones and NOT the speakers.
>
> I need this to happen automatically, every time I plug in or unplug the
> headphones, without having to do anything else.
>
> Is there any way of configuring the rig to do precisely this?
>

It's a reasonable feature request, though I'm not aware of any other rig
that automatically turns the mic. monitor ON when you plug in headphones,
and automatically turns the mic. monitor OFF when you unplug headphones and
listen on a speaker.  Of course this is something you only want to do on
phone.  When operating CW, and maybe digital, you always want the monitor
ON, even when using speakers.

I do not understand you want to listen to both headphones and speakers at
the same time, unless you have someone else in the shack who wants to hear
what's going on  with no risk of feedback from the speakers.

Set MIC MON level to 0.  Instead of listening on the headphone jack,
connect your headphones to the LINE OUT jack, through an external headphone
amplifier or the stereo LINE IN jack on a desktop PC sound card (and plug
your headphones into the PC or headphone amp.).  Note that MIC jacks on PCs
may use stereo plugs, but they are almost always MONO inputs that cannot
handle LINE level audio well.

For convenience, set CONFIG:LIN OUT to =PHONES by tapping [1].  This allows
the AF Gain knobs on the K3 to control the line out level.  If running K3
Beta firmware 5.58 or later, tap [2] to to set the "T=" (TX monitor) level
on the LINE OUT jack (this is a new feature).  This setting is independent
of the MON knob on the front.  Tap [2] again to return to the prior menu
state.

I don't have a radio in front of me, so I can't remember what happens in
the right audio channel when CONFIG:LIN OUT is set to =PHONES.  Normally
the right channel of LINE OUT is "dead" until you turn on the SubRx by
tapping SUB.

If you don't have the SubRx, all you have to do is listen to the left
channel audio in both ears.  You'll hear the mic. monitor in LINE OUT but
not the K3 speakers.

If you have the SubRx, you may have to use a switch to split your ears to
both LINE OUT left and right channels when SUB is enabled, and left channel
only in both ears when SUB is not enabled.  You could in theory use an
external relay triggered by the DIGOUT1 pin on the K3 accessory port and a
macro assign to a function key to automatically control the headphone
switching externally *and* toggle the SUB ON or OFF simultaneously, but I
don't know of anyone who has bothered to try this.

SubRx ON  & DIGOUT1 ON:   SB1;MN019;MP001;MN255;
SubRx OFF & DIGOUT1 OFF:  SB0:MN019;MP000;MN255;

73,
Bob, N6TV