[Elecraft] K3 Receiver mush

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

On Sun, Feb 26, 2017 at 12:24 PM, Mike Cox <mike at ab9v.us> wrote:

> If CONFIG:PB CTRL is set to .01 in CW mode, then, per the function
> description in the K3 Owners Manual (pp. 62 in Manual Revision A1), you
> will be limited to the Shift/Width controls mode only. Change PB CTRL to
> .05 and you will also enable LO/HI cut on the controls.


The K3 Owners Manual is up to revision D10 dated 8/24/2011 with errata
D10-8 dated 3/31/2015.

Seeing as both are PDF's and fully searchable, probably need to be current
as opposed to something dated back in 2007. Only 8 years out of date.

However, the warning you quoted is still in the newer text.

For myself, not being able to do 10 Hz shift is an issue for CW and the
very steep skirts using a roofing filter with DSP width set to the roofer
width. If the guy up or down gets a little too loud, just a dime Hz shift
or two or three will drop him right out. 50 Hz is way too coarse for that.

Also for normal QSK (not the one which turns on the display +), which *is*
very good with the new synthesizers, I do NOT lose RIT or XIT in QSK. With
the new syns regular QSK is more than adequate to hear between dits or
letters at 30 wpm on the RX antenna.

This is in spite of my having the Microham box and it's built-in WinKey
functions set for unbroken PTT assert to the Alpha 8410 on the TX antenna
until a word space has gone by. The K3 can't do RX/TX one way and it's PTT
out another.

So what I have is the very best of the fast and the very best of the slow
at the same time. I only hear in the right ear on the subRX when the 8410
is keyed, and I hear in between the dits. This allows me to hear when
someone calls late, just a bit after I start calling CQ again on a run.

Best of the fast.

But even though the K3 is cycling TX/RX very fast the 8410 is not banging
the vacuum relay to death trying to follow 30 wpm dits. 30 wpm QSK *does*
significantly shorten relay time to failure. Contesting, I've worn some out
in less than a year.

So to save me that, the Microham box keys up the amp with it's PTT before
it starts the key sequence to the K3. That's because *both* the paddle and
the PC logging program stream go to the Microham box which in turn keys the
K3. I also have inverted the Microham PTT keying to control 12 volt supply
to protect some sensitive stuff, better off not powered during TX.

Best of the slow.

Gotta say, if you don't have the new syns in your K3, that is an absolute
top-run improvement.

73, Guy K2AV