[Elecraft] KX3 settings for digital and other modes

[Frank O'Donnell]

Thanks very much, Walter -- a very helpful reminder of the relevant 
manual sections. I'll particularly take a close look at your blog post 
in preparation for working phone.

On 4/24/18 1:16 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:
> For phone, follow the “Basic Voice-Mode Setup” in the KX3 manual (page 
> 15). There are some additional settings collected from this list for 
> TX EQ and compression, I put together a blog post with those.
>
> https://observer.wunderwood.org/2015/09/09/transmit-audio-and-compression-with-the-elecraft-kx3/
>
> DATA A mode automatically disables TX EQ, RX EQ, and compression. If 
> that video suggests using USB and disabling EQ, I wouldn’t trust it, 
> because it is giving wrong advice. Use the "DATA A and AFSK A (Audio 
> Data Modes)" instructions in the KX3 manual instead (page 18).
>
> Also, I’m not sure I see the benefit of turning AGC off for digital 
> modes. The radio has better information about signal strength than an 
> audio codec can have.
>
> wunder
> K6WRU
> Walter Underwood
> CM87wj
> http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
>
>> On Apr 24, 2018, at 1:02 PM, Frank O'Donnell <vfo77 at inkbox.net 
>> <mailto:vfo77 at inkbox.net>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all, new ham here and a KX3 owner for three weeks. In the time 
>> I've had the radio, I've used it exclusively for FT8. The first thing 
>> I did was to set it up for digital modes using settings from a 
>> YouTube video by K5ACL. Specifically:
>>
>>
>> AGC MD: off (default is on)
>>
>> Mike bias: off (default is on)
>>
>> RS232: Set to desired baud rate. KX3 supports max 38400 baud
>>
>> RX EQ: off
>>
>> TX EQ: off
>>
>> TX GAIN: ALC 25 (this is the default)
>>
>> Mode: USB
>>
>>
>> This all worked fine. Not long thereafter II changed from setting the 
>> KX3 mode to USB, and have been using the Data mode instead.
>>
>> Now I'm looking at expanding use of the radio to CW and perhaps to 
>> voice. I therefore wanted to revisit the settings to make sure I 
>> understand them all, and know which are important.
>>
>> Some questions:
>>
>> 1) Do all of the above seem important for digital modes such as FT8? 
>> I believe I read somewhere that when the KX3 is put into Data mode it 
>> will make some of these changes anyway. Are there any I don't need to 
>> worry about as long as I select Data mode for FT8 and other digital 
>> sessions?
>>
>> 2) Should I change any of the above settings for CW?
>>
>> 3) Should I change any of the above settings for phone? Wondering for 
>> example about the mike bias and EQ.
>>
>> Thanks for any possible help,
>>
>> Frank K6FOD