[Elecraft] Voice is clipped K3s

[Don Wilhelm]

Gary,

If you just plugged in the MH4 and turned on bias, then I suggest that 
may be the cause of the problem.
Assuming you had the K3 set for the low output Heil microphone, you 
should change the MIC SEL menu to FP.L bias.  If you have MIC SEL still 
set for FP.H, you may be overdriving the mic preamp.  The MH2 has a high 
output level, so you need only low gain in the K3.

Then initially set the compression to 0 and set the MIC GAIN to produce 
5 to 7 bars on the ALC meter while speaking into the microphone in a 
normal voice.

Once that is done, set the compression to a moderate level of your choice.

As Bob K4TAX has pointed out and K9YC has long advocated, set the lower 
2 bands of TX EQ to the lowest levels and set the 3rd band down a bit as 
well - that will increase your "talk power" while not wasting power 
trying to transmit those low frequencies which are not needed for 
intelligibility.  If you are into ESSB, you may differ, but ham radio is 
not HI-FI in my opinion, it is about communications effectiveness.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 10/10/2018 2:10 AM, Gary Smith wrote:
> My 30 year old heil element finally bit
> the dust. I bought an Elecraft MH4
> hand-held mic and am trying to get it
> adjusted.
> 
> I checked in with a local net and was told
> there is a kind of clipping on my words,
> like the ends of some word were being cut
> off. Another report said it sounded more
> like there was an artificial sound
> in-between the syllables, that it wasn't
> on the peaks but noted in the the troughs,
> perhaps a bit of clicking in there.
> 
> I don't hear any difficulties with the
> monitor, everything sounds like normal
> words with no distortion. I'm not using
> VOX and have no idea what I might try
> looking at to resolve this.
> 
> As to the equalizing of the MH4, is there
> a set of values with the 8 bands to give
> it more of a character of a Heil HC4
> element or something well suited for DX?
> 
> Any suggestions on the clipping & Mic TX
> EQ & what I might try doing to resolve
> this?
> 
> 73,
> 
> Gary
> KA1J
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