[Elecraft] K3- To zero beat or not to zero beat

[Randy Farmer]

A better method is to tune the receiver to the carrier frequency of the 
highest WWV frequency you can hear. Then put the receiver in SSB mode 
and look at the line out audio with a soundcard-based spectrum analyzer 
such as Spectrum Lab (https://www.qsl.net/dl4yhf/spectra1.html). Check 
to see if the 500 Hz and 600 Hz tones are correct. If not, adjust the 
REF CAL to make them right. Be sure to check on both USB and LSB; you 
may have to split the (usually very small) difference between the two 
sideband responses.

73...
Randy, W8FN

On 2/22/2019 9:01 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
> The method I've used to check my K3S, put the radio in CW mode, tune 
> to each WWV frequency and then press SPOT.   The automatic SPOT 
> function will bring the radio to the WWV frequency +/- 1 Hz. The SPOT 
> function matches the receiver sidetone offset of the WWV carrier and 
> the audio of WWV is not applicable.    If the display is other than 
> the WWV frequency, then adjust the REF CAL number to correct the 
> error.   You do need to check all of the WWV frequencies you can 
> receive to assure the accuracy holds on all bands.
>
> Unfortunately we have come to believe that the digital readouts are 
> absolute, which indeed, they are not.  They depend on the internal 
> reference.  If the internal reference  is incorrect, then everything 
> else is likewise incorrect.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, K4TAX