[Elecraft] K4 CW and keying Rise Time

[Dan Atchison]

I am hoping that the K4, like its predecessor the K3(S), does _NOT_ give 
a user the ability to change its CW rise times.

I believe the K3 is designed for a 5ms rise.  Many, if not most, other 
manufacturers allow as little as 1ms resulting in CW signals that reach 
beyond 1kHz of bandwidth by creating horrible key-clicks.  Indeed, their 
"default" values can be too short. To what end?  Unscrupulous users 
setting it so their clicks help keep their run frequency clear?  
Terrible to think that but I have heard some station owners admitting same.

Last weekend's CWSS had many, many horrible key-click stations - some 
from notable contesters.  I realize that things other than a CW rise 
time can give cause to key-clicks (antenna connections, hot-switching, 
etc.), but newer radios shouldn't be the culprit - yet they can be 
because of manufacturer's oversight (or under-thought).

I've never heard of a short CW rise time being an advantage other than 
to create havoc. There is a happy medium.

Dan - N3ND