[Elecraft] [Elecraft-K4] K4 CW and keying Rise Time

[Tom Doligalski]

Another reason my next rig is the K4!

Sent from my iPad 

> On Nov 4, 2019, at 6:22 PM, N6KR <n6kr at elecraft.com> wrote:
> 
> We went to great lengths to create an ideal sigmoidal (raised cosine) rise/fall characteristic for our CW keying envelope. It is set at approximately 5 ms and will not be shortened for any reason. Elecraft rigs don't click.
> 
> We also ensure that ALC never interferes with the CW keying waveform. During rise and fall, ALC is open-loop, allowing the characteristic curve to be presented to the output stages.
> 
> The result of all this is the narrowest CW keying bandwidth possible consistent with crisp on-the-air sound.
> 
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
> 
> 
> 
>> On Nov 4, 2019, at 12:21 PM, Dan Atchison via Groups.Io <N3ND=aol.com at groups.io> wrote:
>> 
>> 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
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
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