[Elecraft] K3 SSB Quality in Transmit

[Howard Hoyt]

Hi guys!

Like many of you I worked the 13 Colonies event this last week. I have a 
K3, s/n in the 5600 range with the new SYNs and I'm running a KPA500 
into a Carolina Windom when it isn't arcing.  I have TX EQ set up like this:

   50 Hz = -16 dB
100 Hz = -16 dB
200 Hz =   -3 dB
400 Hz =    0 dB
800 Hz =    0 dB
1.6 KHz = +3 dB
2.4 KHz = +3 dB
3.0 KHz =  0 dB

Mic drive at 9, and compression is set at 20 and I use a Yamaha 
Shedmaster CM-500 headset.  My wife thought I had some weird disease due 
to all the black specs shedding from the headphone pads...

I wanted to pass along to you Elecraft engineers my experience during 
this event.  I am a CW-only op for the most part and really never hear 
signal quality reports other than the obligatory 5xx. Switching 
reluctantly to SSB and swinging down that odd foam thing which usually 
resides over my head I received numerous comments like: "Best signal of 
the day here, very clean audio!" and "Wow! It sounds like you are in the 
room here, excellent audio"  and "Your signal is audible above the 
pileup because it is so clear!" and a few others which really surprised 
me.  Who knew you could actually send your voice through a ham radio!

I take no credit for any of this other than turning the rig on. I heard 
many crappy sounding SSB signals during this event, some even difficult 
to understand despite good signal strength and I appreciate Elecraft 
making the K3 operate so well, I believe it was a real advantage.  I can 
only hope the K4 will build on this quality!

Thanks again, guys!
Howie / WA4PSC