[Elecraft] No bars at all on KX3 digital mode transmit

[Julia Tuttle]

Oh, I get that, I just don't understand why the radio doesn't more clearly
indicate what's happening, with something like flashing full bars or an
error code ("HI MIC"?). As it stands, an operator can't tell "input is too
low to trigger ALC at all" from "input is so high the radio is ignoring it
entirely".

On Fri, Nov 26, 2021, 17:05 Don Wilhelm <don at w3fpr.com> wrote:

> Julia,
>
> That is designed in to prevent the audio front end from being damaged by
> a high audio level.
> For those who have read my document on setting the audio levels, I was
> careful to state that one should start with each audio level (computer
> and KX3) to mid-range for a starting point and adjust from there a bit
> at a time.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 11/23/2021 8:34 PM, Julia Tuttle wrote:
> > Does anyone know *why* it does that? It's confusing when no bars means
> > either "way too high" or "way too low".
> >
> > On Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 20:22 AL7CR <al7cr at mooseaviation.com> wrote:
> >
> >> A classic problem.  You have TOO MUCH input gain.  Counterintuitively
> the
> >> KX 3 ALC will display nothing if over driven.  Turn the input way down
> and
> >> then increase in small steps.  You will find the right setting to show
> ALC
> >> that way.
> >> On Tue, Nov 23, 2021, at 2:57 PM, Frank O'Donnell wrote:
> >>> After not having used my KX3 in a while, today I set it up with a
> laptop
> >>> on the front porch to send FT8 in WSJT-X with a new AX1 antenna.
> >>>
> >>> I went through the procedure in Don W3FPR's document "Setting Elecraft
> >>> Transceivers for soundcard digital," setting in and out audio levels on
> >>> my MacBook Pro for the thumbnail-sized Sabrent USB soundcard; Mic Gain
> >>> on the KX3; and the power slider in WSJT-X. CAT control is working
> fine,
> >>> and the KX3 is in DATA A mode. The waterfall of incoming signals
> appears
> >>> normal.
> >>>
> >>> I seem to be getting a good signal out, with -1 dB reported from
> Alaska,
> >>> and -7 to -10 dB from the U.S. east coast with the above settings
> around
> >>> midrange, and with the KX3 set for 15w out. However, I don't see any
> >>> bars at all on the ALC meter at any time, even when the USB soundcard
> >>> out, KX3 Mic Gain and WSJT-X power slider are set as high as their
> >> maximums.
> >>> Am I forgetting a setting? Anything I can look at to troubleshoot the
> >>> ALC meter function?
> >>>
> >>> Thanks much,
> >>>
> >>> Frank K6FOD
> >>> Southern California
> >>>
> >>>
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