[OKDXA] Elecraft K3 questions

[Robert Redmon]

Hi, John, 

I have had a K3 since 2010 and still use it from time to time. The noise blanker and noise reduction systems are very flexible (adjustable) but, like all such systems the effectiveness is relative to the kind of noise, whether or not you have multiple noise sources, etc. I found adjusting the NB system for best SN with no signal present was not particularly satisfying and I hardly ever used it when actually on the air. Interaction between the AGC and the NB/NR systems typically caused some degree of distortion or the addition of spurious artifacts. 

My current primary radio is an Icom 7610, which I love. Its NB/NR system is a little better and somewhat easier to use than the Elecraft, but like every other radio I have owned, it performs poorly when noise and strong nearby signals are present. Also, like the K3, multiple noise sources are tough to manage. 

Best NB/NR system I have used was in my Flex 5000, but it wasn’t that much better than other modern radios. 

I have personally found the best way to deal with noise during weak signal conditions is the judicious use of the RF/IF gain control. Hope this is helpful. 

73, 

Bob

> On Oct 19, 2020, at 1:07 PM, John Geiger <af5cc2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I think several club members have an Elecraft K3 and maybe they can answer
> a couple of questions for me:
> 
> 1.  Are the Noise Blanker and DSP noise reduction very good at taking out
> band noise and the RFI crud we get today when you live in an urban area
> with consumer electronics with switching PSs in them?  Do the NB and NR
> really reduce the noise floor and take out the hash and static that is so
> common on receive today, or make it more manageable?
> 
> 2.  Have you seen or used other radios that have NBs and/or noise reduction
> that works as good as the K3 does?  Or even better?
> 
> 73 John AF5CC
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