[SMCARA] FTdx-3000 Question

Wed Nov 5 10:52:46 EST 2014

What a succinct and reasoned explanation!  Thanks, Grant.

I have always felt that over use of the processor function in our radios is the reason for such lousy sounding signals that abound on our bands.   Trying to make an SSB signal sound like a studio quality FM broadcast is an unnatural act also!

If you have the ability (equipment) to monitor your transmitted signal on a scope, you can tell a lot about how it will sound.  The flat-topping and spur generation from the AKTR ( all knobs to the right!) advocates makes life trying on the HF bands.  A quick look at the scope as you adjust the amount of processing will help you to a good sounding signal.  ALC is a tool to help you from overdriving the PA in your rig.  If you hit the PA too hard, the ALC will "throttle back" the drive to prevent the bad things from happening.  Anytime the ALC is above the recommended level, you are turning the rig into a compressor.  Remember, as Grant said, your output meter involves inertia/ballistics and will only indicate 20-30 percent of the power that is actually "going up the coax"!  If you try to drive the meter up to a 100 watts on a 100 watt rig, you are overdriving the "you know what" out of it.  If you want a mind-numbing project, go get a Handbook and read up on PEP and the math behind it!

The FM crowd is not exempt from this "tomfoolery" either.  Resist the urge to use that old CB power mike on your shiny new FM rig.  Stick with the factory mike or at least try to match impedances and levels from any replacement mike.  We probably should hold a "deviation" session at one of our meetings.  A good commercial deviation meter will help "level the playing field" as the politicians love to say.  Nothing is worse than having to "ride the volume" control due to differences in levels from the various users.

Lest I come across as too "curmudgeonly", there is no problem with having a rack of studio audio gear and $500 dollar microphones, but please use a scope and adjust accordingly.  If you solicit an audio report from someone, ask them to be honest!  I have heard folks give glowing audio reports to a signal that is distorted, overdriven, and with restricted bandwidth (i.e., tinny, too bassy, etc).  Some of the newer radios have an "equalizer" function that can be adjusted to your voice.  A few minutes listening to the monitor function of your transceiver or with the help of an honest on the air assistant will do great things for your audio.

Tom/W4OKW

-----Original Message-----
From: SMCARA [mailto:smcara-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Grant Farrand via SMCARA
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2014 7:01 PM
To: jbr13 at md.metrocast.net; SMCARA
Subject: Re: [SMCARA] FTdx-3000 Question

Hi Jason,
I run my FTDX 3000 with the Yaesu MD200 mic or a computer type headset/mic.
I run the mic gain at 25 on the MD200 and at 20 on the computer headset, and at this setting my ALC mostly stays on zero and only moves off the zero mark if I talk very close into the mic. I do not believe in using the processor except for maybe some rear DX. The processor just overdrives everything.

Unless you are looking at your signal with a scope, you will not see what your radio is really putting out on SSB. It is just to fast for a analog meter to show it. I know some analog meters have a avg/peak setting but they still respond to slow to show your true output reading. If you show a 100 watts in CW key down, you will have a 100 watts in SSB, you just wont see it on the meter.

Listen to my radio on the Virginia Fone Net and you will see what a mic gain of 25 with no ALC movement and no processor sound like.

73

and.... In God We Trust !!!

Grant Farrand

gmfarrand at yahoo.com

Amateur  Call sign W4GMF

Virginia Fone Net #29

W4GMF Westmoreland Co.Repeater Sponsor  146.895mhz  (-)  pl tone 146.2

________________________________
 From: "jbr13 at md.metrocast.net" <jbr13 at md.metrocast.net>
To: SMCARA <smcara at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2014 8:48 AM
Subject: [SMCARA] FTdx-3000 Question

      BODY { font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px; }
Hello all,  I run my FTdx-3000 at 100W output, with a Heil Mic, and
have tweeked my EQ and Para EQ settings.  I am running 25 Mic Gain,
and 45 on the Proc.  I have talked with several guys that know my
voice and they report this sounds great.  I also constantly get
reports that my audio sounds great from DX stations.  My problem is my
ALC is usually running over the top of the ALC line on the meter.  It
is different on most bands, but always over the line. On 10M and 15M
it is higher than most. I have tried to back the Mic Gain and Proc
down to get ALC down some, but I have to pretty much turn my Mic Gain
to 10, and Proc to 15 to get it to dip much at all. Plus when I turn
both down, I see my output power drop 10-30 Watts. My optimized G5RV
is about 40 feet from the radio outside.  I am not sure what is
cuasing the ALC to be a little high.  I have turned back all the EQ
sittings to defaults and turned off Processor, and Mic EQ, ALC drops
close to peak ALC line, but audio really drops off, as well as a drop
in power out.

    I put a MFJ inline Isolator/ current bulan inline at the antenna
this past weekend, but that changed nothing.

    Ideas, Comments???
    N3YUG Jason Rearick
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