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Best setup for DX pedition K3 -- resurrected

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Cady, Fred

Best setup for DX pedition K3 -- resurrected

Last Monday Mike and Andy had the exchange below.

Andy has the right idea about keeping the AGC slope setting so that it
reduces the AGC compression. That would be Slope=0. The threshold also
has an effect and determines the signal level that the AGC compression
cuts in. At present, the highest threshold setting is THR=8, for which
AGC starts to operate at signals at about S3 level. In my experience
from C6 (and others), that is too low. I think the AGC works great when
you have a spectrum of differing signal levels, some loud and some weak.
The problem that I see is when you have a pileup of signals where they
are all about the same signal level. That often happens on European
pileups. I wish there were a way to set the THR at a higher signal
level, say S7-S8, and then to crank in a slope greater than 0. This
would give us a greater range of signals in the linear response region
before AGC compression sets in, and allow better discrimination of those
almost alike signals. That would, if using Slope>0, make for some
non-linearities when strong signals are there but I would think it would
be better than the audio clipping that exists when you run with AGC off.

I wish we could try a firmware test version during CQWW that would let
me test my theory, but I don't know how big of a software change that
would be or if there are other ramifications of letting THR be higher.

Good luck and have fun at J6. The Team Vertical guys will be on from C6,
operating C6AAW M/M (lite) with at least 5 K3s. I'll be C6AKX before the
contest.

73 and cheers,
Fred, KE7X
"The Elecraft K3: Design, Configuration, and Operation"
www.ke7x.com

[quote]
Jim,
At P49Y, I have found it useful on CW to use an AGC slope setting that

reduces agc compression. That way you can use the RF gain control to
help
manage the pileup. But I recommend keeping the AGC on so that you don't
get
blasted by a very strong signal after you have been straining to pull
out a
weak one with the af gain turned up.
73, andy ae6y

-----Original Message-----
From: W0MU Mike Fatchett
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2011 9:51 AM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] Best setup for DX pedition K3

I am looking for suggestion on the best receiver setup for our trip to
J6. I know we are going to have some pretty big pileups. I recall
reading about the VP6DX guys probably using no AGC and riding the RF
gain if my memory is correct.

Are there any other tweaks that might come in handy?
[/quote]

Fred
fcady at ieee dot org
"The Elecraft K3: Design, Configuration, and Operation"
www.ke7x.com
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Merv Schweigert

Off Thread Warning

Looking at Ebay just now and there are two "new" K2 radios,
both listed with the same serial number and both with almost
identical descriptions. Serial 6750 on both radios.

Just FYI
Listings are 290630747443 and 300620299703

Either that or I cannot read and am senile.
K9FD/KH6
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Matt Maguire

Re: Off Thread Warning

It's listed for sale on qrz.com as well by KI6YVN:
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?316834-Complete-Elecraft-K2-100-Station

73, Matt VK2ACL

On 10/11/2011, at 3:58 PM, Merv Schweigert wrote:

> Looking at Ebay just now and there are two "new" K2 radios,
> both listed with the same serial number and both with almost
> identical descriptions. Serial 6750 on both radios.
>
> Just FYI
> Listings are 290630747443 and 300620299703
>
> Either that or I cannot read and am senile.
> K9FD/KH6
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

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Gary Marklund

Re: Off Thread Warning

In reply to this post by Merv Schweigert

The listings both say the photographs are stock images.

73,

Gary KJ7RT
Sun City, AZ
Fists #14460 NAQCC #3709

On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 9:58 PM, Merv Schweigert <[hidden email]> wrote:

Thomas Horsten

Re: Off Thread Warning

In reply to this post by Merv Schweigert

Very suspicious behaviour listing the same item in two different formats
(Buy it now and auction) using two different eBay accounts. I'd stay away
from this seller unless he can come up with a good explanation.

73, Thomas M0TRN

On 10 November 2011 04:58, Merv Schweigert <[hidden email]> wrote: