Elecraft › [K3]

Documentation and Personal Experience

Classic

List

Threaded

Locked 2 messages Options

Jim Rogers, W4ATK

Documentation and Personal Experience

This comes from an "old salt" with a lot of years (57) devoted to
amateur radio and still learning new things.

1) Everyones environment is different. Different noise sources, a big
high power station a block away, rain static that will be gone
tomorrow... just different.
2) You have a right to expect a manual to describe the "tools" offered
in such a manner that you can by trial optimize your "system" for your
environment.
3) If there are terms you are unfamiliar with in the manual, then
there is this reflector, there is wikipedia, there is the ARRL, tons
of resources awaiting your expenditure of effort on your behalf.
4) Realize that each problem you solve via your effort, is valuable.
You have learned something about the "tools" you used. You have
valuable information that you can acquire from memory later on to use
when the environment changes. I have long kept spiral notebooks where
I record information about RFI, option setups, the effectiveness of
particular tools etc.
5) Recognize that the learning curve never ever goes away. What works
for me might get you a leg up, but very likely is just that, a
starting point. There is nothing that compares with the grey matter
between your ears and the effort you expend on your behalf.
6) Face the fact that there are us old salts who are more than willing
to "pontificate" on any subject, but you must realize, we also have
feet of clay. Our opinions are rarely objective and tend to be very
subjective, in other words we frequently miss it.
7) If there were a majic formula to allow you to just click a button
and have instantaneous perfection in the resolution of a problem it
would not be applicable to Joe down the block. So we need to keep the
"tools" flexible, adjustable, variable. You and I work out the
formula for the best combination of tools available that best suits
our needs.
8) Finally, give your brain a chance. I have a friend that is a world
class CW op. (I am so envious!) I was explaining to him all of the
filters, noise reduction etc. as he sat down to use my K3. His first
act was to switch to the widest filter, no DUAL PB, or APF and start
busting pileups. I could discern nothing from the jumble of signals
eminating from the K3, but Jerry, well he was in "hog heaven". He was
selecting the signal he wanted to hear with a far better filter than
Wayne and Eric can supply, The human mind and the five senses. And
that comes with experience. I am still working on that.

What a wonderful hobby we enjoy. Challenging, Educational, Rewarding.

73s JIM ROGERS
[hidden email]
http://web.me.com/jimrogers_w4atk

______________________________________________________________
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

Chester Alderman

Re: Documentation and Personal Experience

[Coming from a 'young salt' who has 59 years devoted to amateur radio and
the electronics industry - and still learning new things. I saw a blonde
yesterday --- sorry, wrong subject!]

Great piece Jim. Really enjoyed it!

Unfortunately you seemed to have missed one important change, a change that
completely negates your and my understanding of how things should work. I
think it is true that at the turn of the century, things changed. The term
'gimmie' became more dominant to the USA folks than the term 'work'.

73,
Tom - W4BQF

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of JAMES ROGERS
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2010 6:43 AM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] Documentation and Personal Experience

This comes from an "old salt" with a lot of years (57) devoted to
amateur radio and still learning new things.

1) Everyones environment is different. Different noise sources, a big
high power station a block away, rain static that will be gone
tomorrow... just different.
2) You have a right to expect a manual to describe the "tools" offered
in such a manner that you can by trial optimize your "system" for your
environment.
3) If there are terms you are unfamiliar with in the manual, then
there is this reflector, there is wikipedia, there is the ARRL, tons
of resources awaiting your expenditure of effort on your behalf.
4) Realize that each problem you solve via your effort, is valuable.
You have learned something about the "tools" you used. You have
valuable information that you can acquire from memory later on to use
when the environment changes. I have long kept spiral notebooks where
I record information about RFI, option setups, the effectiveness of
particular tools etc.
5) Recognize that the learning curve never ever goes away. What works
for me might get you a leg up, but very likely is just that, a
starting point. There is nothing that compares with the grey matter
between your ears and the effort you expend on your behalf.
6) Face the fact that there are us old salts who are more than willing
to "pontificate" on any subject, but you must realize, we also have
feet of clay. Our opinions are rarely objective and tend to be very
subjective, in other words we frequently miss it.
7) If there were a majic formula to allow you to just click a button
and have instantaneous perfection in the resolution of a problem it
would not be applicable to Joe down the block. So we need to keep the
"tools" flexible, adjustable, variable. You and I work out the
formula for the best combination of tools available that best suits
our needs.
8) Finally, give your brain a chance. I have a friend that is a world
class CW op. (I am so envious!) I was explaining to him all of the
filters, noise reduction etc. as he sat down to use my K3. His first
act was to switch to the widest filter, no DUAL PB, or APF and start
busting pileups. I could discern nothing from the jumble of signals
eminating from the K3, but Jerry, well he was in "hog heaven". He was
selecting the signal he wanted to hear with a far better filter than
Wayne and Eric can supply, The human mind and the five senses. And
that comes with experience. I am still working on that.

What a wonderful hobby we enjoy. Challenging, Educational, Rewarding.

73s JIM ROGERS
[hidden email]
http://web.me.com/jimrogers_w4atk

______________________________________________________________
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

______________________________________________________________
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