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FT8 Driver Issue

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FT8 Driver Issue

I am running WSJT-X in FT8 mode on my K3S using the onboard sound card and USB cable and VOX for keying. My computer is a Mac running Catalina. The K3S manual recommends setting the drive at 4 or 5 bars to avoid distortion by the ALC.. When I use the audio output slider set the drive level, the display jumps from no bars to 6 bars, and vice versa, and nothing on between. I have also tried using the MIC level and the POWER slider in FT8 with the same results. The software id decoding fine. Can anyon suggest what the problem might be?

KV5M
Lee
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AL7CR

Re: FT8 Driver Issue

An absolutely classic problem, I am the first to respond I am assuming only because the Super Bowl is on!

I call this the "gain chain" problem. It depends a bit on how you are set up but try the following. Go into the menu on the K3S and turn down the LIN OUT value. I have mine set at 2 I believe. Once you do this you should be able to more finely control the drive level.

This is likely to fix your problem at once.

AL7CR

On Sun, Feb 2, 2020, at 3:59 PM, Lee Murrah via Elecraft wrote:

> I am running WSJT-X in FT8 mode on my K3S using the onboard sound card
> and USB cable and VOX for keying. My computer is a Mac running
> Catalina. The K3S manual recommends setting the drive at 4 or 5 bars to
> avoid distortion by the ALC.. When I use the audio output slider set
> the drive level, the display jumps from no bars to 6 bars, and vice
> versa, and nothing on between. I have also tried using the MIC level
> and the POWER slider in FT8 with the same results. The software id
> decoding fine. Can anyon suggest what the problem might be?
>
> KV5M
> Lee
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

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Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: FT8 Driver Issue

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

Go into the TX TEST mode and see if the issue still exist. If not, it’s an RFI issue. If not, back the MIC (Line gain) down to zero and start up watching the ALC scale. The computer level may be overdriving the radio. If so back the PWR slider on WSJT down.

Bob, K4TAX

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 2, 2020, at 6:13 PM, Lee Murrah via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I am running WSJT-X in FT8 mode on my K3S using the onboard sound card and USB cable and VOX for keying. My computer is a Mac running Catalina. The K3S manual recommends setting the drive at 4 or 5 bars to avoid distortion by the ALC.. When I use the audio output slider set the drive level, the display jumps from no bars to 6 bars, and vice versa, and nothing on between. I have also tried using the MIC level and the POWER slider in FT8 with the same results. The software id decoding fine. Can anyon suggest what the problem might be?
>
> KV5M
> Lee
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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>

Stephen Shearer

Re: FT8 Driver Issue

In reply to this post by AL7CR

YES,

I am using a KX3. I use the "bar" on the right and set 20db of
attenuation in the audio drive "chain".
Mike gain is now set at aprox 40, rather than 3-4 (one step makes a BIG
step)...
I can set "ALC" correctly.

73, steve WB3LGC

On 2/2/20 7:20 PM, AL7CR wrote:

> An absolutely classic problem, I am the first to respond I am assuming only because the Super Bowl is on!
>
> I call this the "gain chain" problem. It depends a bit on how you are set up but try the following. Go into the menu on the K3S and turn down the LIN OUT value. I have mine set at 2 I believe. Once you do this you should be able to more finely control the drive level.
>
> This is likely to fix your problem at once.
>
> AL7CR
>
> On Sun, Feb 2, 2020, at 3:59 PM, Lee Murrah via Elecraft wrote:
>> I am running WSJT-X in FT8 mode on my K3S using the onboard sound card
>> and USB cable and VOX for keying. My computer is a Mac running
>> Catalina. The K3S manual recommends setting the drive at 4 or 5 bars to
>> avoid distortion by the ALC.. When I use the audio output slider set
>> the drive level, the display jumps from no bars to 6 bars, and vice
>> versa, and nothing on between. I have also tried using the MIC level
>> and the POWER slider in FT8 with the same results. The software id
>> decoding fine. Can anyon suggest what the problem might be?
>>
>> KV5M
>> Lee
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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Nr4c

Re: FT8 Driver Issue

In reply to this post by Bob McGraw - K4TAX

First cut the output from the computer by 1/3 to 1/2. Now this will allow finer adjustment with the K3 controls.

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill

> On Feb 2, 2020, at 7:24 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Go into the TX TEST mode and see if the issue still exist. If not, it’s an RFI issue. If not, back the MIC (Line gain) down to zero and start up watching the ALC scale. The computer level may be overdriving the radio. If so back the PWR slider on WSJT down.
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Feb 2, 2020, at 6:13 PM, Lee Murrah via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> I am running WSJT-X in FT8 mode on my K3S using the onboard sound card and USB cable and VOX for keying. My computer is a Mac running Catalina. The K3S manual recommends setting the drive at 4 or 5 bars to avoid distortion by the ALC.. When I use the audio output slider set the drive level, the display jumps from no bars to 6 bars, and vice versa, and nothing on between. I have also tried using the MIC level and the POWER slider in FT8 with the same results. The software id decoding fine. Can anyon suggest what the problem might be?
>>
>> KV5M
>> Lee
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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Don Wilhelm

Re: FT8 Driver Issue

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

Lee,

In addition to the MIC Gain and the WSJT POWER slider (misnamed because
it is just another audio level control, you also have to deal with the
computer soundcard audio level. It should be set for Line Level instead
of speaker if that is possible, and that is one of the 3 audio controls
that you have to manipulate.

Go to my website www.w3fpr.com and scroll the left column to the last
article and click to see the article dealing with this problem.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/2/2020 6:59 PM, Lee Murrah via Elecraft wrote:
> I am running WSJT-X in FT8 mode on my K3S using the onboard sound card and USB cable and VOX for keying. My computer is a Mac running Catalina. The K3S manual recommends setting the drive at 4 or 5 bars to avoid distortion by the ALC.. When I use the audio output slider set the drive level, the display jumps from no bars to 6 bars, and vice versa, and nothing on between. I have also tried using the MIC level and the POWER slider in FT8 with the same results. The software id decoding fine. Can anyon suggest what the problem might be?
>
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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