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[K3} AGC White Paper

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K7TV

[K3} AGC White Paper

Al, your paper looks very helpful for the situation when the concepts need
to be studied. After one has a reasonable understanding of the concepts, the
stituation that comes up now and then is wanting to change some of the AGC
parameters in the K3. I don't know about others, but I tend to forget the
direction of parameters such as AGC "slope". Do I want to increase or
decrease the number to achieve my intended result? That is not about
understanding the concepts, but simply about an arbitrary definition that
can be equally "right" whether it is one way or the other. There are many
other examples of K3 parameters that have names that don't fully describe
what they do. Of course, the parameter names must be (too) short because of
the display limitations. However, when one has a P3, that opens up a whole
different world in terms of graphic displays. It seems to me that something
like an AGC curve could be displayed graphically (as in your paper) right
when the parameter is being changed. That way one would not have to worry
about a detailed definition; just turn the knob and see the effect. The
graph would be made extra helpful by the fact that the actual noise level is
visible at the same time. No doubt other K3 parameters could become more
user-friendly if treated in a similar way.

73,

Erik K7TV

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Igor Sokolov-2

Re: [K3} AGC White Paper

Eric,
Thank you. This is really a great idea wich is if ever implemented would
make me finally purchase P3.
I am sure Elecraft is listening.

73, Igor UA9CDC

06.03.2017 12:29, Erik Basilier пишет:

> Al, your paper looks very helpful for the situation when the concepts need
> to be studied. After one has a reasonable understanding of the concepts, the
> stituation that comes up now and then is wanting to change some of the AGC
> parameters in the K3. I don't know about others, but I tend to forget the
> direction of parameters such as AGC "slope". Do I want to increase or
> decrease the number to achieve my intended result? That is not about
> understanding the concepts, but simply about an arbitrary definition that
> can be equally "right" whether it is one way or the other. There are many
> other examples of K3 parameters that have names that don't fully describe
> what they do. Of course, the parameter names must be (too) short because of
> the display limitations. However, when one has a P3, that opens up a whole
> different world in terms of graphic displays. It seems to me that something
> like an AGC curve could be displayed graphically (as in your paper) right
> when the parameter is being changed. That way one would not have to worry
> about a detailed definition; just turn the knob and see the effect. The
> graph would be made extra helpful by the fact that the actual noise level is
> visible at the same time. No doubt other K3 parameters could become more
> user-friendly if treated in a similar way.
>
>
>
> 73,
>
> Erik K7TV
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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>
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>

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Jim Brown-10

Re: [K3} AGC White Paper

On Mon,3/6/2017 11:42 AM, Igor Sokolov wrote:
> This is really a great idea wich is if ever implemented would make me
> finally purchase P3.

Igor,

While it's a nice idea, it may or may not be possible to implement. BUT
-- we're both pretty active contesters, and I wouldn't dream of working
a contest without one. The SVGA card makes it even more useful -- the
waterfall can be set to provide 2 minutes on screen, which really helps
when trying to find a run frequency. You can look at the patterns to see
which frequencies have someone running, and even when skip doesn't let
you see the run station, you often see his callers. A waterfall tweaked
for lots of averaging is great for finding weak signals on a band that
is barely open. And a P3 is great for chasing down sources of RX noise.

73, Jim K9YC

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k6dgw

Re: [K3} AGC White Paper

In reply to this post by K7TV

I think about it as follows:

THR: The signal level at which AGC action begins. Lower number = lower
signal level where AGC begins.

SLP: Wayne is an EE and I'll bet he views SLP as the degree of gain
compression in the AGC system. Thus, higher SLP values mean a higher
amount of "compression" [and more flat] curve after threshold.

I'm a math dude, not an EE, and I view "slope" as the first derivative
of the AGC gain function ... which is unfortunately exactly backwards to
the way it really works. I get around this by assuming "SLP" is a
really weird acronym for COMPRESSION and not for SLOPE.

Maybe that will help you.

73,

Fred K6DGW
Sparks NV
Washoe County DM09dn

On 3/5/2017 11:29 PM, Erik Basilier wrote:
> I don't know about others, but I tend to forget the
> direction of parameters such as AGC "slope". Do I want to increase or
> decrease the number to achieve my intended result?

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Igor Sokolov-2

Re: [K3} AGC White Paper

In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10

Jim,

I am competitive mainly when I go on expeditions and operate from semi
rare countries like 8Q7 or 6V7 or CT3. Finding clear run frequency from
there is not a problem. On the other hand carrying extra box and using
big screen there is a problem. Therefore P3 for me is not justifiable
expense so far.

When at home I mainly operate from friend's station which is equipped
with pair of K3s and pair of P3 but again P3s have pretty limited use
due to some other reasons.

73, Igor UA9CDC

07.03.2017 1:04, Jim Brown пишет:

> On Mon,3/6/2017 11:42 AM, Igor Sokolov wrote:
>> This is really a great idea wich is if ever implemented would make me
>> finally purchase P3.
>
>
> Igor,
>
> While it's a nice idea, it may or may not be possible to implement.
> BUT -- we're both pretty active contesters, and I wouldn't dream of
> working a contest without one. The SVGA card makes it even more useful
> -- the waterfall can be set to provide 2 minutes on screen, which
> really helps when trying to find a run frequency. You can look at the
> patterns to see which frequencies have someone running, and even when
> skip doesn't let you see the run station, you often see his callers. A
> waterfall tweaked for lots of averaging is great for finding weak
> signals on a band that is barely open. And a P3 is great for chasing
> down sources of RX noise.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
> .
>