K3 FM issues

[Don Rasmussen]

Julian,

The transmit equalizer may be to blame for the thin audio reports. Although the FM audio does max at 2.8 khz, which is "sufficient", the equalizer is mode sensitive so the preferred setting for SSB is not good for FM.

The receive audio may also sound thin on FM unless the higher Eq bands are increased.

http://www.zerobeat.net/mediawiki/index.php/K3_Equalizer_Facts

If you can set the transmit EQ to all maximum, set the deviation
to 5khz, and report the results to the list (satisfactory to your
friends using your microphone) that would be good to know.

[Elecraft] K3 FM issues
Julian, G4ILO julian.g4ilo at gmail.com
Wed Feb 25 09:43:32 EST 2009

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Testing my transverter on 2m FM with the K3 reading 10m frequencies
temporarily, due to the problem mentioned in my other post, I have noticed a couple of issues.

I would have expected that the RF/SQL front panel control could be used as a squelch control in FM mode (that's presumably what SQL stands for.) But it appears to control RF gain, just as in other modes. The only squelch control appears to be SQ MAIN in the CONFIG menu. Have I missed something?

Compression, though it works with AM in this version of the firmware, still
does not work with FM. Is there any reason for this?


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[Julian, G4ILO]

Don Rasmussen wrote

Julian,

The transmit equalizer may be to blame for the thin audio reports. Although the FM audio does max at 2.8 khz, which is "sufficient", the equalizer is mode sensitive so the preferred setting for SSB is not good for FM.

The receive audio may also sound thin on FM unless the higher Eq bands are increased.

http://www.zerobeat.net/mediawiki/index.php/K3_Equalizer_Facts

If you can set the transmit EQ to all maximum, set the deviation
to 5khz, and report the results to the list (satisfactory to your
friends using your microphone) that would be good to know.

I prefer to keep the EQ flat because I mostly use data modes and equalization is positively not wanted in that mode. If we had per-mode EQ settings then things would be a lot better, but that is still quite a long way off apparently.

[KK7P]

> ...set the transmit EQ to all maximum,

I suggest you *not* do this.

The EQ should be use to shape, not amplify. In general, I suggest you
use the CUT side of the EQ (whether Tx or Rx) and only use the BOOST if
absolutely necessary, and even then limit yourself to 3 or 4 dB of
boost, not 10 or 12 or 16.

73,

Lyle KK7P



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[Julian, G4ILO]

FWIW the audio sounds fine when I monitored it on another radio and I have got good reports after upping the deviation. Mic is a Heil HC-10 dual element with the normal element selected.