K3 Operating Tip: Using TX TEST to adjust speech controls and ALC level

[wayne burdick]

The K3 provides a way to adjust speech controls and ALC level off-air.

(Technical note: The reason this is possible is that the K3's fast ALC  
is established in the DSP. This means the K3's first-I.F. crystal  
filters can be used in TX mode to ensure that dynamic ALC responses  
are band-limited. This prevents the kind of splatter often heard from  
rigs that apply fast ALC in hardware, after the crystal filter. This  
technique also allows the DSP to provide very effective, very clean  
speech compression.)

To adjust speech controls off-air:

1. Hold TX TEST (right end of the MODE switch). The "TX" icon on the  
LCD will flash slowly as a reminder that you're not actually  
transmitting.

2. Switch to CMP/ALC metering by holding METER. Temporarily set the  
CMP control to zero.

3. While talking into the mic, adjust the MIC level so you peak around  
5-7 bars on the ALC meter during normal speech. After that you can  
optionally add compression (CMP).

4. To return to normal operation, hold TX TEST again, and make sure  
the "TX" icon is no longer flashing. You should now be able to set PWR  
to any desired level without impacting your speech settings.

If you'd like to lock the CMP, MIC, and PWR level settings (perhaps to  
avoid having your 6-year-old tweak them, like mine does), locate the  
PWR SET menu entry (CONFIG menu) and tap 1 to LOCK. You'll then see  
"LOCKED" whenever any of these three controls is rotated.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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[MaverickNH]

I'm trying this on my K3s, which appears to have the same capability.

I have Heil ProSet K2/K3 headphones installed and configured as instructed (1/8" plug to gray AD-1-K adapter jack and 1/4" plug to K3s PHONES jack, with adapter plugged to K3s MIC, and menu MIC SEL set to FP.L bI AS on.

With MIC Gain set to 23, I see red TX LED light continuously as I speak, in normal TX mode. With TX TEST selected, the red LED does not slowly blink, and I can see the ALC meter register 5-6 bars, but hear nothing through my headphones.

No doubt I am missing a setting, eh? I appreciate the help!

[Don Wilhelm]

Bret,

You have to adjust the MON setting to hear your audio through your
headphones.
Is MON set to zero?  Hold the CMP/PWR knob to get to the MON setting.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/31/2016 11:45 AM, MaverickNH wrote:

> I'm trying this on my K3s, which appears to have the same capability.
>
> I have Heil ProSet K2/K3 headphones installed and configured as instructed
> (1/8" plug to gray AD-1-K adapter jack and 1/4" plug to K3s PHONES jack,
> with adapter plugged to K3s MIC, and menu MIC SEL set to FP.L bI AS on.
>
> With MIC Gain set to 23, I see red TX LED light continuously as I speak, in
> normal TX mode. With TX TEST selected, the red LED does not slowly blink,
> and I can see the ALC meter register 5-6 bars, but hear nothing through my
> headphones.
>
> No doubt I am missing a setting, eh? I appreciate the help!
>
>

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[MaverickNH]

Hey Don - that was the missing setting indeed! The K3s isn't your Father's transceiver, for sure. In fact, my FT-897D is sitting on the floor waiting to be re-purposed.

The red LED doesn't blink in TX TEST still...I saw some controversy about that on the forum, so maybe the blinking is disabled by default, if not permanently.

73s, BRET/KC1CJN

[Nr4c]

If you're referencing the RED TX lED, it only lights up when actually transmitting, not in TEST mode.

…billc nr4c

> On Jul 31, 2016, at 3:33 PM, MaverickNH <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Hey Don - that was the missing setting indeed! The K3s isn't your Father's
> transceiver, for sure. In fact, my FT-897D is sitting on the floor waiting
> to be re-purposed.
>
> The red LED doesn't blink in TX TEST still...I saw some controversy about
> that on the forum, so maybe the blinking is disabled by default, if not
> permanently.
>
> 73s, BRET/KC1CJN
>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-Operating-Tip-Using-TX-TEST-to-adjust-speech-controls-and-ALC-level-tp5289738p7620968.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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[Don Wilhelm]

Bret,

The TX LED never did blink during TX TEST,
What blinks is the "TX" icon on the LCD - to the right of the display.

I guess someone mixed up LED and LCD in some posting in the past.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/31/2016 3:33 PM, MaverickNH wrote:
> Hey Don - that was the missing setting indeed! The K3s isn't your Father's
> transceiver, for sure. In fact, my FT-897D is sitting on the floor waiting
> to be re-purposed.
>
> The red LED doesn't blink in TX TEST still...I saw some controversy about
> that on the forum, so maybe the blinking is disabled by default, if not
> permanently.
>
>

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