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[K3] PSK31 Problem

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Roy Morris-6

[K3] PSK31 Problem

When I transmit my buffer I am told that the first four characters of the
first word in the string are not being transmitted. The string on my K3
display shows that all characters are scrolling correctly. I went into the
setup screen and changed the timeout from 0 to 3000 thinking that would cure
this problem, but it appears not to have corrected it. What would cause the
first word to be shortened, and what might be the cure?

Also, when I go from one data mode to another the cursor can change several
Khz up or down from the center frequency. I am sometimes able to get it
back to center if I change the mark and space pairs with the PITCH control.
Once the cursor is centered I can go to other data modes and it stays near
the center line. I am new to the data modes so I must not be doing
something right. Any help to enlighten me would be appreciated. Roy Morris
W4WFB

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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: [K3] PSK31 Problem

Roy,

On the missing letters, all I can think of is perhaps it is
power-hunting -starting low and eventually going higher (the receiving
station may not hear the weaker initial signal)
The way to prevent power hunting is to ignore the advice commonly given
"set the power level to maximum and adjust the audio to control the
desired power output" - that does NOT work for the K2, the K3 or the
KX3. Adjust the audio level on the K3 to produce 4 bars solid with the
5th bar solid on the K3 ALC display. Use the power knob to set the
desired power level.

On the second item, refresh your information on how the K3 does data
modes vs. frequency display. Data A will show you the carrier
frequency, and the frequency on the waterfall is actually that carrier
frequency plus (minus for LSB) the audio pitch sent by your software
application - even though many applications show the "actual" frequency
of the signal, that is only because of the calculations done by that
software.

Now move on to AFSK - the frequency displayed by the K3 depends on the
shift setting in the K3 menu - the frequency displayed will be the mark
frequency (consistent with MMTTY, but different than clicking on an RTTY
signal on the waterfall in DATA A submode.

PSK D will show you the actual frequency of the PSK31 signal (similar to
the carrier plus [minus] audio frequency seen in DATA A, and FSK D will
show you the actual mark frequency.
That is explained (in different words) in the K3 manual.

Have great fun with data modes, they are great once you get things set
up right and become familiar with whatever turns out to be your favorite
software applications.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 8/9/2012 6:06 PM, Roy Morris wrote:

> When I transmit my buffer I am told that the first four characters of the
> first word in the string are not being transmitted. The string on my K3
> display shows that all characters are scrolling correctly. I went into the
> setup screen and changed the timeout from 0 to 3000 thinking that would cure
> this problem, but it appears not to have corrected it. What would cause the
> first word to be shortened, and what might be the cure?
>
> Also, when I go from one data mode to another the cursor can change several
> Khz up or down from the center frequency. I am sometimes able to get it
> back to center if I change the mark and space pairs with the PITCH control.
> Once the cursor is centered I can go to other data modes and it stays near
> the center line. I am new to the data modes so I must not be doing
> something right. Any help to enlighten me would be appreciated. Roy Morris
> W4WFB
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: [K3] PSK31 Problem

Meant to say 5th bar flickering.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 8/9/2012 6:30 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Roy,
>
> On the missing letters, all I can think of is perhaps it is
> power-hunting -starting low and eventually going higher (the receiving
> station may not hear the weaker initial signal)
> The way to prevent power hunting is to ignore the advice commonly given
> "set the power level to maximum and adjust the audio to control the
> desired power output" - that does NOT work for the K2, the K3 or the
> KX3. Adjust the audio level on the K3 to produce 4 bars solid with the
> 5th bar solid on the K3 ALC display. Use the power knob to set the
> desired power level.
>
> On the second item, refresh your information on how the K3 does data
> modes vs. frequency display. Data A will show you the carrier
> frequency, and the frequency on the waterfall is actually that carrier
> frequency plus (minus for LSB) the audio pitch sent by your software
> application - even though many applications show the "actual" frequency
> of the signal, that is only because of the calculations done by that
> software.
>
> Now move on to AFSK - the frequency displayed by the K3 depends on the
> shift setting in the K3 menu - the frequency displayed will be the mark
> frequency (consistent with MMTTY, but different than clicking on an RTTY
> signal on the waterfall in DATA A submode.
>
> PSK D will show you the actual frequency of the PSK31 signal (similar to
> the carrier plus [minus] audio frequency seen in DATA A, and FSK D will
> show you the actual mark frequency.
> That is explained (in different words) in the K3 manual.
>
> Have great fun with data modes, they are great once you get things set
> up right and become familiar with whatever turns out to be your favorite
> software applications.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>
>
>
> On 8/9/2012 6:06 PM, Roy Morris wrote:
>> When I transmit my buffer I am told that the first four characters of the
>> first word in the string are not being transmitted. The string on my K3
>> display shows that all characters are scrolling correctly. I went into the
>> setup screen and changed the timeout from 0 to 3000 thinking that would cure
>> this problem, but it appears not to have corrected it. What would cause the
>> first word to be shortened, and what might be the cure?
>>
>> Also, when I go from one data mode to another the cursor can change several
>> Khz up or down from the center frequency. I am sometimes able to get it
>> back to center if I change the mark and space pairs with the PITCH control.
>> Once the cursor is centered I can go to other data modes and it stays near
>> the center line. I am new to the data modes so I must not be doing
>> something right. Any help to enlighten me would be appreciated. Roy Morris
>> W4WFB
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>

vk4tux

Re: [K3] PSK31 Problem

In reply to this post by Roy Morris-6

Hi Roy, Until you find the issue sending four dots before the message may help, i.e.
....cqdx etc, such that the rxer sees cqdx at least.

Yes the setup delay holds tx for that period at the end of tx input and does not provide a lead.

The only suggestion I have is increasing : CONFIG:TX DLY.value,

and/or Using a P3SVGA data tx method other than vox for psk31, where a enter or cntrl key sends the stored text entered..

Adrian ... vk4tux

michael-2

Re: [K3] PSK31 Problem

In reply to this post by Roy Morris-6

Roy,

I have had a similar problem with characters missing from the beginning of a
transmission. Don is right that the radio is power hunting (I call it spooling up).
The way I have solved mine was I have used the K3 utility program and page
49 of the current K3 manual and redid the 'Transmitter Gain' then proceeded
to do the rest of the steps as Don points out with ALC adjust in transmit
TEST mode, then all was fine.

Michael N8NOC

On Aug 9, 2012, at 6:06 PM, Roy Morris wrote:

When I transmit my buffer I am told that the first four characters of the
first word in the string are not being transmitted. The string on my K3
display shows that all characters are scrolling correctly. I went into the
setup screen and changed the timeout from 0 to 3000 thinking that would cure
this problem, but it appears not to have corrected it. What would cause the
first word to be shortened, and what might be the cure?

Also, when I go from one data mode to another the cursor can change several
Khz up or down from the center frequency. I am sometimes able to get it
back to center if I change the mark and space pairs with the PITCH control.
Once the cursor is centered I can go to other data modes and it stays near
the center line. I am new to the data modes so I must not be doing
something right. Any help to enlighten me would be appreciated. Roy Morris
W4WFB

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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vk4tux

Re: [K3] PSK31 Problem

Ok On the power hunt stuff. In the 14v days I always had issue with power level as described,
despite many many many tx power calibrations.

Since running the K3 at 15v there has been no misbehaviour.

My theory is the current sensor playing up at the lower voltage.

Adrian ... vk4tux

Paul Saffren N6HZ

Re: [K3] PSK31 Problem

In reply to this post by Roy Morris-6

Roy,

One thing to try is to program a memory on the K3 to send the PSK31 and see if you're also missing characters using that method. Performing this test would help identify where the problem is.

73,

Paul