[K3] PSK31 & RTTY with K3 and SignaLink USB

[Terry Schieler]

I have a SignaLink USB external soundcard that I have used successfully for years with my former rig (FT1000MP).  Got around to hooking it up to the K3 (#474) a couple weeks ago but still don't seem to have it right.  I have the K3 jumper plug and the SignaLink K3 cable.  There appears to be some conflict in the instructions from Tigertronics for the SignaLink device and those provided for operating Data Mode (Data A) with the K3.  I understand that in using Data A, the K3's compression is turned off automatically.  But the SignaLink documentation says turn the transmitter power to full output.  The K3 instructions say to set output power lower on the K3 (25 or 30 watts) which is all I have ever used with data modes.  Tigertronics says that the TX control pot on the front of the SignaLink becomes the output power (drive) adjustment for the transmitter.  That isn't happening.  And while the K3 automatically shuts down the compression mode, I'm wondering if it should also save
 the PO per mode and band.  I have been through the K3 Data Mode section of the manual as well as Fred's (KE7X) fine expansion book and just get more confused.  

Any SignaLink USB - K3 veterans have any thoughts on what I'm missing in the setup?

Thanks and 73,

Terry, W0FM



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[Nr4c]

Yes, follow the direction of Elecraft on using the Elecraft K3, K2, or
KX3.  Set the audio drive to the level that produces 4 bars with the
fifth one blinking.  ALC does not happen until the fifth bar.  The first
four bars are audio level and 4 bars are required to produce proper TX
signal.  Now set the power to whatever setting you want via the PWR knob
on the K3.  You are using LINE IN on the rear of the radio for input, I
hope.  You also should set that port to LIN IN, not MIC.  Check the
manual on this as I am away from my radio and did this a long time ago.

I do not use the SignaLink with my K3.  I just connect two stereo cable
from the LIN IN/LIN OUT to the computer sound card, and it works just
fine.  Never saw a need for the SL-USB with this radio.  I know, it
frees up the sound card in the computer, but this computer is ONLY used
for ham radio so that's not an issue in my shack.  YMMV.

Hope this helps, good luck!

...bill  nr4c

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 10:55:35 -0500, Terry Schieler wrote:

> I have a SignaLink USB external soundcard that I have used
> successfully for years with my former rig (FT1000MP).  Got around to
> hooking it up to the K3 (#474) a couple weeks ago but still don't
> seem
> to have it right.  I have the K3 jumper plug and the SignaLink K3
> cable.  There appears to be some conflict in the instructions from
> Tigertronics for the SignaLink device and those provided for
> operating
> Data Mode (Data A) with the K3.  I understand that in using Data A,
> the K3's compression is turned off automatically.  But the SignaLink
> documentation says turn the transmitter power to full output.  The K3
> instructions say to set output power lower on the K3 (25 or 30 watts)
> which is all I have ever used with data modes.  Tigertronics says
> that
> the TX control pot on the front of the SignaLink becomes the output
> power (drive) adjustment for the transmitter.  That isn't happening.
> And while the K3 automatically shuts down the compression mode, I'm
> wondering if it should also save
>  the PO per mode and band.  I have been through the K3 Data Mode
> section of the manual as well as Fred's (KE7X) fine expansion book
> and
> just get more confused.
>
> Any SignaLink USB - K3 veterans have any thoughts on what I'm missing
> in the setup?
>
> Thanks and 73,
>
> Terry, W0FM
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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[KC6CNN]

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[KC6CNN]

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[Terry Schieler]

Thanks Bill.  Yes, I knew the outboard sound card was not necessary, but had it on hand and like the other data modes in the various software programs available.  Also, I have no immediate plans to take my K3 to the field.  Yes, using the "line In" on the rear of the radio.  I am hoping that once set, the K3 needs no additional resetting when going from PSK to RTTY and the ALC setting automatically reverts back to the voice setting without further effort on the ops part.


73,

Terry, W0FM



-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of nr4c
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2012 11:06 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] PSK31 & RTTY with K3 and SignaLink USB

Yes, follow the direction of Elecraft on using the Elecraft K3, K2, or KX3.  Set the audio drive to the level that produces 4 bars with the fifth one blinking.  ALC does not happen until the fifth bar.  The first four bars are audio level and 4 bars are required to produce proper TX signal.  Now set the power to whatever setting you want via the PWR knob on the K3.  You are using LINE IN on the rear of the radio for input, I hope.  You also should set that port to LIN IN, not MIC.  Check the manual on this as I am away from my radio and did this a long time ago.

I do not use the SignaLink with my K3.  I just connect two stereo cable from the LIN IN/LIN OUT to the computer sound card, and it works just fine.  Never saw a need for the SL-USB with this radio.  I know, it frees up the sound card in the computer, but this computer is ONLY used for ham radio so that's not an issue in my shack.  YMMV.

Hope this helps, good luck!

...bill  nr4c

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 10:55:35 -0500, Terry Schieler wrote:

> I have a SignaLink USB external soundcard that I have used
> successfully for years with my former rig (FT1000MP).  Got around to
> hooking it up to the K3 (#474) a couple weeks ago but still don't seem
> to have it right.  I have the K3 jumper plug and the SignaLink K3
> cable.  There appears to be some conflict in the instructions from
> Tigertronics for the SignaLink device and those provided for operating
> Data Mode (Data A) with the K3.  I understand that in using Data A,
> the K3's compression is turned off automatically.  But the SignaLink
> documentation says turn the transmitter power to full output.  The K3
> instructions say to set output power lower on the K3 (25 or 30 watts)
> which is all I have ever used with data modes.  Tigertronics says that
> the TX control pot on the front of the SignaLink becomes the output
> power (drive) adjustment for the transmitter.  That isn't happening.
> And while the K3 automatically shuts down the compression mode, I'm
> wondering if it should also save  the PO per mode and band.  I have
> been through the K3 Data Mode section of the manual as well as Fred's
> (KE7X) fine expansion book and just get more confused.
>
> Any SignaLink USB - K3 veterans have any thoughts on what I'm missing
> in the setup?
>
> Thanks and 73,
>
> Terry, W0FM
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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[Tony Estep]

On Thu, Jul 5, 2012 at 10:55 AM, Terry Schieler <
[hidden email]> wrote:

> ....still don't seem to have it right....

===========
Terry, try it without the Signalink. Just plug the audio cables directly
from the Line In/Out jacks on the K3 to your computer. Adjust the K3's ALC
bars and power output as described in the K3 manual, not the way that the
Signalink instructions say. The K3 is different from other transceivers in
that the output power should not be governed by drive, but rather by its
internal power-management scheme.

The K3 does not require an interface to do AFSK, PSK, WSPR, JT-65 or any
other digital mode. You can get good results just with two cables,
because the K3 has isolation transformers built in.

After you get everything going, you can then insert the Signalink into the
loop. It has its own sound card, which will probably do a better job than
the one in your PC in terms of S/N ratio on weak signals. The process will
be easier after you've shaken things down without the additional complexity
of the external interface. When the Signalink is in the loop, you still
want to adjust the ALC and power as explained by the K3 manual.

73,
Tony KT0NY


--
http://www.isb.edu/faculty/facultydir.aspx?ddlFaculty=352
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