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[K3] Possible remedy for my noisy K3 and hiss?

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mikerodgerske5gbc

[K3] Possible remedy for my noisy K3 and hiss?

I'm in the early stages of trying this out but thought I'd share in interest of helping someone else.

I've been using AGC threshold 10.
Im always fiddling with attenuator and rf gain.

I was listening to some activity on 20 & 40 and began playing with agc settings.
I ended up at a threshold that is totally not what I suspected to like. 2. You've got to be kidding,right,2?

The downside is this can really decrease volume available especially with NR. I've just been using this a night and morning but one thing is apparent, I'm not constantly fiddling with attenuator and rf gain anymore.
Threshold 2 slope 5-10.
Noise level s5 on 20m.

I also picked up a GAP/BHI speaker and like the NR. It doesn't reduce volume as much. The best K3 match I found is NR F8-2 or 3. I really don't wish to use NR.

The hiss I've been complaining about with hi cut above 2.4 or 2.5 is drastically reduced also. I don't like 3.0 but 2.8 is pretty good.

I've got to spend more time in the saddle with these settings but I'm putting this out there for anyone else having pains with noise/rf gain.

Once again bottom line: I'm not constantly fiddling with attenuator and rf gain with threshold 2.

73
Mike R

Play me some fiddle, but no stinkin' violin!

Amateur/Ham Radio KE5GBC
HF & Echolink mobile
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: [K3] Possible remedy for my noisy K3 and hiss?

Mike,

With that low a threshold setting, I suspect that you evaluated that
setting with noise alone rather than how much noise is heard between
breaks in the signal.

Review the "Noisy K3" article on my website www.w3fpr.com paying
particular attention to the 'Caution' note in the AGC THR section.

That article will give you guidance on what the effects of the changes
will be so you can evaluate each separately.
Do the evaluation with any external NR speaker bypassed or removed.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/19/2013 10:53 AM, Mike Rodgers wrote:

> I'm in the early stages of trying this out but thought I'd share in interest of helping someone else.
>
> I've been using AGC threshold 10.
> Im always fiddling with attenuator and rf gain.
>
> I was listening to some activity on 20 & 40 and began playing with agc settings.
> I ended up at a threshold that is totally not what I suspected to like. 2. You've got to be kidding,right,2?
>
> The downside is this can really decrease volume available especially with NR. I've just been using this a night and morning but one thing is apparent, I'm not constantly fiddling with attenuator and rf gain anymore.
> Threshold 2 slope 5-10.
> Noise level s5 on 20m.
>
> I also picked up a GAP/BHI speaker and like the NR. It doesn't reduce volume as much. The best K3 match I found is NR F8-2 or 3. I really don't wish to use NR.
>

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Richard Fjeld

Re: [Elecraft_K3] [K3] Possible remedy for my noisy K3 and hiss?

In reply to this post by mikerodgerske5gbc

Have you tried Rx equalization to reduce the hiss?

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Rodgers
To: [hidden email]
Cc: [hidden email]
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 9:53 AM
Subject: [Elecraft_K3] [K3] Possible remedy for my noisy K3 and hiss?

I'm in the early stages of trying this out but thought I'd share in interest of helping someone else.

I've been using AGC threshold 10.
Im always fiddling with attenuator and rf gain.

I was listening to some activity on 20 & 40 and began playing with agc settings.
I ended up at a threshold that is totally not what I suspected to like. 2. You've got to be kidding,right,2?

The downside is this can really decrease volume available especially with NR. I've just been using this a night and morning but one thing is apparent, I'm not constantly fiddling with attenuator and rf gain anymore.
Threshold 2 slope 5-10.
Noise level s5 on 20m.

I also picked up a GAP/BHI speaker and like the NR. It doesn't reduce volume as much. The best K3 match I found is NR F8-2 or 3. I really don't wish to use NR.

The hiss I've been complaining about with hi cut above 2.4 or 2.5 is drastically reduced also. I don't like 3.0 but 2.8 is pretty good.

I've got to spend more time in the saddle with these settings but I'm putting this out there for anyone else having pains with noise/rf gain.

Once again bottom line: I'm not constantly fiddling with attenuator and rf gain with threshold 2.

73
Mike R

Play me some fiddle, but no stinkin' violin!

Amateur/Ham Radio KE5GBC
HF & Echolink mobile

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mikerodgerske5gbc

Re: [Elecraft_K3] Re: [K3] Possible remedy for my noisy K3 and hiss?

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm-4

Hi Don,

Not so. I made the adjustments while listening to qso's in progress. I guess I didn't make that clear. Not strong ones that block all the noise but medium ones. This may come down to operator preference but it's something to try.

And the tell all as I said is I'm no longer constantly fiddling with attenuator and rf gain to try to get something I like.

73
Mike R

Play me some fiddle, but no stinkin' violin!

Amateur/Ham Radio KE5GBC
HF & Echolink mobile

On Mar 19, 2013, at 10:15 AM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Mike,
>
> With that low a threshold setting, I suspect that you evaluated that
> setting with noise alone rather than how much noise is heard between
> breaks in the signal.
>
> Review the "Noisy K3" article on my website www.w3fpr.com paying
> particular attention to the 'Caution' note in the AGC THR section.
>
> That article will give you guidance on what the effects of the changes
> will be so you can evaluate each separately.
> Do the evaluation with any external NR speaker bypassed or removed.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 3/19/2013 10:53 AM, Mike Rodgers wrote:
> > I'm in the early stages of trying this out but thought I'd share in interest of helping someone else.
> >
> > I've been using AGC threshold 10.
> > Im always fiddling with attenuator and rf gain.
> >
> > I was listening to some activity on 20 & 40 and began playing with agc settings.
> > I ended up at a threshold that is totally not what I suspected to like. 2. You've got to be kidding,right,2?
> >
> > The downside is this can really decrease volume available especially with NR. I've just been using this a night and morning but one thing is apparent, I'm not constantly fiddling with attenuator and rf gain anymore.
> > Threshold 2 slope 5-10.
> > Noise level s5 on 20m.
> >
> > I also picked up a GAP/BHI speaker and like the NR. It doesn't reduce volume as much. The best K3 match I found is NR F8-2 or 3. I really don't wish to use NR.
> >
>
> __._,_.___
> Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (2)
> RECENT ACTIVITY: New Members 10
> Visit Your Group
> Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use • Send us Feedback
> .
>
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mikerodgerske5gbc

Re: [Elecraft_K3] [K3] Possible remedy for my noisy K3 and hiss?

In reply to this post by Richard Fjeld

Yes.

73
Mike R

Play me some fiddle, but no stinkin' violin!

Amateur/Ham Radio KE5GBC
HF & Echolink mobile

On Mar 19, 2013, at 10:18 AM, "Richard Fjeld" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Have you tried Rx equalization to reduce the hiss?
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mike Rodgers
> To: [hidden email]
> Cc: [hidden email]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 9:53 AM
> Subject: [Elecraft_K3] [K3] Possible remedy for my noisy K3 and hiss?
>
>
> I'm in the early stages of trying this out but thought I'd share in interest of helping someone else.
>
> I've been using AGC threshold 10.
> Im always fiddling with attenuator and rf gain.
>
> I was listening to some activity on 20 & 40 and began playing with agc settings.
> I ended up at a threshold that is totally not what I suspected to like. 2. You've got to be kidding,right,2?
>
> The downside is this can really decrease volume available especially with NR. I've just been using this a night and morning but one thing is apparent, I'm not constantly fiddling with attenuator and rf gain anymore.
> Threshold 2 slope 5-10.
> Noise level s5 on 20m.
>
> I also picked up a GAP/BHI speaker and like the NR. It doesn't reduce volume as much. The best K3 match I found is NR F8-2 or 3. I really don't wish to use NR.
>
> The hiss I've been complaining about with hi cut above 2.4 or 2.5 is drastically reduced also. I don't like 3.0 but 2.8 is pretty good.
>
> I've got to spend more time in the saddle with these settings but I'm putting this out there for anyone else having pains with noise/rf gain.
>
> Once again bottom line: I'm not constantly fiddling with attenuator and rf gain with threshold 2.
>
> 73
> Mike R
>
> Play me some fiddle, but no stinkin' violin!
>
> Amateur/Ham Radio KE5GBC
> HF & Echolink mobile
>
> __._,_.___
> Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (3)
> RECENT ACTIVITY: New Members 10
> Visit Your Group
> Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use • Send us Feedback
> .
>
> __,_._,___

KV5J

Re: [Elecraft_K3] Re: [K3] Possible remedy for my noisy K3 and hiss?

In reply to this post by mikerodgerske5gbc

Caution:

A caution about evaluation of the effects of the change - please listen to the noise level that appears during breaks while listening to a signal. If you listen to only the noise level with no signals present, you will find that the noise level decreases as you lower the threshold setting. This is a false perception. What is actually happening is that you are reducing the level where the AGC response begins, and since the noise is now producing AGC action, the noise will reduce the gain of the receiver, giving the appearance that the noise level is being reduced, when in fact, just the opposite will happen when listening in the presence of signals on the band.

Keith