K3 S Meter

[Don Rasmussen]

I have never given an S-meter reading in 30 years of
hamming, it does not mean anything. But I do enjoy
seeing the S-meter move through it's full range, it
allows a good visual gauge of QSB.

The K3 meter scale is bunched up on the left side of
the range, having less physical distance for S0 to S9
as for S9 + 10 to S9 +60. So the right half of the
scale is pretty much wasted for me with respect to the
S-meter display.  

We need a little more range in the SMTR SC CONFIG, but
if you take that to minimum (10) and set SMTR OF to
(22), the meter is laid out more like an OMNI VI meter
where the majority of the display is devoted to S1 to
S9 + 10.

Looking at the more darkened markings on the meter
face, the first mark rates about S3, the next S5, then
S7, S9 would be where the +40 indicator is, and full
scale would be S9 + 10db.

I've requested a little more range on the SMTR SC to
come down to possibly 5 rather than the present
minimum of 10 to allow a better resting value on the S
meter but that went into the pile of "cosmetics",
somehow less important than coding for the upcoming
SubRX. ;-)

Of course I agree with that 100%.

I also agree that some purists will be offended by the
idea of an uncalibrated S-meter but please - the
subject has been beat to death so please flame me in
private if you feel the need to vent. Or read the
archives, it's still all there. !!!

de wb8yqj ..
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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Don,

If you look at the S-meter markings carefully, and consider that each
mark indicates 5 to 6 dB, then the scale does make sense. The scale from
S1 to S3 would indicate a change of 12 dB - and that is about the same
distance as the difference between S9 and S9+12 db. If the scale is 6 dB
per S unit, then S0 through S9 would occupy the same horizontal space as
S9 through S9+60 dB.  It looks to me as though the K3 S-meter scale is
more like 1 S unit = 5 dB, but then that is just an observation from the
scale on the meter, nothing based on any measurements.

I do not believe that compressing the upper end of that scale would be
an advantage - The current display makes sense to me on a mathematical
scale, your opinions may vary.

You are correct that most reports do not rely on the S-meter readings -
one just 'calls them as we see them' based on any number of factors
other than the indications on the S-meter.

73,
Don W3FPR

Don Rasmussen wrote:

> I have never given an S-meter reading in 30 years of
> hamming, it does not mean anything. But I do enjoy
> seeing the S-meter move through it's full range, it
> allows a good visual gauge of QSB.
>
> The K3 meter scale is bunched up on the left side of
> the range, having less physical distance for S0 to S9
> as for S9 + 10 to S9 +60. So the right half of the
> scale is pretty much wasted for me with respect to the
> S-meter display.  
>
> We need a little more range in the SMTR SC CONFIG, but
> if you take that to minimum (10) and set SMTR OF to
> (22), the meter is laid out more like an OMNI VI meter
> where the majority of the display is devoted to S1 to
> S9 + 10.
>
> Looking at the more darkened markings on the meter
> face, the first mark rates about S3, the next S5, then
> S7, S9 would be where the +40 indicator is, and full
> scale would be S9 + 10db.
>
> I've requested a little more range on the SMTR SC to
> come down to possibly 5 rather than the present
> minimum of 10 to allow a better resting value on the S
> meter but that went into the pile of "cosmetics",
> somehow less important than coding for the upcoming
> SubRX. ;-)
>
> Of course I agree with that 100%.
>
> I also agree that some purists will be offended by the
> idea of an uncalibrated S-meter but please - the
> subject has been beat to death so please flame me in
> private if you feel the need to vent. Or read the
> archives, it's still all there. !!!
>
> de wb8yqj ..
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>
>
>  

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