K3 S-meter question
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I’ve just completed building my K3/10 (S/N 8115)!!! The PA3 and sub-receiver are sitting here but not built/installed yet. Everything seems to work fine - completed the TX gain calibration successfully, and the filter setup too, of course. However, I’m puzzled by the how the S-meter is behaving. It seems to be inversely proportional to the RF gain. With the RF gain all the way CCW, all segments of the S-meter are lit. With the RF gain at 12 o’clock, half of the segments are lit. Changing bands has no apparent effect on the S-meter reading, and it’s rare that any but the strongest stations has any effect on the meter. And, with the RF gain fully CW, a few segments are lit (depending upon the noise level in the band). This seems backwards to me, but this is my first HF rig, so maybe it’s supposed to behave this way? Maybe I have some config setting messed up?
Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this! Thanks! 73 Arlen Fletcher, AA7F ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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Exactly the way it should be, Arlen. You do NOT have a problem.
Congrats, de Milt, N5IA -----Original Message----- From: Arlen Fletcher Sent: Friday, April 04, 2014 9:24 PM To: Elecraft Mailing List Subject: [Elecraft] K3 S-meter question I’ve just completed building my K3/10 (S/N 8115)!!! The PA3 and sub-receiver are sitting here but not built/installed yet. Everything seems to work fine - completed the TX gain calibration successfully, and the filter setup too, of course. However, I’m puzzled by the how the S-meter is behaving. It seems to be inversely proportional to the RF gain. With the RF gain all the way CCW, all segments of the S-meter are lit. With the RF gain at 12 o’clock, half of the segments are lit. Changing bands has no apparent effect on the S-meter reading, and it’s rare that any but the strongest stations has any effect on the meter. And, with the RF gain fully CW, a few segments are lit (depending upon the noise level in the band). This seems backwards to me, but this is my first HF rig, so maybe it’s supposed to behave this way? Maybe I have some config setting messed up? Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this! Thanks! 73 Arlen Fletcher, AA7F ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4355 / Virus Database: 3722/7303 - Release Date: 04/04/14 ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4355 / Virus Database: 3722/7303 - Release Date: 04/04/14 ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by Arlen Fletcher
This is typical of HF receivers from years past-- meter indicates
increasing AGC as you reduce the RF gain; only stronger signals will flicker above the meter's reduced sensitivity indication. Supposedly this could be changed in a SDR radio. Some have requested that the meter not respond in this traditional fashion, but instead always measure the signal levels "at the antenna terminals" regardless of the RF Gain setting. Your meter reading may also be affected by attenuator and preamp settings (ATT and PRE), but there is a config option in the K3 to ignore their effects. However, this 'absolute' setting is still subject to the RF Gaiin control effect that you noted. 73, Drew AF2Z On Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:24:15 -0700, you wrote: >Ive just completed building my K3/10 (S/N 8115)!!! The PA3 and sub-receiver are sitting here but not built/installed yet. Everything seems to work fine - completed the TX gain calibration successfully, and the filter setup too, of course. However, Im puzzled by the how the S-meter is behaving. It seems to be inversely proportional to the RF gain. With the RF gain all the way CCW, all segments of the S-meter are lit. With the RF gain at 12 oclock, half of the segments are lit. Changing bands has no apparent effect on the S-meter reading, and its rare that any but the strongest stations has any effect on the meter. And, with the RF gain fully CW, a few segments are lit (depending upon the noise level in the band). This seems backwards to me, but this is my first HF rig, so maybe its supposed to behave this way? Maybe I have some config setting messed up? > >Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this! > >Thanks! > >73 > >Arlen Fletcher, AA7F ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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Yeah, this is normal behavior.
Same thing happens on my 857D and all other's radios (i hear). You didn't do anything wrong. Slava, W2RMS On Apr 5, 2014, at 8:22 AM, drewko <[hidden email]> wrote: > This is typical of HF receivers from years past-- meter indicates > increasing AGC as you reduce the RF gain; only stronger signals will > flicker above the meter's reduced sensitivity indication. > > Supposedly this could be changed in a SDR radio. Some have requested > that the meter not respond in this traditional fashion, but instead > always measure the signal levels "at the antenna terminals" regardless > of the RF Gain setting. > > Your meter reading may also be affected by attenuator and preamp > settings (ATT and PRE), but there is a config option in the K3 to > ignore their effects. However, this 'absolute' setting is still > subject to the RF Gaiin control effect that you noted. > > 73, > Drew > AF2Z > > > On Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:24:15 -0700, you wrote: > >> I’ve just completed building my K3/10 (S/N 8115)!!! The PA3 and sub-receiver are sitting here but not built/installed yet. Everything seems to work fine - completed the TX gain calibration successfully, and the filter setup too, of course. However, I’m puzzled by the how the S-meter is behaving. It seems to be inversely proportional to the RF gain. With the RF gain all the way CCW, all segments of the S-meter are lit. With the RF gain at 12 o’clock, half of the segments are lit. Changing bands has no apparent effect on the S-meter reading, and it’s rare that any but the strongest stations has any effect on the meter. And, with the RF gain fully CW, a few segments are lit (depending upon the noise level in the band). This seems backwards to me, but this is my first HF rig, so maybe it’s supposed to behave this way? Maybe I have some config setting messed up? >> >> Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this! >> >> Thanks! >> >> 73 >> >> Arlen Fletcher, AA7F > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by Arlen Fletcher
As you back off the RF Gain (CCW), the minimum signal that can be
copied and that registers on the S Meter is a higher value. With the RF Gain set fully CW (greatest gain), you're copying the weakest signal the rig is capable of. These differences are shown by the S Meter. You should run RF Gain at a level that gives you best dynamic range, though this setting may change band-by-band. I run RF Gain at 2 o'clock most of the time and normally use it as the main volume control as well. What you are seeing is normal behavior. 73, matt W6NIA On Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:24:15 -0700, you wrote: >Ive just completed building my K3/10 (S/N 8115)!!! The PA3 and sub-receiver are sitting here but not built/installed yet. Everything seems to work fine - completed the TX gain calibration successfully, and the filter setup too, of course. However, Im puzzled by the how the S-meter is behaving. It seems to be inversely proportional to the RF gain. With the RF gain all the way CCW, all segments of the S-meter are lit. With the RF gain at 12 oclock, half of the segments are lit. Changing bands has no apparent effect on the S-meter reading, and its rare that any but the strongest stations has any effect on the meter. And, with the RF gain fully CW, a few segments are lit (depending upon the noise level in the band). This seems backwards to me, but this is my first HF rig, so maybe its supposed to behave this way? Maybe I have some config setting messed up? > >Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this! > >Thanks! > >73 > >Arlen Fletcher, AA7F >______________________________________________________________ >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 >Message delivered to [hidden email] -- "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." -A. Lincoln ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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Ah!!! That makes sense. Thank you Matt, and all those that responded. I appreciate your attempts to educate me. :-)
73 Arlen AA7F On Apr 5, 2014, at 7:38 AM, Matt Zilmer <[hidden email]> wrote: > As you back off the RF Gain (CCW), the minimum signal that can be > copied and that registers on the S Meter is a higher value. With the > RF Gain set fully CW (greatest gain), you're copying the weakest > signal the rig is capable of. These differences are shown by the S > Meter. > > You should run RF Gain at a level that gives you best dynamic range, > though this setting may change band-by-band. I run RF Gain at 2 > o'clock most of the time and normally use it as the main volume > control as well. > > What you are seeing is normal behavior. > > 73, > matt W6NIA > > On Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:24:15 -0700, you wrote: > >> I’ve just completed building my K3/10 (S/N 8115)!!! The PA3 and sub-receiver are sitting here but not built/installed yet. Everything seems to work fine - completed the TX gain calibration successfully, and the filter setup too, of course. However, I’m puzzled by the how the S-meter is behaving. It seems to be inversely proportional to the RF gain. With the RF gain all the way CCW, all segments of the S-meter are lit. With the RF gain at 12 o’clock, half of the segments are lit. Changing bands has no apparent effect on the S-meter reading, and it’s rare that any but the strongest stations has any effect on the meter. And, with the RF gain fully CW, a few segments are lit (depending upon the noise level in the band). This seems backwards to me, but this is my first HF rig, so maybe it’s supposed to behave this way? Maybe I have some config setting messed up? >> >> Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this! >> >> Thanks! >> >> 73 >> >> Arlen Fletcher, AA7F >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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 >> Message delivered to [hidden email] > Matt Zilmer, W6NIA > -- > "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will > spend the first four sharpening the axe." -A. Lincoln ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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