K3 SSB is it really better
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I'm curious what others are finding with the K3 on SSB in contest conditions. I've had mine for a few months and the difference between my mkv and the K3 is like night and day on cw.
I havn't had a chance to really test it out on SSB. I'm getting ready to travel to K5NA's for CQWW and I wonder if its worth taking to replace a ProIII or MKV on 20 meters which will be the money band (unless 15m opens up). 20m will be a mess and I'd like to think the K3 will help with crowded band conditions. Thanks Rich - N5ZC _______________________________________________ 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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I think the K3 with 1.8Khz filter throttled down as narrow as intelligibility allows will be the perfect ticket for 20M this weekend. 73, Barry N1EU |
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> I think the K3 with 1.8Khz filter throttled down as narrow as
> intelligibility allows will be the perfect ticket for 20M > this weekend. I agree. My K3s are "throttled down" to 1.5 kHz. 73, Ed - W0YK _______________________________________________ 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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In reply to this post by Richard Thorne
Rich,
I will be using my K3 rather than my usual 7800 this weekend, so I can give you a better report then, but that I am willing to do it speaks something to that; so far my experience has been good enough to warrant it. What bands will you be working at Richard's? 73 de Dave, W5SV [hidden email] wrote: > I'm curious what others are finding with the K3 on SSB in contest conditions. I've had mine for a few months and the difference between my mkv and the K3 is like night and day on cw. > > I havn't had a chance to really test it out on SSB. I'm getting ready to travel to K5NA's for CQWW and I wonder if its worth taking to replace a ProIII or MKV on 20 meters which will be the money band (unless 15m opens up). > > 20m will be a mess and I'd like to think the K3 will help with crowded band conditions. > > Thanks > > Rich - N5ZC > 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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In reply to this post by Richard Thorne
Rich,
I've used the K3 in both SSB and CW contests from P49Y. SSB works great, in part because it retains very good intelligibility when cranked down pretty narrow (i.e., below 2.0 kHz). It seems to work better to use the Hi and Lo mode instead of Shift and Width. OTOH, for CW, the rx is really great because of the ability to disregard strong adjacent signals. While that performance capability exists in SSB also, in a contest it isn't as dramatic an improvement over other receivers for the simple reason that in SSB, much of the interference you are trying to eliminate is really in the passband. It's splatter and distortion products from adjacent signals, many of which may have their processors turned way up. The K3 doesn't generate the digital byproducts as my Pro2 does, and that is helpful, but there remains the "real" interference caused by the other signals. So the net improvement from the great rx qualities doesn't turn out to be as useful in SSB as in CW. In other words, the bands are still a mess in a major SSB contest, and the best rx in the world can't eliminate all the mess. 73, andy, ae6y ----- Original Message ----- From: <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 7:42 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K3 SSB is it really better > I'm curious what others are finding with the K3 on SSB in contest > conditions. I've had mine for a few months and the difference between my > mkv and the K3 is like night and day on cw. > > I havn't had a chance to really test it out on SSB. I'm getting ready to > travel to K5NA's for CQWW and I wonder if its worth taking to replace a > ProIII or MKV on 20 meters which will be the money band (unless 15m opens > up). > > 20m will be a mess and I'd like to think the K3 will help with crowded > band conditions. > > Thanks > > Rich - N5ZC > _______________________________________________ > 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 _______________________________________________ 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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Thanks for the very clear explanation Andrew. I had not been as
impressed with my K3 in SSB with the 1.8 filter, as I had in CW. But your points are well made and explain the issue well. This has been my experience in SSB also. David Wilburn NM4M http://www.nm4m.com http://www.k4rc.net Andrew Faber wrote: > Rich, > I've used the K3 in both SSB and CW contests from P49Y. SSB works > great, in part because it retains very good intelligibility when cranked > down pretty narrow (i.e., below 2.0 kHz). It seems to work better to > use the Hi and Lo mode instead of Shift and Width. > OTOH, for CW, the rx is really great because of the ability to > disregard strong adjacent signals. While that performance capability > exists in SSB also, in a contest it isn't as dramatic an improvement > over other receivers for the simple reason that in SSB, much of the > interference you are trying to eliminate is really in the passband. > It's splatter and distortion products from adjacent signals, many of > which may have their processors turned way up. The K3 doesn't generate > the digital byproducts as my Pro2 does, and that is helpful, but there > remains the "real" interference caused by the other signals. So the net > improvement from the great rx qualities doesn't turn out to be as useful > in SSB as in CW. In other words, the bands are still a mess in a major > SSB contest, and the best rx in the world can't eliminate all the mess. > 73, andy, ae6y > ----- Original Message ----- From: <[hidden email]> > To: <[hidden email]> > Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 7:42 AM > Subject: [Elecraft] K3 SSB is it really better > > >> I'm curious what others are finding with the K3 on SSB in contest >> conditions. I've had mine for a few months and the difference between >> my mkv and the K3 is like night and day on cw. >> >> I havn't had a chance to really test it out on SSB. I'm getting ready >> to travel to K5NA's for CQWW and I wonder if its worth taking to >> replace a ProIII or MKV on 20 meters which will be the money band >> (unless 15m opens up). >> >> 20m will be a mess and I'd like to think the K3 will help with crowded >> band conditions. >> >> Thanks >> >> Rich - N5ZC >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > 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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In reply to this post by Richard Thorne
Rich,
There where a lot of replies on the RX, and it's great but I also like to comment on the K3 when it comes to SSB TX: Audio processing - I get great reports using the HC-4 and compression and its easy to setup. With the 3.5 mm audio plugs I can use any headset available, my preference is a DT-234 fitted with a HC-4. I have not used the TX audio EQ, but I am sure you can tweak other microphones to suit your needs with it. Another fab addition is the audio gate that came with the latest beta firmware. It works great in silencing those noisy fans for better readability. Another thing I like is the ability to set different power levels for each band, makes it easier and faster to optimize drive power for the amp for faster band change. One thing I am not happy with is the fact that my K3 puts 1.5 times the power the first 5-7 seconds after a TUNE or band change. It is like ALC needs some time to stabilize when I start transmitting... I believe it is a flaw in firmware as several others have reported the same or similar behavior, and support has been notified. Except for this, I am very happy with the K3 also for SSB contesting and DX'ing. 73 de Björn /SM0MDG On 22 okt 2008, at 16.42, <[hidden email]> <[hidden email] > wrote: > I'm curious what others are finding with the K3 on SSB in contest > conditions. I've had mine for a few months and the difference > between my mkv and the K3 is like night and day on cw. > > I havn't had a chance to really test it out on SSB. I'm getting > ready to travel to K5NA's for CQWW and I wonder if its worth taking > to replace a ProIII or MKV on 20 meters which will be the money band > (unless 15m opens up). > > 20m will be a mess and I'd like to think the K3 will help with > crowded band conditions. > > Thanks > > Rich - N5ZC > _______________________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________________ 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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Bjorn,
We have already exchanged emails about this but just to be sure, did you change the TXG VCE to a lower setting?
In my case setting it to - 3 dB (minimum) made all the difference. Now even in the first few seconds it puts out right amount of power. Gary also told me te set the PS to 14.0 VDC because I was not able to get full power (100 W) om 6, 10, 12 and 160 m. Changing it form 13.8 tot 14 VDC corrected that and now all is perfect except for 160. On the Top Band it is negligible 5 W short.
As far a I can tell, my K3 is doing what it´s supposed to do. During the CQ WW SSB this weekend I will give it a run for it´s money ;-)
73, Maarten
2008/10/23 Björn Mohr <[hidden email]> Rich, _______________________________________________ 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 Maarten, PD2R Member of the PI4DX contest group www.pi4dx.com Elecraft K3 nr:1849 |
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