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K3 and JT65

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hf4me

K3 and JT65

OK, I think this may have been discussed but I cannot find it.

Seems like I remember a gain mod for the K3 line output ???? Maybe it was
something else but I wasn't interested at the time.

I am trying to run JT65-HF for the first time and I find that even with the
gain in the program at max that the input to the PC from the K3 line out is
not enough except for the strongest signals. I have the gains in the PC set
to 100% for all. HRD and DM780 for all of the digital modes works just
fine. as it is.

Thanks es 73, de Jim KG0KP

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Iain MacDonnell - N6ML-2

Re: K3 and JT65

Jim,

What do you have "CONFIG:LIN OUT" set to? I usually run it around 20.....

73,

~iain / N6ML

On Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 11:20 PM, Jim Miller KG0KP
<[hidden email]> wrote:

> OK, I think this may have been discussed but I cannot find it.
>
> Seems like I remember a gain mod for the K3 line output ???? Maybe it was
> something else but I wasn't interested at the time.
>
> I am trying to run JT65-HF for the first time and I find that even with the
> gain in the program at max that the input to the PC from the K3 line out is
> not enough except for the strongest signals. I have the gains in the PC set
> to 100% for all. HRD and DM780 for all of the digital modes works just
> fine. as it is.
>
> Thanks es 73, de Jim KG0KP
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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Mike K2MK

Re: K3 and JT65

In reply to this post by hf4me

Hi Jim,

I don't recall there ever being a mod for line out level. You might be thinking of the mod to increase the IF output for the P3.

In your case, in addition to adjusting CONFIG:LIN OUT, be sure to check your left/right balance on your PC input. I'm pretty sure that the signal will only be present on the left channel. The SUB RX (if supplied and turned on) comes out on the right channel. Also make sure you are using a stereo cable and that it is fully inserted. Also, make sure your line out is held at a constant level by setting CONFIG:LIN OUT to NOR and not PHONES. The "1" button toggles between NOR and PHONES. Please read page 20 in the manual.

Last, and probably unlikely, make sure your PC is really utilizing the line in. I remember a similar posting from a couple of years ago where the PC was decoding only strong PSK and RTTY signals. The problem was that there was no valid audio connection between the K3 and PC and the laptop PC in use was merely picking up the stronger signals on its built-in microphone.

73,
Mike K2MK

hf4me wrote

OK, I think this may have been discussed but I cannot find it.

Seems like I remember a gain mod for the K3 line output ???? Maybe it was
something else but I wasn't interested at the time.

I am trying to run JT65-HF for the first time and I find that even with the
gain in the program at max that the input to the PC from the K3 line out is
not enough except for the strongest signals. I have the gains in the PC set
to 100% for all. HRD and DM780 for all of the digital modes works just
fine. as it is.

Thanks es 73, de Jim KG0KP

Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: K3 and JT65

In reply to this post by hf4me

Jim,

The K3 has plenty of output for JT65-HF if your sound card is set-up
properly. My K3 never leaves the default Line Out = 10. My sound card
input level in Windows 7 is 90% and the manual input level (voltage
divider on the input) is at 1:00 (60%).

Make sure Line Out is set to NOR not =PHONES and JT65-HF is configured
for the line input from your sound card - not mic which could mean
acoustic coupling between the K3 speaker and a mic in the computer.

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 4/24/2012 2:20 AM, Jim Miller KG0KP wrote:

hf4me

Re: K3 and JT65

Yes, my cfglineout was set to "nor 005" and turning it up to 20 brought the
signal up considerably and continuing up made snow appear in the background
so backed it down.

However, and this is not a K3 problem, If I back down the gain in the
program to center it lowers the signals as well and I don't know where it
should actually be set. Using 20 but wondering if I am missing some I
should be hearing. I will have to play with it unless somebody has an
opinion on the readings I should have. They say -15 and up some. Is that
supposed to be "normal" or is it way too low.

This has gone beyond the K3 now so I will end this line. Pleae respond
direct to not use up any more K3 time for what is now off topic.

Thanks everyone, de Jim KG0KP

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Jim Brown-10

Re: K3 and JT65

On 4/26/2012 10:31 AM, Jim Miller KG0KP wrote:
> Yes, my cfglineout was set to "nor 005" and turning it up to 20 brought the
> signal up considerably and continuing up made snow appear in the background
> so backed it down.

Note that in Windoze, there are TWO Sound Mixers. The RECORD mixer
Selects the input to the computer that is used to DECODE a digital
signal. The PLAYBACK mixer MIXES various computer sources and sends
them to the radio as modulation. The two mixers are accesses from the
Options tab.

The Master Fader in the Playback mixer should be set to full output.
The WAV Fader should be set to roughly half way up. All the other faders
should be muted.

The Record Mixer should select the input that you're using. As someone
else suggested, make sure that the internal mike is not switched on. Go
to the Mic section, select Advanced or any other tab around the Mic
fader, and check the settings.

As others have suggested, when you have JT65 sending TX tones, you
should hear them if you plug headphones into the output (and on laptop
speakers, if you're using a laptop. If you hear the tones, proceed to
the radio.

At the radio, you need SOMETHING to make it transmit. Some use PTT, but
I use VOX. One common simple thing is that you may need to adjust the
VOX level to make it transmit. That's on the CONFIG "short push" menu.
To adjust it, make sure the computer is sending tones and advance the
VOX gain until you start transmitting. Also, you may need to increase
the Line Input gain. When you're in a Digital mode, the front panel Mic
Gain pot adjusts the Line Input gain.

There are MANY guys using a K3 for JT65, and everything works great once
you get going. I suspect your problem is something simple.

73, Jim K9YC
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Iain MacDonnell - N6ML-2

Re: K3 and JT65

In reply to this post by hf4me

On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 10:31 AM, Jim Miller KG0KP
<[hidden email]> wrote:
> Yes, my cfglineout was set to "nor 005" and turning it up to 20 brought the
> signal up considerably and continuing up made snow appear in the background
> so backed it down.

Noise on the waterfall is normal - it's the same noise you can hear
with your ears.

> However, and this is not a K3 problem, If I back down the gain in the
> program to center it lowers the signals as well and I don't know where it
> should actually be set. Using 20 but wondering if I am missing some I
> should be hearing. I will have to play with it unless somebody has an
> opinion on the readings I should have. They say -15 and up some. Is that
> supposed to be "normal" or is it way too low.

With JT65-HF, the recommendation is to adjust the audio levels until
you see approximately 0 (mid-scale) on the "Audio Input Levels"
meter(s) when receiving only noise. When you're receiving signals, the
meter should go up from 0 (although maybe not by much, if it's a weak
signal).

Signal reports are given in dB relative to a sampling of the entire
audio passband noise - nothing to do with the Audio Input Level
numbers really.

73,

~iain / N6ML
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Jim Brown-10

Re: K3 and JT65

In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10

On 4/26/2012 10:59 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
> There are MANY guys using a K3 for JT65

One VERY important thing I forgot to mention is the accuracy of your
computer's clock. All of the WSJT protocols signals start and stop at
precise times -- JT65 transmits from 1 second after the minute to 48
seconds after -- and the decoder starts working immediately thereafter.
If your clock is more than a few seconds off, you'll get fewer decodes
and fewer stations will decode your signal. As timing errors extend much
past 4-5 seconds, neither you or the other station is likely to decode.

You CAN set your clock by hand using WWV, but a better way is software
that uses the NTP protocol to do it automatically. I've recently been
using a program called Net Time.

73, Jim K9YC
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: K3 and JT65

Another easy to use application for setting the Windows clock
automatically is to use Atomic Clock Sync - it is freeware and available
from http://www.worldtimeserver.com/atomic-clock/.
You can configure it to adjust the time daily or when Windows is
started, and/or manually initiated by clicking the Ping Now button.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 4/26/2012 4:47 PM, Jim Brown wrote:

> On 4/26/2012 10:59 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
>> There are MANY guys using a K3 for JT65
> One VERY important thing I forgot to mention is the accuracy of your
> computer's clock. All of the WSJT protocols signals start and stop at
> precise times -- JT65 transmits from 1 second after the minute to 48
> seconds after -- and the decoder starts working immediately thereafter.
> If your clock is more than a few seconds off, you'll get fewer decodes
> and fewer stations will decode your signal. As timing errors extend much
> past 4-5 seconds, neither you or the other station is likely to decode.
>
> You CAN set your clock by hand using WWV, but a better way is software
> that uses the NTP protocol to do it automatically. I've recently been
> using a program called Net Time.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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Tony Estep

Re: K3 and JT65

On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 4:14 PM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote:

> ...use Atomic Clock Sync...

===========
Or with some wrangling you can bend Windows 7 to your will. As you
doubtless know already, you can sync it manually whenever you want by
right-clicking the time/date display at the right end of the taskbar. You
can make it auto-sync more frequently by following the steps found here:

http://www.pretentiousname.com/timesync/index.html

Note that according to the author of this page, the registry value called
SpecialPollInterval apparently does not do what you want. I am one of those
who believed that it would, but evidently it doesn't. Anyway, the
directions posted are kinda ugly but they definitely worked for me.

Tony KT0NY
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Jon Kåre Hellan

Re: K3 and JT65

On 04/26/2012 11:41 PM, Tony Estep wrote:

> On Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 4:14 PM, Don Wilhelm<[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> ...use Atomic Clock Sync...
>
> ===========
> Or with some wrangling you can bend Windows 7 to your will. As you
> doubtless know already, you can sync it manually whenever you want by
> right-clicking the time/date display at the right end of the taskbar. You
> can make it auto-sync more frequently by following the steps found here:
>
> http://www.pretentiousname.com/timesync/index.html
>
> Note that according to the author of this page, the registry value called
> SpecialPollInterval apparently does not do what you want. I am one of those
> who believed that it would, but evidently it doesn't. Anyway, the
> directions posted are kinda ugly but they definitely worked for me.
>

You can get NTP for Windows from here:
http://www.meinberg.de/english/sw/ntp.htm

NTP is the internet standard for time sync. The server synchs as often
as necessary, determined by the algorithms of David Mills W3HCF.

If your computer is continuously on, and you have a good internet
connection, it should keep you within a few tens of microseconds of
correct time.

Jon LA4RT

> Tony KT0NY
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