K3 - low line output level

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

73, Pete N4ZR

The World Contest Station Database, updated daily at www.conteststations.com
The Reverse Beacon Network at http://reversebeacon.net, blog at
reversebeacon.blogspot.com,
spots at telnet.reversebeacon.net, port 7000
I have been trying to get set up to record CW contests, including both
my CW and that of the people I'm working.  In the process I'm having
trouble with what seems to be a low LIN OUT level.  I currently have it
at a setting of 96 (!) and my monitor at a setting of 58, and when I
send a string of dots while watching on an old, uncalibrated scope, I
see only about .1 volts of audio.  Meanwhile, the manual says that any
setting of the LIN OUT level more than 10 should be avoided, but I find
that even with these very high settings I have to run the gain controls
on the sound card wide open to get even a low level of audio through.

Am I missing a setting, or, alternatively, can anyone suggest some
trouble-shooting parameters?  This is a brand-new KIO3A board that I
bought to replace one that had an RS-232 failure due to lightning.  I
have written to Elecraft support but thought in the meantime it wouldn't
hurt to post on this list.
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[Pete Smith N4ZR]

Several people asked me to relay my findings because they had similar
problems.

As usual Elecraft support was very quick to respond, but nothing turned
up to be wrong on my end, so far as I (and they) can tell.  The support
rep said, "Normally, the max levels at the LINE IN and LINE OUT are
50-100 millivolts rms or less. The menu and controls on the K3 provide
plenty of range in most cases, with most PCs."  This statement tracks
fairly well with my old scope, which appears to show ~100 mv
peak-to-peak from the Monitor tone when Line Out level is set at 90 and
the monitor is at about 60.

Can anyone else with better equipment or more knowledge confirm that
this level is what you're seeing.

73, Pete N4ZR

The World Contest Station Database, updated daily at www.conteststations.com
The Reverse Beacon Network at http://reversebeacon.net, blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com,
spots at telnet.reversebeacon.net, port 7000


On 7/16/2010 9:48 AM, Mike Henry wrote:

> Pete,
>
> Did you get any replies to this off the reflector?  I've got exactly the
> same problem and thought I'd see if there was an easy answer before I went
> to Elecraft.  I know it isn't the soundcard because the line out on my Omni
> 7 drives the snot out of it.
>
> 73, Mike, KM4H
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Pete Smith N4ZR
> Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 10:53 AM
> To: Elecraft List
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 - low line output level
>
> I have been trying to get set up to record CW contests, including both
> my CW and that of the people I'm working.  In the process I'm having
> trouble with what seems to be a low LIN OUT level.  I currently have it
> at a setting of 96 (!) and my monitor at a setting of 58, and when I
> send a string of dots while watching on an old, uncalibrated scope, I
> see only about .1 volts of audio.  Meanwhile, the manual says that any
> setting of the LIN OUT level more than 10 should be avoided, but I find
> that even with these very high settings I have to run the gain controls
> on the sound card wide open to get even a low level of audio through.
>
> Am I missing a setting, or, alternatively, can anyone suggest some
> trouble-shooting parameters?  This is a brand-new KIO3A board that I
> bought to replace one that had an RS-232 failure due to lightning.  I
> have written to Elecraft support but thought in the meantime it wouldn't
> hurt to post on this list.
>
>    

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