K3 sidetone volume Request

[Steve Ellington]

Having to engage the sidetone (steady tone) in order to adjust the level is
annoying.
Example: When using headphones, I have to crank up the sidetone to about 40.
If I unplug the headphones and hit the key, the sidetone almost blast me off
my chair. Wakes up the XYL too! Most rigs let you simply turn a knob and
adjust the sidetone level without the tone running and they also let you
adjust volume while you are sending. The whole pitch, spot, mon thing needs
to be revisited. Here's what I would prefer....
For CW mode: The mon level is the default. It simply controls the sidetone
volume and can be adjusted while sending (no steady tone).
For SSB: Don't care.
It just seems natural and logical to be able to adjust my sidetone without
the controls being disable by hitting the key or another knob and to be
adjustable "on the fly"....
Let's assume I'm in the middle of a CW QSO and I suddenly need to put on my
headphones due to QSB or XYL. I'm sending along, plug in the headphones and
suddenly my sidetone is way down below the noise level..To increase the
gain, I push the PWR button in and the sidetone is now a continuous
tone....Not good...can't hear the other guy....Tap the key and sidetone goes
off and now I can adjust. Hey...that's what I wanted all along. Why not just
make it the default for CW mode? If I want a steady tone, I'll push the Spot
button. Woops, can't do that because it disables my mon volume adjustment.
This is weird. I guess as a CW op, the sidetone volume adjustment is far
more important than PWR.  At least make it a menu item.
Thanks for reading. 73

N4LQ
Steve Ellington
[hidden email]

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[Ken Kopp-3]

Hi Steve,

FWIW ....

I'm a CW only guy and use phones and speaker about
equally.

I fiddled with the sidetone level a few times when I first put
my K3 (S/N 56) on the air, and haven't touched it since.

I -think- my hearing is "normal", and the level is set at 30.
I just tried both ways of listening with attention paid to level,
and I don't hear any difference.  I wonder if there's some
"issue" with the phones you're using?  I tried your level and
yes, that level is LOUD.  Have you tried a different pair?  
I have both a Heil HS and a pair of lightweight RS phones
and both produce the same level.

73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
       
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[Steve Ellington]

Ken
Different headphones require different sidetone level. I use QSK 100%. Band
noise conditions dictate various ST levels too. I'm always messing with it.
I like it loud so it overrides the background noise. When the XYL is asleep,
I turn it down. I can't imagine leaving it set at 30 all the time but that's
a personal preference. I just want to be able to change it on the fly and
not have to put up with steady tones, holding in buttons and having it
dysfunction when I hit some other key.
I suppose I've always been picky about sidetone quality. I used to modify
old TenTec rigs which had this horrible sawtooth sidetone. Click and thumps
annoy me. The K3's sidetone is great. 73 N4LQ
Steve Ellington
[hidden email]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Kopp" <[hidden email]>
To: "Steve Ellington" <[hidden email]>; <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 10:29 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 sidetone volume Request

> Hi Steve,
>
> FWIW ....
>
> I'm a CW only guy and use phones and speaker about
> equally.
>
> I fiddled with the sidetone level a few times when I first put
> my K3 (S/N 56) on the air, and haven't touched it since.
>
> I -think- my hearing is "normal", and the level is set at 30.
> I just tried both ways of listening with attention paid to level,
> and I don't hear any difference.  I wonder if there's some
> "issue" with the phones you're using?  I tried your level and
> yes, that level is LOUD.  Have you tried a different pair?
> I have both a Heil HS and a pair of lightweight RS phones
> and both produce the same level.
>
> 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
>

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[P.B. Christensen]

> For CW mode: The mon level is the default. It simply controls the sidetone
volume and can be adjusted while sending (no steady tone).

Good idea.  I've also become accustomed to CW side-tone that tracks with the
AF volume control.  In doing so, the MON control still sets the side-tone to
Rx audio mix ratio.  Perhaps another option one day...

Pau, W9AC


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