[KX3] Audio Clicks and Poor RX receive

[Phil Hystad-3]

To all you KX3 experts out there, I am sure I have something wrong with the KX3 since it just has to be better than the experience I have had so far.  I am hoping that someone can point out some flaw or thing I can check or correct.

Problem Number One:  I have audio key clicks when sending (using paddle and keyer).  These clicks show up in headphones and on speaker.  Using a separate receiver for copy, I detect no key clicks in the actual transmitted signal.  Any clues?

So far I have experimented with AF level, RF level, and Filter Width.  I can get the clicks to disappear with the filter down to 100 Hz but I am not sure if this indicates anything.


Problem Number Two:  Receive performance is not what I would expect.  There are many signals I can hear and receive on my K3 that I cannot hear on the KX3 using the very same antenna.  If the signal is strong, I can hear it on the KX3 but it has to be pretty strong like S9 on the K3.  Although, while playing with this today I did hear D44AC on 20-meters on the KX3 and immediately switched to the K3 and turned the KPA500 on to break up the pile up -- my first Cape Verde QSO.

So, any ideas would be appreciated to either or both problems.

73, phil, K7PEH


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[Mike B-12]

On 11/22/2012 06:26 PM, Phil Hystad wrote:
> Problem Number One:  I have audio key clicks when sending (using paddle and keyer).  These clicks show up in headphones and on speaker.  Using a separate receiver for copy, I detect no key clicks in the actual transmitted signal.  Any clues?
>
> So far I have experimented with AF level, RF level, and Filter Width.  I can get the clicks to disappear with the filter down to 100 Hz but I am not sure if this indicates anything.
Is the rig set to QSK?  I had some clicks, possibly what you're hearing.  A
suggestion on the list was to set the break-in delay (manual page 16) to a small
value.  QSK is 0; I set it to 0.03 some time ago and no more clicks.  True, it's
no longer QSK, but the delay is so small it doesn't bother me.  A shorter delay
may resolve it for you.

73,

Mike, KW1ND
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[Andrew Moore-3]

It's a long shot and may be completely irrelevant but what's your AGC
threshold (MENU: AGC*THR)?  Default is now 005 (was 007 in the past), but
wonder if you've tried varying it.

Regarding receiver performance - again, maybe a stretch here - but when I
first got my KX3, I found myself in disbelief at the fact that a signal was
so weak, until I realized I was listening to it on the wrong side of zero
beat. For whatever reason, it was just copyable, and instead of tuning
farther out, I tried to narrow down on that image until I gave up and tuned
away, and found the real signal. I don't imagine that's your problem but
thought I'd mention it. I assume the differences you're hearing between KX3
and K3 aren't quite as drastic.

73,
--Andrew, NV1B
maineware.net
..

On Thu, Nov 22, 2012 at 6:26 PM, Phil Hystad <[hidden email]> wrote:

> To all you KX3 experts out there, I am sure I have something wrong with
> the KX3 since it just has to be better than the experience I have had so
> far.  I am hoping that someone can point out some flaw or thing I can check
> or correct.
>
> Problem Number One:  I have audio key clicks when sending (using paddle
> and keyer).  These clicks show up in headphones and on speaker.  Using a
> separate receiver for copy, I detect no key clicks in the actual
> transmitted signal.  Any clues?
>
> So far I have experimented with AF level, RF level, and Filter Width.  I
> can get the clicks to disappear with the filter down to 100 Hz but I am not
> sure if this indicates anything.
>
>
> Problem Number Two:  Receive performance is not what I would expect.
>  There are many signals I can hear and receive on my K3 that I cannot hear
> on the KX3 using the very same antenna.  If the signal is strong, I can
> hear it on the KX3 but it has to be pretty strong like S9 on the K3.
>  Although, while playing with this today I did hear D44AC on 20-meters on
> the KX3 and immediately switched to the K3 and turned the KPA500 on to
> break up the pile up -- my first Cape Verde QSO.
>
> So, any ideas would be appreciated to either or both problems.
>
> 73, phil, K7PEH
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

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