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KX3 setting up digital

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Bill Frantz

KX3 setting up digital

I had to set up my KX3 for digital operation with a SignaLink
USB from scratch again, and I had to learn the same "features"
which tripped me up the last time over again the hard way. I'm
documenting them here in hopes I won't forget them the next
time. (I'm also writing them on a file card to keep with the radio.)

(1) High levels of Mic input show up as zero signal. The fix is
to always start from 0 and move slowly up in levels. Mic level 5
seems to be about right for my setup.

(2) You can't be in a digital mode (DATA A etc.) and turn off
mic bias. All you get is N/A. It seems to be a poor idea to DC
bias the isolation transformers in the SignaLink, so you really
need it off. And of course, voice modes won't work until you
turn mic bias back on again.

In an ideal world, the level, bias, and VOX settings would be
saved separately for Data and Voice modes. (And the radio would
recognize that mic input settings need to be made in data modes.)

But the results are worth it. From New Hampshire, I've been able
to work 14 DXCCs including an ATNO. I also had a long rag chew
with AE5ZA in Texas, all on 20M PSK31/63 with only a few hours
of operating.

73 Bill AE6JV

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Frantz |"We used to quip that "password" is the most common
408-356-8506 | password. Now it's 'password1.' Who said
users haven't
www.pwpconsult.com | learned anything about security?" -- Bruce Schneier

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Re: KX3 setting up digital

BIll,

I believe that in Data mode, the bias if switched on in SSB is automatically switched off.

You are right about point 1, that tripped up a lot of people, including your's truly.

73 from David GM4JJJ

> On 8 May 2016, at 15:46, Bill Frantz <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I had to set up my KX3 for digital operation with a SignaLink USB from scratch again, and I had to learn the same "features" which tripped me up the last time over again the hard way. I'm documenting them here in hopes I won't forget them the next time. (I'm also writing them on a file card to keep with the radio.)
>
> (1) High levels of Mic input show up as zero signal. The fix is to always start from 0 and move slowly up in levels. Mic level 5 seems to be about right for my setup.
>
> (2) You can't be in a digital mode (DATA A etc.) and turn off mic bias. All you get is N/A. It seems to be a poor idea to DC bias the isolation transformers in the SignaLink, so you really need it off. And of course, voice modes won't work until you turn mic bias back on again.
>
> In an ideal world, the level, bias, and VOX settings would be saved separately for Data and Voice modes. (And the radio would recognize that mic input settings need to be made in data modes.)
>
> But the results are worth it. From New Hampshire, I've been able to work 14 DXCCs including an ATNO. I also had a long rag chew with AE5ZA in Texas, all on 20M PSK31/63 with only a few hours of operating.
>
> 73 Bill AE6JV
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Bill Frantz |"We used to quip that "password" is the most common
> 408-356-8506 | password. Now it's 'password1.' Who said users haven't
> www.pwpconsult.com | learned anything about security?" -- Bruce Schneier
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Re: KX3 setting up digital

Bill,

I was certain I read that mic bias was off on DATA, but now am not so sure as I cannot find reference to it. Perhaps I stumped because it isn't adjustable that it isn't on. So don't take my word for it. Perhaps I was thinking about other parameters like TX equalisation or mic button tuning or something like that.

73 from David GM4JJJ

> On 8 May 2016, at 18:51, David Anderson via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> BIll,
>
> I believe that in Data mode, the bias if switched on in SSB is automatically switched off.
>
> You are right about point 1, that tripped up a lot of people, including your's truly.
>
> 73 from David GM4JJJ
>
>> On 8 May 2016, at 15:46, Bill Frantz <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> I had to set up my KX3 for digital operation with a SignaLink USB from scratch again, and I had to learn the same "features" which tripped me up the last time over again the hard way. I'm documenting them here in hopes I won't forget them the next time. (I'm also writing them on a file card to keep with the radio.)
>>
>> (1) High levels of Mic input show up as zero signal. The fix is to always start from 0 and move slowly up in levels. Mic level 5 seems to be about right for my setup.
>>
>> (2) You can't be in a digital mode (DATA A etc.) and turn off mic bias. All you get is N/A. It seems to be a poor idea to DC bias the isolation transformers in the SignaLink, so you really need it off. And of course, voice modes won't work until you turn mic bias back on again.
>>
>> In an ideal world, the level, bias, and VOX settings would be saved separately for Data and Voice modes. (And the radio would recognize that mic input settings need to be made in data modes.)
>>
>> But the results are worth it. From New Hampshire, I've been able to work 14 DXCCs including an ATNO. I also had a long rag chew with AE5ZA in Texas, all on 20M PSK31/63 with only a few hours of operating.
>>
>> 73 Bill AE6JV
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Bill Frantz |"We used to quip that "password" is the most common
>> 408-356-8506 | password. Now it's 'password1.' Who said users haven't
>> www.pwpconsult.com | learned anything about security?" -- Bruce Schneier
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Erlend Grimseid

Re: KX3 setting up digital

In reply to this post by Bill Frantz

When i tested, mic bias remained on when switching to data mode. And it
is annoying because when using the radio with an smart phone the plug is
not recognised as an 4pole plug for some reason.

Also mic button settings can't be changed. So every time i go from hand
mic to phone I forget, the stereo plug triggers the ptt, and I have to
switch back to ssb to make changes.

I wold love to be able to change mic settings in data mode. And that mic
level, button and bias settings to be stored pr mode.

Something for the next firmware maybe?

73
La4tta
Erlend.
8. mai 2016 4:47 p.m. skrev "Bill Frantz" <[hidden email]>:

> I had to set up my KX3 for digital operation with a SignaLink USB from
> scratch again, and I had to learn the same "features" which tripped me up
> the last time over again the hard way. I'm documenting them here in hopes I
> won't forget them the next time. (I'm also writing them on a file card to
> keep with the radio.)
>
> (1) High levels of Mic input show up as zero signal. The fix is to always
> start from 0 and move slowly up in levels. Mic level 5 seems to be about
> right for my setup.
>
> (2) You can't be in a digital mode (DATA A etc.) and turn off mic bias.
> All you get is N/A. It seems to be a poor idea to DC bias the isolation
> transformers in the SignaLink, so you really need it off. And of course,
> voice modes won't work until you turn mic bias back on again.
>
> In an ideal world, the level, bias, and VOX settings would be saved
> separately for Data and Voice modes. (And the radio would recognize that
> mic input settings need to be made in data modes.)
>
> But the results are worth it. From New Hampshire, I've been able to work
> 14 DXCCs including an ATNO. I also had a long rag chew with AE5ZA in Texas,
> all on 20M PSK31/63 with only a few hours of operating.
>
> 73 Bill AE6JV
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Bill Frantz |"We used to quip that "password" is the most common
> 408-356-8506 | password. Now it's 'password1.' Who said users
> haven't
> www.pwpconsult.com | learned anything about security?" -- Bruce Schneier
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

David Orman

Re: KX3 setting up digital

Agreed re: Mic button setting, that happens to me all the time. Would it be
possible to have it turn it off when switching to DATA A? Also, widening
the filter BW out to the full 4kHz at the same time? Perhaps there's other
uses of DATA A I don't know that might make these requests invalid, so
forgive me if so. :)

Thanks!
David / K5DJO

On Sun, May 8, 2016 at 3:32 PM, Erlend Grimseid <[hidden email]> wrote:

> When i tested, mic bias remained on when switching to data mode. And it
> is annoying because when using the radio with an smart phone the plug is
> not recognised as an 4pole plug for some reason.
>
> Also mic button settings can't be changed. So every time i go from hand
> mic to phone I forget, the stereo plug triggers the ptt, and I have to
> switch back to ssb to make changes.
>
> I wold love to be able to change mic settings in data mode. And that mic
> level, button and bias settings to be stored pr mode.
>
> Something for the next firmware maybe?
>
> 73
> La4tta
> Erlend.
> 8. mai 2016 4:47 p.m. skrev "Bill Frantz" <[hidden email]>:
>
> > I had to set up my KX3 for digital operation with a SignaLink USB from
> > scratch again, and I had to learn the same "features" which tripped me up
> > the last time over again the hard way. I'm documenting them here in
> hopes I
> > won't forget them the next time. (I'm also writing them on a file card to
> > keep with the radio.)
> >
> > (1) High levels of Mic input show up as zero signal. The fix is to always
> > start from 0 and move slowly up in levels. Mic level 5 seems to be about
> > right for my setup.
> >
> > (2) You can't be in a digital mode (DATA A etc.) and turn off mic bias.
> > All you get is N/A. It seems to be a poor idea to DC bias the isolation
> > transformers in the SignaLink, so you really need it off. And of course,
> > voice modes won't work until you turn mic bias back on again.
> >
> > In an ideal world, the level, bias, and VOX settings would be saved
> > separately for Data and Voice modes. (And the radio would recognize that
> > mic input settings need to be made in data modes.)
> >
> > But the results are worth it. From New Hampshire, I've been able to work
> > 14 DXCCs including an ATNO. I also had a long rag chew with AE5ZA in
> Texas,
> > all on 20M PSK31/63 with only a few hours of operating.
> >
> > 73 Bill AE6JV
> >
> >
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Bill Frantz |"We used to quip that "password" is the most common
> > 408-356-8506 | password. Now it's 'password1.' Who said users
> > haven't
> > www.pwpconsult.com | learned anything about security?" -- Bruce Schneier
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > 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
> > Message delivered to [hidden email]
> >
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

NC3Z Gary

Re: KX3 setting up digital

I use the macros in DXLabs to do just this, when I select a digital mode
macro it turns off the Mic PTT button and sets my BW to 4KHz (actually I
set one DXL Commander button to toggle through a few select BWs).

Another Macro for SSB sets it back to the settings I want to use for SSB.

Probably could do this with the PF keys or the Macros on the PX3.

Gary Mitchelson
NC3Z/4 Pamlico County, NC FM15

On 09-May-16 16:18, David Orman wrote:

> Agreed re: Mic button setting, that happens to me all the time. Would it be
> possible to have it turn it off when switching to DATA A? Also, widening
> the filter BW out to the full 4kHz at the same time? Perhaps there's other
> uses of DATA A I don't know that might make these requests invalid, so
> forgive me if so. :)
>
> Thanks!
> David / K5DJO
>
>