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Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

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Peter Chamalian W1RM

Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

I'd like to hear from CW operators who have upgraded to the new synthesizer
boards. Is there a material/noticeable change in the K3 performance? Do you
think the upgrade was worth it?

Pete, W1RM

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dmb@lightstream.net

Re: Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

Hello Pete,

It probably depends upon what aspects of CW operation are most important
to you. IMHO, the upgrade was well worth it. I posted my comments about it
yesterday with the subject line: "[K3] New KSYN3A CW timing"

73, Dale
WA8SRA

Jim Sheldon

Re: Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

In reply to this post by Peter Chamalian W1RM

Pete and other interested parties,
IMO, yes, it was worth it, but as previously stated by others, it
depends on what your operating style/habits are. If you are a casual CW
operator and don't really use QSK, you may never notice the changes as
they are really subtle to most ears. Most noticeable to me, the
switching transitions from RX to TX and back are much cleaner and enough
faster that normal QSK without turning QSK mode on will allow you to
hear smoothly between dots at 45-50 wpm. Also it's fast enough that the
internal keyer's CW weighting sounds like it should rather than having
to weight it heavier. I mainly use a bug these days, but the
transitions are smooth enough that the harsh switching has been toned
down to the point the sidetone sounds very nice and It is so smooth and
fast that while I'm sending (at least up to 30 wpm - haven't tried it
faster yet) it sounds like the RX never shuts off. With the old
synthesizer(s) (I have both receivers) there was a very small hesitation
between key down and key up before the RX came back to life. I do not
notice that anymore though physically it has to still be there. The
much faster switching time makes it more pleasant to someone like me who
has used mostly CW and QSK for my whole 50+ years in ham radio. It's
almost like having separate transmitters and receivers linked to the
same VFO, using separate antennas and no receiver muting, only RF
overload protection. (Only way I know to explain it). Your mileage
will certainly vary.

Jim - W0EB

------ Original Message ------
From: "Peter Chamalian W1RM" <[hidden email]>
To: "'Elecraft Reflector'" <[hidden email]>
Sent: 2/24/2015 8:00:24 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a
noticable change?

>I'd like to hear from CW operators who have upgraded to the new
>synthesizer
>boards. Is there a material/noticeable change in the K3 performance? Do
>you
>think the upgrade was worth it?
>
>
>
>
>
>Pete, W1RM
>
>
>
>______________________________________________________________
>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]

Peter Chamalian W1RM

Re: Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

Thanks for the comment. I am a CW contester and DXer. I use QSK but with
CW QRQ off. Of particular interest is the performance when you are the
subject of a pileup as is often the case in a contest when you are running.

Pete, W1RM

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Jim's
Desktop
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 10:15 AM
To: 'Elecraft Reflector'
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a
noticable change?

Pete and other interested parties,
IMO, yes, it was worth it, but as previously stated by others, it
depends on what your operating style/habits are. If you are a casual CW
operator and don't really use QSK, you may never notice the changes as
they are really subtle to most ears. Most noticeable to me, the
switching transitions from RX to TX and back are much cleaner and enough
faster that normal QSK without turning QSK mode on will allow you to
hear smoothly between dots at 45-50 wpm. Also it's fast enough that the
internal keyer's CW weighting sounds like it should rather than having
to weight it heavier. I mainly use a bug these days, but the
transitions are smooth enough that the harsh switching has been toned
down to the point the sidetone sounds very nice and It is so smooth and
fast that while I'm sending (at least up to 30 wpm - haven't tried it
faster yet) it sounds like the RX never shuts off. With the old
synthesizer(s) (I have both receivers) there was a very small hesitation
between key down and key up before the RX came back to life. I do not
notice that anymore though physically it has to still be there. The
much faster switching time makes it more pleasant to someone like me who
has used mostly CW and QSK for my whole 50+ years in ham radio. It's
almost like having separate transmitters and receivers linked to the
same VFO, using separate antennas and no receiver muting, only RF
overload protection. (Only way I know to explain it). Your mileage
will certainly vary.

Jim - W0EB

------ Original Message ------
From: "Peter Chamalian W1RM" <[hidden email]>
To: "'Elecraft Reflector'" <[hidden email]>
Sent: 2/24/2015 8:00:24 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a
noticable change?

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KENT TRIMBLE

Re: Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

In reply to this post by Peter Chamalian W1RM

Considering the time and effort to make them happen, all Elecraft
upgrades are worth it.

Whether you want to own an "upgraded" radio or a "downgraded" radio is
up to you.

Kent K9ZTV

On 2/24/2015 8:00 AM, someone wrote:
> Do you think the upgrade was worth it?
>
>
>
>

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Elecraft mailing list

Re: Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

It is not worth the time and effort, forget the cost, to upgrade
George, W6GF

On Tuesday, February 24, 2015 8:42 AM, KENT TRIMBLE <[hidden email]> wrote:

Considering the time and effort to make them happen, all Elecraft
upgrades are worth it.

Whether you want to own an "upgraded" radio or a "downgraded" radio is
up to you.

Kent K9ZTV

On 2/24/2015 8:00 AM, someone wrote:
> Do you think the upgrade was worth it?
>
>
>
>

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Phil Wheeler-2

Re: Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

Only took me 20 min, George. Very noticeable improvement on CW contest last weekend.

Phil - Sent from my iPad

> On Feb 24, 2015, at 09:28, george fritkin via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> It is not worth the time and effort, forget the cost, to upgrade
> George, W6GF
>
> On Tuesday, February 24, 2015 8:42 AM, KENT TRIMBLE <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>
> Considering the time and effort to make them happen, all Elecraft
> upgrades are worth it.
>
> Whether you want to own an "upgraded" radio or a "downgraded" radio is
> up to you.
>
> Kent K9ZTV
>
>
>
>> On 2/24/2015 8:00 AM, someone wrote:
>> Do you think the upgrade was worth it?
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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>
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dmb@lightstream.net

Re: Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

George,

So you've actually purchased, installed, and worked with the new synth
card(s)? With what were you disappointed?

Dale
WA8SRA

> It is not worth the time and effort, forget the cost, to upgrade
> George, W6GF
>
> On Tuesday, February 24, 2015 8:42 AM, KENT TRIMBLE
> <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>
> Considering the time and effort to make them happen, all Elecraft
> upgrades are worth it.
>
> Whether you want to own an "upgraded" radio or a "downgraded" radio is
> up to you.
>
> KentÂ K9ZTV
>
>
>
> On 2/24/2015 8:00 AM, someone wrote:
>> Do you think the upgrade was worth it?
>>
>>Â
>>
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]

Elecraft mailing list

Re: Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

In reply to this post by Peter Chamalian W1RM

For me I installed the new KSYN3A for a different reason, I wanted the 100-490 kHz additional range.
I have been using RX Converters for years to listen to that range and have been wanting to builda new converter for that range that would be locked to the same 10 MHz reference as the K3.
Then out of the blue Elecraft released the new KSYN3A board pretty much providing the solution.

From: Peter Chamalian W1RM <[hidden email]>
To: 'Elecraft Reflector' <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 9:00 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

I'd like to hear from CW operators who have upgraded to the new synthesizer
boards. Is there a material/noticeable change in the K3 performance? Do you
think the upgrade was worth it?

Pete, W1RM

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Bob-270

Re: Upgrading to the new Syn Card -- is there a noticable change?

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

Totally dependent on what you expect from it. Something I missed since my
Kenwood TS930 days was SWL'ing the beacons. That extended coverage was worth
the cost to me.

Anything else is a bonus. Also looking for the QSK improvement as a secondary
reason but would not have influenced my decision. So bought 2 PWA's hope to get
them in this week.

73,
Bob
K2TK ex KN2TKR (1956) & K2TKR

On 2/24/2015 12:28 PM, george fritkin via Elecraft wrote:

> It is not worth the time and effort, forget the cost, to upgrade
> George, W6GF
>
> On Tuesday, February 24, 2015 8:42 AM, KENT TRIMBLE <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>
> Considering the time and effort to make them happen, all Elecraft
> upgrades are worth it.
>
> Whether you want to own an "upgraded" radio or a "downgraded" radio is
> up to you.
>
> Kent K9ZTV
>
>
>
> On 2/24/2015 8:00 AM, someone wrote:
>> Do you think the upgrade was worth it?