Login  Register

Re: K3 and AM mode: using the DSP bandwidth controls

Posted by Bill VanAlstyne W5WVO on Dec 17, 2007; 11:23pm
URL: http://elecraft.85.s1.nabble.com/K3-and-AM-mode-using-the-DSP-bandwidth-controls-tp457125p457126.html

I'm sure my fogginess on this is due to my own understanding deficit, but I
would like some more explanation on this in order to compare how the K3 will
be used to how I use GC receivers now to listen to AM SWBC in congested bands.

I've found the best way to reduce QRM while using a typical "dumb" AM/SSB GC
receiver is to put the carrier in the center of the IF passband, then switch
to either USB or LSB mode (with the carrier zero-beat) and listen to either
the upper or the lower sideband. That way, if adjacent-channel QRM is worse on
the high side, listening only to the lower sideband eliminates it, and
vice-versa.

Will something equivalent to this mode of reception be possible on the K3?

Bill / W5WVO


wayne burdick wrote:

> A few of you have asked how to use and interpret the settings of the
> receiver's DSP controls when in AM mode (SHIFT/WIDTH and HICUT/LOCUT
> functions). I'll be improving the associated Owner's Manual section
> soon, but I thought I'd try to get the word out more quickly.
>
> What the DSP controls are adjusting is the final audio passband: what
> you hear. This is true in all modes, and is immediately reflected in
> the DSP "graphic" on the LCD. When you rotate WIDTH and see "2.80",
> that means that the audio bandwidth is 2.80 kHz. When you rotate SHIFT
> and see "1.60", that means the center of the audio passband is 1.60
> kHz.
>
> Of course there isn't just audio filtering in the K3. As you rotate
> these controls, we internally adjust the 1st and 2nd I.F. passbands
> optimally to match the audio passband. For example, in SSB mode, if
> you set WIDTH to "2.80", and have a 2.80 kHz crystal filter, then you
> have three filters all cascaded at this same bandwidth: a 2.8 kHz
> 1st-IF crystal filter (centered at 8.215 MHz); a 2.8 kHz 2nd-IF DSP
> filter (centered at 15 kHz); and finally, a 2.8 kHz DSP audio filter
> (centered at 1.6 kHz). We do all the math to make this as seamless as
> possible, selecting the ideal crystal filter as you cut the highs or
> lows or reduce the audio bandwidth.
>
> With this in mind, I can now explain what happens in AM mode, which
> has to be handled differently.
>
> An AM signal is comprised of a carrier and both sidebands. So it's
> much wider than an SSB signal, and this is why you need a 6-kHz
> crystal filter for best fidelity. But this filter bandwidth is only
> required ahead of the AM demodulator, that is, at the first and
> second I.F.s. After the demodulator, we're back to the audio passband
> -- what you hear.
>
> So, when you rotate the DSP controls in AM mode, even though you'll
> typically see the 6-kHz filter selected ("FL1" on my rig), you won't
> see "6.00" shown on the LCD. Instead, you'll see the audio bandwidth
> ("2.80", etc.), just like you do in other modes. And this is what
> makes sense, given that the controls are linked the AF passband.
>
> This will be even more apparent when using FM (coming soon!). FM
> requires a filter around 13 kHz wide. As you can see, having the DSP
> controls show something like "13.00" when WIDTH is rotated wouldn't be
> very useful. You'll want to know how they affect what you hear, not
> the underlying IF filter selection.
>
> Note: For now, I suggest that you enable only the 6-kHz crystal filter
> for AM. A future firmware revision will also properly handle the 2.8
> or 2.7 kHz crystal filters when DSP controls are rotated in AM mode. This
> will be most useful when doing hicut/locut.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
> ---
>
> http://www.elecraft.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com 

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com