Ron, I share the same challenges with PSK and RTTY decoding. My baseline is to operate my K3 while RV camping and to explore as much as I can without using a computer. I don't have full answers and folks like Lyle have been most helpful. I was last on HF 25 years ago so my K3, SN 4335, is pretty new. I think my challenge has been to better identify some aids to help in the tuning. See http://www.netdave.com/wa0ttn/Tuning.asp but note he demonstrates some concepts using a PC and I still want to tackle while camping. As a work in progress, here are some things I've noticed and some questions for the group.
WA0TTN article above mentions to "keep the PSK31 signal in the center of the most sensitive audio region of your receiver." I have 8-pole 2.8 and 8-pole 400 Hz filters but still uncertain where the most sensitive audio region of the K3 is. The tactics I'm using right now is that I set one VFO on data mode and the other VFO mode on CW, using 440 Hz (the A above C on the musical scale--the 'perfect pitch' A. It isn't clear to me yet, despite some poking around on the net what two frequencies are used for PSK signaling. I'm assuming that if I knew the 2 freqs then I could pick a center freq and use some PITCH setting in CW mode to get me close? For example, one of the PSK macros submitted by Matt, W6NIA, in the K3 Utility Command Tester Help file shifts the IF center freq to 1100 Hz and changes filter bandwidth to 1800 Hz. But there isn't explanation of why those numbers were chosen and I haven't tried IF shifting before. In other words, when I can't get a quick decode using the recommended techniques, what can I do in CW mode to 'get me in the ballpark." I do notice that I can decode much weaker PSK signals than RTTY signals -- and that is still a challenge for me (have some disabilities). Within the last day or two, it occurred to me that I should tune into the W1AW data transmissions 14.095 at 3PM and 6PM Pacific time. Then I assume that once I get a solid decode, I could switch into CW or some other mode to compare what the audio should sound like. It would be neat to pick a certain CW pitch freq then SPOT it in CW mode to get me closer. SPOT in PSK mode sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, but without a computer I can't analyze why it works or why it doesn't work. I haven't run into too much QRM as an issue and SPOT PSK mode certainly works pretty good on strong signals. SPOT CW mode on actual CW signals pretty much is nearly 100% in matching whatever PITCH tone I select. But, as the more experienced folks say, the SPOT PSK technique doesn't get a PSK decode with the same reliability as SPOT CW when actually doing CW QSOs. I'll be following this thread most carefully. Dennis KB7ST Snohomish WA -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/k3-PSK31-tuning-tp5416698p5417461.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
