Don, You should have the amp's keyin (or PTT) keyed with the K3 KEYOUT signal. If you have it that way, you are "doing it right"
Not all amps are capable of QSK because they use big, clunky, open frame relays that take a considerable amount of time to pull in and the contacts stop bouncing. It sounds like you have one of those. Your choice of semi-breakin helps on the trailing edge of your keying, but you really need help on the leading edge of keying to keep your amp's relay from "hot switching" - that is a condition where RF is present at the relay contacts before the relay contacts have positively closed. You can upgrade the amp's relays to a use faster relays or add a QSK kit to your amplifier, or you can set the K3 for semi-breakin (as you have done), but consider that on the leading edge of your keying, RF may be presented to the amplifier before the relay contacts have stopped bouncing - the K3 allows you delay the onset of RF to compensate for that condition. See the TX DLY menu setting on page 61 of the manual. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/17/2012 7:49 AM, [email protected] wrote: > I am attempting to slowly learn to work with CW but at first it is with > a computer program but I am not sure if that is relevant. > > I understand the reason for break in as it allows for RX listening > between your TX in case someone it trying to contact your. > > The issue is that when using VOX and with semi or full breakin when > using my amp the relays in the amp are clicking and clacking like crazy > which to me seems very abusive to the amp. My solution has been to go > to semi break in and then set a long delay time so the amp and K3 stay > keyed. > > The amp is an SGC powercube and I do have it wired to the K3 so it gets > a PTT signal. > > Am I doing the right thing with the delay or are there other ways to > stop the amp from going nuts or is this just the nature of the beast. > > > ~73 > Don > KD8NNU > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
