Dave: This is a great post. I am not currently working JT but you just motivated me. I will begin using it. Thank you for taking your time to write this very useful set of instructions.
Ramon NQ9V > On Feb 28, 2016, at 9:00 AM, N5XL . <n...@hotmail.com> wrote: > > Sid, > > While I am not using a K3 (I am running a KX3/KXPA100), I can give you a > general guideline of how I control things here for successful operation in > JT. It should give you a general guideline on what to initially adjust, look > for, and set up for your K3 / computer / software package. > > My specifics are a KX3/KXPA100 with Windows 10, no rig interface (kx3 > connects to computer directly via audio cables and usb cables) and WJST-X. > Antenna is a 40 meter extended double zepp fed with open wire feed for > multiband operation. I make all my JT contacts in DATA mode and not SSB > mode, and while I can and have made data contacts in SSB mode, I find it much > less worrysome from an ALC settings standpoint to use DATA mode for digital > contacts. I make hundreds of JT contacts on the bands, 40-15 meters mostly. > > First, make sure you have your computer and JT software set up to control rig > keying correctly. It is important to make sure the computer, JT software and > the K3 all talk together properly and perform as expected with regard to rig > keying first. In WSJT-X, I use cat control to key the radio. I do not use > VOX. > > On the radio side, in DATA mode, I have the mic gain on my KX3 at 25. This > is generally where I run the mic gain when I make SSB contacts and should > serve as a good initial starting point for you. Be aware that, at least on > the KX3, too high of a mic gain setting will show no ALC indication and can > give erratic rig performance regard to TX output stability (what I would call > as “power hunting”…a cycling or slow oscillation of ALC indication and > indicated power output as the KX3 tries to maintain a stable output). I > would imagine the K3 to be similar. Generally speaking, err on the low side > of mic gain settings as you can easily make ALC fine tuning adjustments for > higher ALC within the JT software later. Once the mic gain on the radio is > set where you have solid radio keying and power output performance, do not > touch it again in normal JT operation. You can always come back later after > performing the below rough adjustments and make any minor settings for > optimal performance later. As a general guide, once the mic gain is set for > good solid operation, you never touch it again. > > On the computer side, specifically with regard to the audio slider settings > in Windows, I have the Playback device level set at 50 (midscale). If your > soundcard in your computer allows for advanced settings such as audio > equalization or audio effects, make sure all of these are turned off. On the > Recording side, it too is set for midscale or 50. Make sure you have any > special audio effects on the recording side turned off. Pay special > attention to any mic gain or boost settings if your soundcard has these > features and ensure they are all turned off. Once set within Windows, I do > not touch the audio slider settings again. There is a lot of variation here > with regard to proper audio settings you will end up within Windows due to > hundreds of different possible audio cards found in various computers and the > final mic gain setting you choose on the K3, but generally speaking, you are > looking for non-overdriven audio input as indicted by the ALC display on the > K3 with the mic gain set as described above. > > In your JT software, you should have some sort of audio sliders that do > basically the same thing as the Windows sliders settings. In WSTJ-X, there > are two controls you will use to make the necessary audio fine tuning > adjustments. Set the RX audio input slider so that you have acceptable RX > audio levels for good decode. In WSJT-X, this control can be found on the > main program window, on the far left hand side of the display. I find the > best decoding performance to be when the RX audio slider is adjusted so that > the software displays a levels of approximately 25-30 dB in RX mode with no > stations transmitting (ie, monitoring a quiet band). This is approximately > midscale on the visual display. Once the RX level is set, you can then > adjust your waterfall visual display so that you have whatever visual > settings you prefer to see (all of these visual sliders are at the bottom of > the WSJT-X Wide Graph window.) The takeaway here is to have the AF gain > settings on the rig and recording audio sliders within Windows to give > approximately 30db of indication within WSJT-X. Fine tuning here can be done > within WSJT-X or even with the AF gain control on the K3 if need be. > > With regard to TX audio levels in WSJT-X, the slider you want to adjust for > proper ALC indication on the K3 is the Pwr slider, found on the far right > hand side of the main program window. Set the Pwr slider to be approximately > midscale initially. Key up the K3 with the TUNE function within WJST-X and > while transmitting, slide the slider using your mouse wheel (don’t drag the > slider by clicking and holding with the mouse), up or down, to obtain 4 solid > bars as displayed on the K3. It wont take much in the way of adjusting the > Pwr slider to obtain the correct ALC indication if the mic gain on the K3 and > the Windows audio settings are correct. Hovering your mouse over the power > slider should show you WJST-X’s TX digital gain level. For my setup, I show > approximately -20db, but this exact value will be different for your specific > rig settings and computer audio settings. I generally like to see the Pwr > slider about midway of the scale. This gives you ample adjustment, up or > down, as needed to get the ALC as displayed on the K3 correct. The general > takeaway at this step is that you want your K3 mic gain and Windows playback > audio sliders set so that you use approximately a midscale level on the Pwr > slider in WSJT-X in order to give a good ALC indication on the K3. > > After the initial adjustments described above, make all of your fine tuning > ALC settings for the K3 through WSJT-X. Don’t touch the mic gain setting on > the K3 or touch the Windows audio sliders. The Pwr slider in the WSJT-X > software has a much better fine tuning control of the ALC settings displayed > on the K3 than you can obtain with either the radio or within Windows. As > you change bands, and even as you change specific audio TX frequencies within > the waterfall display, monitor the ALC display on the K3 and use the WJST Pwr > slider to make any minor fine tuning adjustments for proper indication of > ALC. Once its all set correctly, it only takes one or two mousewheel indent > rolls, up or down, to bring ALC into the correct level. The main thing to > takeaway with this approach of ALC control is that you have better fine tune > level of control of ALC indication using the WSJT Pwr slider as the WSJT’s > slider is not nearly as sensitive and touchy as trying to control ALC via the > KX3’s, (and likely the K3’s) mic gain. You’ll have better fine adjusting of > ALC control overall using this approach. > > One last general comment. I know the instructions on setting the ALC level > for proper transmit in DATA mode say to look for 4 solid bars and the 5th bar > to be flickering. In my experience in operating JT modes heavily for several > months, I have found the best performance in making contacts is to set the > ALC for 4 solid bars and not worry about a flickering 5th bar. If I happen > to see the 5th bar flickering, that’s fine and I don’t worry about adjusting > it lower, but I always shoot for at least 4 solid bars and find it to be a > solid performing setting when making JT contacts. When set this way, I have > just the occasional flicker of a 5th ALC bar...sometimes I may see an > occasional flicker the 5th bar, but most of the time I don’t see any 5th bar > flicker. If I have been playing around with rig settings or other computer > settings and I need to get things back to a stable value for JT operation, > its always done first by making sure I have the general mic gain and windows > audio slider set as I outlined above. I make any necessary final ALC > adjustments with the Pwr slider in WSJT. It never takes more than a > mousewheel roll one way or another to bring it right back where I want it. > > Hope this helps and here’s hoping to see you on the waterfall! > > 73 > Dave, N5XL > > > > Sent from Mail for Windows 10 > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > Message delivered to r.trist...@gmail.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
