Are you aware of any move afoot to support higher bit levels in
> upcoming versions of popular software?
I have no insight into the roadmap for most amateur digital software.
However, I doubt that many developers will expend the effort to do
24 bit processing. The 97 dB (theoretical) - 88 to 90 dB practical
dynamic range of a well designed sound card is quite adequate for most
HF purposes.
The "background noise" in suburban/semi rural areas is on the order of
-135 dBm (~0.05 uV). That means a 90 dB dynamic range can handle from
the background noise to about S9+30 dB. Using an attenuator or reducing
the RF gain in the presence of signals above S9+20 dB can extend the
useful dynamic range by another 20 dB or more.
The only use case for greater dynamic range would be for SDR purposes
where a very wide spectrum was being processed simultaneously or for
extremely "quiet" frequencies (e.g. VHF/UHF with antennas pointed to
a quiet part of the sky - EME or radio astronomy). In the VHF/UHF
case, dynamic range (noise floor) can be improved much more economically
through the use of low noise preamplifiers (and receiving converters).
73,
... Joe, W4TV
On 2021-01-04 7:34 PM, Courtney Krehbiel wrote:
Thank you for your input Joe! I didn't really think of the software as
impacting the functional resolution of the sound card. But upon looking at the
block diagram for my Navigator, I can see that's the case. Are you aware of
any move afoot to support higher bit levels in upcoming versions of popular
software?
Thanks again, and 73!
-- Courtney KD6X
-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Subich, W4TV <li...@subich.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 3, 2021 7:12 PM
To: Courtney Krehbiel <court...@krehbielart.com>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Any value in using a Microkeyer III with a K3S or K4?
Unless the interface is poorly designed (like some "low price"
amateur only devices), the noise floor is generally set by the IF noise in the
transceiver on the higher bands and by the "no signal" atmospheric noise on the
low bands.
A 24 bit sound card has the potential to provide greater dynamic range than the more
common 16 bit cards but *only* if the software is written to take advantage of the
"extra bits". Swapping a 24 bit sound card for a 16 bit sound card will make
no difference on existing software like MMTTY, FLDIGI/DM780, etc.
73,
... Joe, W4TV
On 2021-01-03 6:50 PM, Courtney Krehbiel wrote:
I have a K3... the best radio I've ever owed in my 50+ year ham life. I'm
currently using a US Interface Navigator with it for digital modes. This is
now sold as the Time Wave Navigator and has worked really well for me for many
years.
My understanding is that the K3S and now the incoming K4's have sound cards
built-in via the USB port. So perhaps I won't need the Navigator anymore when
my K4 eventually arrives. But my question is whether there is still something
to be gained using a newer transceiver interface with the K3S or K4? I've been
looking at the Microkeyer III with its 24 bit audio processing. Does anyone
have any hands-on experience with the Microkeyer III with Elecraft radios? I'm
particularly interested if it has a lower noise floor or other features that
might not be found in the stock K3S or K4.
Thanks for any input or feedback!
-- Courtney KD6X
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