The behavior you are describing is almost the same thing I complained about a couple weeks ago. In my case I was trying to sort out several signals calling me in a pileup, but it's the same basic situation. Fast agc, even with the highest threshold and slp=0, compressed them all into an indecipherable mush.
I'll tell you how I deal with it, but I'm not recommending this for everybody: agc off config af lim = 30 (tech mode) use preamp on 20m and higher no preamp on 40 no preamp + attenuator on for 80/160 plug headphones into speaker jack, so you don't hit the AF Limiter threshold. (There will be some hiss, but not too bad.) RF gain as low as possible AF gain as low as possible to protect your ears. WATCH OUT FOR YOUR EARS WITH THIS SETUP!! I am hoping that the Elecraft folks will raise the AF limiter threshold or allow disabling the limiter. If the limiter is activated, all signals are horribly distorted. Limiter threshold is abrupt and hard. This setup is probably not for everybody, but it works great for me. Dave Hachadorian, K6LL Yuma, AZ ----- Original Message ----- From: "K2MK" <k...@comcast.net> To: "Elecraft Reflector" <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 12:45 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K3 receiver desensing on CW during contest >I had a great time with my K3 during the ARRL DX contest. I >do S&P and I was > trolling around with my filter width at 50Hz. Absolutely > outstanding. The > auto spot is equally outstanding. > > At 50Hz width it was quite clear that many stations call > off frequency. > Using RIT, I could see that it was typical for them to be > 70Hz or more away > from the DX station but I could not hear them in my 50Hz > passband. The real > problem was when one of them was S9 or greater. They > completely swamped > weaker DX stations. Sound within the passband just blanked > out. No band > noise and no DX station. And there was no recovery between > dits and dahs. It > was actually easier to copy the DX station when people > were calling directly > on top of him. You could at least hear him between the > dits. > > (Obviously if I was calling CQ instead of S&P I would have > a wider passband > and I would have just worked the stronger off frequency > station). > > For my style of operating this was a disappointment. I > tried AGC-F and AGC-S > but I forgot to try AGC off. I also varied the AGC THR and > AGC SLP. I tried > NR off and on. (I was not using NB). I tried PRE and ATT > off and on. I tried > riding the RF gain. I tried shifting the passband but > shift doesn't work > well when the width is only 50Hz. Nothing helped. I also > tried opening up > the passband. That didn't help either but I don't remember > the results. > > This was not a one time thing. It happened at least 20 > different times on > different bands. I guess this is perfectly normal. I was > just wondering what > operational trick is available to compensate. > > 73, > Mike K2MK > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 ______________________________________________________________ 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
