I used my K3 as J7Y in the recent ARRL DX SSB contest. Since I've seen some discussion of the merits of the DVR in the age of PC-recorded audio, I wanted to drop a line here about my experience. I use an extremely comfortable headset with an electret mic that needs bias from the K3, so I can't run the mic directly through the PC without outboard circuitry. Your configuration may dictate different preferences.
As a DX station, the most obvious instance to prefer the DVR over PC-generated audio is on 40m, where one picks a CQ frequency below the US phone band allocation and listens up. The need to frequently change listening frequency and (less often) CQ frequency was easily accommodated with the DVR. I would have to have recorded new messages on the PC to achieve the same function, which was not possible with my configuration. I used the same F-keys and macro calls at all times. I followed the same practice, but to a much more limited extent, on 80m - where I was "requested" mid-contest to listen in the General-class portion of the band. Note that some W/VE stations were transmitting "high" in the 80- and 40-meter phone bands and listening down, so this practice is not restricted to DX stations. Since I was running the K3 barefoot, I found myself also changing the outgoing CQ message to adapt to changing band conditions, particularly on the low bands. Slower and slightly longer CQs were used when propagation was weaker and the rate was lower. I would also repeat my recorded exchange information during these times to cut down on the receiving stations' needs for "fills." Completely the opposite during high-rate periods on 20, 15 and (incredibly) 10 meters. Again, this is just one ham's experience. There may be a host of different ways to accomplish the same thing, but I found the DVR to be a very useful addition to the contesting arsenal. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI ______________________________________________________________ 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
