[Elecraft] K3 enhancement request
Regarding direct frequency entry, it would be nice to be able to enter directly the 100Hz digits; for example in entering a 60M dial frequency this is frequently needed. Could this please be added to the enhancements to be done later list? Many thanks de Dave, W5SV __ 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] [K3] Enhancement request - Diversity, locked AGC.
While on a reflection jag on diversity out on Core Banks... There is one thing that would help diversity on a noisy band. We already know about needing to lock all the conversion frequencies. The other would be an option to run a composite AGC that controls BOTH receivers that takes the most restricting AGC result from both and uses that to control both. That would remove the roar in one ear when the signal is well down in one RX and up in the other. As it stands now, sufficient separation allows the off-signal RX to bring up the noise level in that ear. It would allow a more proportional separation from signals differing in volume only. When in the diversity mode, that could be a mode that is cycled through when doing a HOLD on the AGC button, e.g. ON, OFF, LOCKED, ON, OFF, There are times when that would help and times it would hinder, so it would need to be on a front panel button. 73, Guy On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 10:13 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV olin...@bellsouth.net wrote: .. We used orthogonal antennas and dual RX K3's in diversity mode at N4A in the IOTA on Core Banks NC this summer. It worked very well, and we had the high North America island expedition score for LP, beating all but one of the North America HP scores. A pair of three band inverted vees running NW/SE and NE/SW fed with 450 line feed and tuned via a 4:1 balun and the K3 antenna tuners. What happens is that with both RX on that you do not get the nature of signal separation you are expecting. You get phasing separation because the antennas will decode any polarization off pure vertical and pure horizontal into the same kind of separation you have listening to a conversation in a crowded room. Signals not low angle frequently came in on a rotating polarization, moving back and forth from one ear to the other. What was quickly clear was that if we turned off the SubRX, the moving back and forth is converted into rapid deep QSB that defeats copy. The LOUD stations tended more to be in one ear or the other, but those are easy to work. The WEAK signals on 40m particularly, would be affected by this rotating polarity. The same rotation was heard on the band noise, some of the guys having a hard time listening to this rotating background. I was constantly cleanly copying signals that sounded like they were starting on a fadeout but just rotated through my head to the other side instead. One has to hear it to understand it. .. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
It's something that I would like too. Using two antennae on 2m there are frequently occasions where I would like to listen to the sub rx in both ears. For now, I achieve this with external switching. 73 Ian G0AFH On 11/11/2010 23:10, David Lankshear wrote: As Richard's message seems to have disappeared under a pile of other posts, I would add my voice on behalf of a friend who would dearly love to be able to listen to his 2nd rx in both ears. I would guess that it wouldn't be that hard to implement, judging from the other audio options that have been implemented in firmware. Love to have a 'yea', 'nay', 'maybe', 'on the list' or 'never' from Eric or Wayne. 73 DaveL G3TJP __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
I would also appreciate this capability. I understand Elecraft's reluctance to expose the DSP code to potential corruption from an incorrect macro, but not being able to change some of those parameters (audio mixing, AGC) on the fly with one button macros is a significant limitation. 73, Dave AB7E On 11/10/2010 6:56 PM, Richard Ferch wrote: I'd like to request an enhancement of the current audio mixing capabilities with two receivers, to allow instant switching from the normal one radio in each ear to either main RX in both ears, or sub RX in both ears. I understand that these are possible with direct DSP commands, but as far as I am aware these DSP commands are not available from switch macros. I don't believe I am the first to make such a request, but I am adding my voice to those who would appreciate such an enhancement. When listening to both receivers, there are often occasions when I would like to quickly and temporarily switch to hearing only one of them. Currently I can use the AF balance control to effectively mute one of the receivers, but I would prefer an action that I can perform or restore with a single button push on the radio or key press in software, rather than having to rotate a knob through almost 180 degrees (especially that particular knob, which I find a bit difficult to operate quickly). It would also be helpful to have the chosen signal in both ears in these situations, instead of in only one ear. One way to do this would be to add two options to CONFIG:L-MIX-R, namely the options A_A and B_B, in addition to the existing set (A_B, A_AB, AB_B and AB_AB). This would make it possible using macro commands (e.g. MN111;MPxxx;MN255 where xxx depends on the mixing option chosen) to control audio mixing either from the radio's front panel or from software. In fact, it might be even simpler than this: there are already 6 options for L-MIX-R, but the last two (MP004 and MP005) are simply duplicates of the first two; it appears from here as if all that would be needed would be to change option 4 to A_A and option 5 to B_B. Of course, what looks simple from the outside might be anything but... ! 73, Rich VE3KI __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
I have requested this several times over the past 2 years. It's a matter of priorities but am hopeful we might see it soon. 73, Barry N1EU David Gilbert wrote: I would also appreciate this capability. I understand Elecraft's reluctance to expose the DSP code to potential corruption from an incorrect macro, but not being able to change some of those parameters (audio mixing, AGC) on the fly with one button macros is a significant limitation. 73, Dave AB7E On 11/10/2010 6:56 PM, Richard Ferch wrote: I'd like to request an enhancement of the current audio mixing capabilities with two receivers, to allow instant switching from the normal one radio in each ear to either main RX in both ears, or sub RX in both ears. I understand that these are possible with direct DSP commands, but as far as I am aware these DSP commands are not available from switch macros. I don't believe I am the first to make such a request, but I am adding my voice to those who would appreciate such an enhancement. When listening to both receivers, there are often occasions when I would like to quickly and temporarily switch to hearing only one of them. Currently I can use the AF balance control to effectively mute one of the receivers, but I would prefer an action that I can perform or restore with a single button push on the radio or key press in software, rather than having to rotate a knob through almost 180 degrees (especially that particular knob, which I find a bit difficult to operate quickly). It would also be helpful to have the chosen signal in both ears in these situations, instead of in only one ear. One way to do this would be to add two options to CONFIG:L-MIX-R, namely the options A_A and B_B, in addition to the existing set (A_B, A_AB, AB_B and AB_AB). This would make it possible using macro commands (e.g. MN111;MPxxx;MN255 where xxx depends on the mixing option chosen) to control audio mixing either from the radio's front panel or from software. In fact, it might be even simpler than this: there are already 6 options for L-MIX-R, but the last two (MP004 and MP005) are simply duplicates of the first two; it appears from here as if all that would be needed would be to change option 4 to A_A and option 5 to B_B. Of course, what looks simple from the outside might be anything but... ! 73, Rich VE3KI __ 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 -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-Enhancement-request-audio-mixing-tp5727304p5729243.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
As Richard's message seems to have disappeared under a pile of other posts, I would add my voice on behalf of a friend who would dearly love to be able to listen to his 2nd rx in both ears. I would guess that it wouldn't be that hard to implement, judging from the other audio options that have been implemented in firmware. Love to have a 'yea', 'nay', 'maybe', 'on the list' or 'never' from Eric or Wayne. 73 DaveL G3TJP __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
You can listen to the subrx in both ears. There is an audio mixing function that allows you to pipe sub output to both channels. James K2QI --Original Message-- From: David Lankshear Sender: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net To: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing Sent: Nov 11, 2010 18:10 As Richard's message seems to have disappeared under a pile of other posts, I would add my voice on behalf of a friend who would dearly love to be able to listen to his 2nd rx in both ears. I would guess that it wouldn't be that hard to implement, judging from the other audio options that have been implemented in firmware. Love to have a 'yea', 'nay', 'maybe', 'on the list' or 'never' from Eric or Wayne. 73 DaveL G3TJP __ 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 Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
K2QI wrote: You can listen to the subrx in both ears. There is an audio mixing function that allows you to pipe sub output to both channels. It is not currently possible to listen to only subrx audio in both channels via the L-MIX-R Config setting Barry N1EU -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-Enhancement-request-audio-mixing-tp5727304p5730723.html Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
Barry, I may have misread the original question, but if all one wants to do is listen to the subrx in both channels, then it is possible by adjusting the mix settings, then turning the AF gain down on the main. That's what I do if I want a stereo type output from my sub receiver. This is helpful for those that have the bandpass filter installed only on the sub and they want to SWL with a second antenna connected to the aux input. James K2QI --Original Message-- From: Barry N1EU Sender: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net To: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing Sent: Nov 11, 2010 18:50 K2QI wrote: You can listen to the subrx in both ears. There is an audio mixing function that allows you to pipe sub output to both channels. It is not currently possible to listen to only subrx audio in both channels via the L-MIX-R Config setting Barry N1EU -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-Enhancement-request-audio-mixing-tp5727304p5730723.html Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.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 Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
I've been paying close attention to this thread, having purchased the K3 sub-receiver with the intent of using it next Field Day with my two very-orthogonal 40M antennas. My question is, has it been thought through how the capability of having two receivers and two antennas works best in a contest? I sense from this thread that it is distracting to not be able to hear only the chosen antenna in both ears. It makes me wonder, could a different optional mode for the K3's antenna switch help satisfy this wish? Ideas are cheap, and one that comes to mind is this: When listening to two antennas, a TAP of the ANT switch would feed what's in the left ear into both ears. If instead a slightly longer HOLD of the ANT switch was made, what was heard in the right ear would then be fed into both ears, and also select the XMIT antenna. After the contest exchange, any further tap of the ANT switch would revert the receivers to putting their separate signals into each ear, maybe assigning the last active antenna to the left ear. In use in a contest, then, if the desired station were strongest in the right ear, the operator would press the ANT switch for one second, work the station (hearing it in both ears), and finish with one tap of the ANT switch to returned reception to its prior dual-receiver mode. Note that such a mode might be implemented as an option. If set to that mode, then a K3 would enter that mode when the diversity mode was invoked. My post is not a request, but rather a question that, given the power of dual receivers and antenna switching, has the best way to use this capability in a contest been worked out? Thanks Gary K6KV -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Barry N1EU Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2010 3:51 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing K2QI wrote: You can listen to the subrx in both ears. There is an audio mixing function that allows you to pipe sub output to both channels. It is not currently possible to listen to only subrx audio in both channels via the L-MIX-R Config setting Barry N1EU -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-Enhancement-request-audio-mixing-tp5 727304p5730723.html Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
On Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 12:16 AM, k2qi@gmail.com wrote: I may have misread the original question, but if all one wants to do is listen to the subrx in both channels, then it is possible by adjusting the mix settings, then turning the AF gain down on the main. We're talking about single program commands to control the audio source for each channel. Although what you suggest might sound like a work-around, it doesn't provide a viable macro because you can't store the initial AF gain setting in order to restore it later. You shouldn't have to mess with AF gain - you just want to switch the main and sub AF source in or out in any combination. Barry N1EU __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
I now understand fully what's trying to be achieved. Sorry for the initial misunderstanding. What you've described is something I too have desired, and would like to see it as an option one day. 73, James K2QI --Original Message-- From: Barry N1EU Sender: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net To: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing Sent: Nov 11, 2010 20:21 On Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 12:16 AM, k2qi@gmail.com wrote: I may have misread the original question, but if all one wants to do is listen to the subrx in both channels, then it is possible by adjusting the mix settings, then turning the AF gain down on the main. We're talking about single program commands to control the audio source for each channel. Although what you suggest might sound like a work-around, it doesn't provide a viable macro because you can't store the initial AF gain setting in order to restore it later. You shouldn't have to mess with AF gain - you just want to switch the main and sub AF source in or out in any combination. Barry N1EU __ 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 Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
My interest in the audio mixing enhancement is limited to non-diversity use of the subrx, i.e. with main rx on vfoA and subrx on vfoB tuned to a different station. The K3 already provides all the control I need for diversity reception. Barry N1EU K6KV Gary wrote: I've been paying close attention to this thread, having purchased the K3 sub-receiver with the intent of using it next Field Day with my two very-orthogonal 40M antennas. My question is, has it been thought through how the capability of having two receivers and two antennas works best in a contest? I sense from this thread that it is distracting to not be able to hear only the chosen antenna in both ears. It makes me wonder, could a different optional mode for the K3's antenna switch help satisfy this wish? Ideas are cheap, and one that comes to mind is this: When listening to two antennas, a TAP of the ANT switch would feed what's in the left ear into both ears. If instead a slightly longer HOLD of the ANT switch was made, what was heard in the right ear would then be fed into both ears, and also select the XMIT antenna. After the contest exchange, any further tap of the ANT switch would revert the receivers to putting their separate signals into each ear, maybe assigning the last active antenna to the left ear. In use in a contest, then, if the desired station were strongest in the right ear, the operator would press the ANT switch for one second, work the station (hearing it in both ears), and finish with one tap of the ANT switch to returned reception to its prior dual-receiver mode. Note that such a mode might be implemented as an option. If set to that mode, then a K3 would enter that mode when the diversity mode was invoked. My post is not a request, but rather a question that, given the power of dual receivers and antenna switching, has the best way to use this capability in a contest been worked out? Thanks Gary K6KV -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-Enhancement-request-audio-mixing-tp5727304p5730956.html Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
This reply is not speculation. We used orthogonal antennas and dual RX K3's in diversity mode at N4A in the IOTA on Core Banks NC this summer. It worked very well, and we had the high North America island expedition score for LP, beating all but one of the North America HP scores. A pair of three band inverted vees running NW/SE and NE/SW fed with 450 line feed and tuned via a 4:1 balun and the K3 antenna tuners. What happens is that with both RX on that you do not get the nature of signal separation you are expecting. You get phasing separation because the antennas will decode any polarization off pure vertical and pure horizontal into the same kind of separation you have listening to a conversation in a crowded room. Signals not low angle frequently came in on a rotating polarization, moving back and forth from one ear to the other. What was quickly clear was that if we turned off the SubRX, the moving back and forth is converted into rapid deep QSB that defeats copy. The LOUD stations tended more to be in one ear or the other, but those are easy to work. The WEAK signals on 40m particularly, would be affected by this rotating polarity. The same rotation was heard on the band noise, some of the guys having a hard time listening to this rotating background. I was constantly cleanly copying signals that sounded like they were starting on a fadeout but just rotated through my head to the other side instead. One has to hear it to understand it. The complexity you seem to be recommending was unneeded for our best score ever. We knew that to transmit, the predominant signals needed to be in the LEFT ear. The ANT button just toggled that for us. We used the config menu to label one ant NEAST and the other NWEST so that came up on the display when we switched it. This was never a confusion and it was used competently right off the bat by all the operators. You're transmitting to the signal in your left ear. If it's in the right, hit the ANT button. If what's in the right ear is making it hard to hear, just hit the SUB button. Mixing the channels when doing diversity RX seems to me anyway to just muddle it and reduce the benefits. To use the K3 in the way described for N4A requires that the subrx is set up to use the non-TX antenna of the ANT1 ANT2 pair. This of course is not compatible with using AUX for diversity listening on RX only antennas for 160 because that is not internally switched. I have solved that by getting the K3 back panel from Elecraft with the ANT3 BNC hole punched into it, and a miniplug to BNC cord, which I shortened on the BNC end. I used this to bring out the other antenna jack from KANT3 to the K3 back panel at ANT3. Then to do this kind of thing at FD or next year's IOTA just patch ANT3 to AUX RF and leave the SubRX listening on AUX RF. Having used this at N4A, I find NOT having it at home is like something is missing, and I'm designing my station forward to take advantage of it. 73, Guy. On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 6:39 PM, Gary Gordon ga...@gary-gordon.com wrote: I've been paying close attention to this thread, having purchased the K3 sub-receiver with the intent of using it next Field Day with my two very-orthogonal 40M antennas. My question is, has it been thought through how the capability of having two receivers and two antennas works best in a contest? I sense from this thread that it is distracting to not be able to hear only the chosen antenna in both ears. It makes me wonder, could a different optional mode for the K3's antenna switch help satisfy this wish? Ideas are cheap, and one that comes to mind is this: When listening to two antennas, a TAP of the ANT switch would feed what's in the left ear into both ears. If instead a slightly longer HOLD of the ANT switch was made, what was heard in the right ear would then be fed into both ears, and also select the XMIT antenna. After the contest exchange, any further tap of the ANT switch would revert the receivers to putting their separate signals into each ear, maybe assigning the last active antenna to the left ear. In use in a contest, then, if the desired station were strongest in the right ear, the operator would press the ANT switch for one second, work the station (hearing it in both ears), and finish with one tap of the ANT switch to returned reception to its prior dual-receiver mode. Note that such a mode might be implemented as an option. If set to that mode, then a K3 would enter that mode when the diversity mode was invoked. My post is not a request, but rather a question that, given the power of dual receivers and antenna switching, has the best way to use this capability in a contest been worked out? Thanks Gary K6KV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
Thank you Guy for the best explanation I've ever read on how diversity reception works in a contest-like environment. I hope others found it as enlightening as I did, and if you haven't done so already, that you'll share it on some wider venue such as QST. 73, Gary, K6KV -Original Message- From: guyk...@gmail.com [mailto:guyk...@gmail.com] On Behalf Of Guy Olinger K2AV Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2010 7:13 PM To: Gary Gordon Cc: Barry N1EU; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing This reply is not speculation. We used orthogonal antennas and dual RX K3's in diversity mode at N4A in the IOTA on Core Banks NC this summer. It worked very well, and we had the high North America island expedition score for LP, beating all but one of the North America HP scores. A pair of three band inverted vees running NW/SE and NE/SW fed with 450 line feed and tuned via a 4:1 balun and the K3 antenna tuners. What happens is that with both RX on that you do not get the nature of signal separation you are expecting. You get phasing separation because the antennas will decode any polarization off pure vertical and pure horizontal into the same kind of separation you have listening to a conversation in a crowded room. Signals not low angle frequently came in on a rotating polarization, moving back and forth from one ear to the other. What was quickly clear was that if we turned off the SubRX, the moving back and forth is converted into rapid deep QSB that defeats copy. The LOUD stations tended more to be in one ear or the other, but those are easy to work. The WEAK signals on 40m particularly, would be affected by this rotating polarity. The same rotation was heard on the band noise, some of the guys having a hard time listening to this rotating background. I was constantly cleanly copying signals that sounded like they were starting on a fadeout but just rotated through my head to the other side instead. One has to hear it to understand it. The complexity you seem to be recommending was unneeded for our best score ever. We knew that to transmit, the predominant signals needed to be in the LEFT ear. The ANT button just toggled that for us. We used the config menu to label one ant NEAST and the other NWEST so that came up on the display when we switched it. This was never a confusion and it was used competently right off the bat by all the operators. You're transmitting to the signal in your left ear. If it's in the right, hit the ANT button. If what's in the right ear is making it hard to hear, just hit the SUB button. Mixing the channels when doing diversity RX seems to me anyway to just muddle it and reduce the benefits. To use the K3 in the way described for N4A requires that the subrx is set up to use the non-TX antenna of the ANT1 ANT2 pair. This of course is not compatible with using AUX for diversity listening on RX only antennas for 160 because that is not internally switched. I have solved that by getting the K3 back panel from Elecraft with the ANT3 BNC hole punched into it, and a miniplug to BNC cord, which I shortened on the BNC end. I used this to bring out the other antenna jack from KANT3 to the K3 back panel at ANT3. Then to do this kind of thing at FD or next year's IOTA just patch ANT3 to AUX RF and leave the SubRX listening on AUX RF. Having used this at N4A, I find NOT having it at home is like something is missing, and I'm designing my station forward to take advantage of it. 73, Guy. On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 6:39 PM, Gary Gordon ga...@gary-gordon.com wrote: I've been paying close attention to this thread, having purchased the K3 sub-receiver with the intent of using it next Field Day with my two very-orthogonal 40M antennas. My question is, has it been thought through how the capability of having two receivers and two antennas works best in a contest? I sense from this thread that it is distracting to not be able to hear only the chosen antenna in both ears. It makes me wonder, could a different optional mode for the K3's antenna switch help satisfy this wish? Ideas are cheap, and one that comes to mind is this: When listening to two antennas, a TAP of the ANT switch would feed what's in the left ear into both ears. If instead a slightly longer HOLD of the ANT switch was made, what was heard in the right ear would then be fed into both ears, and also select the XMIT antenna. After the contest exchange, any further tap of the ANT switch would revert the receivers to putting their separate signals into each ear, maybe assigning the last active antenna to the left ear. In use in a contest, then, if the desired station were strongest in the right ear, the operator would press the ANT switch for one second, work the station (hearing it in both ears), and finish with one tap of the ANT switch to returned reception to its prior dual-receiver mode. Note that such a mode
[Elecraft] [K3] Enhancement request - audio mixing
I'd like to request an enhancement of the current audio mixing capabilities with two receivers, to allow instant switching from the normal one radio in each ear to either main RX in both ears, or sub RX in both ears. I understand that these are possible with direct DSP commands, but as far as I am aware these DSP commands are not available from switch macros. I don't believe I am the first to make such a request, but I am adding my voice to those who would appreciate such an enhancement. When listening to both receivers, there are often occasions when I would like to quickly and temporarily switch to hearing only one of them. Currently I can use the AF balance control to effectively mute one of the receivers, but I would prefer an action that I can perform or restore with a single button push on the radio or key press in software, rather than having to rotate a knob through almost 180 degrees (especially that particular knob, which I find a bit difficult to operate quickly). It would also be helpful to have the chosen signal in both ears in these situations, instead of in only one ear. One way to do this would be to add two options to CONFIG:L-MIX-R, namely the options A_A and B_B, in addition to the existing set (A_B, A_AB, AB_B and AB_AB). This would make it possible using macro commands (e.g. MN111;MPxxx;MN255 where xxx depends on the mixing option chosen) to control audio mixing either from the radio's front panel or from software. In fact, it might be even simpler than this: there are already 6 options for L-MIX-R, but the last two (MP004 and MP005) are simply duplicates of the first two; it appears from here as if all that would be needed would be to change option 4 to A_A and option 5 to B_B. Of course, what looks simple from the outside might be anything but... ! 73, Rich VE3KI __ 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] K3: enhancement request
OK...I have not shared any ideas...until now. I want this! No, this is not a joke, so please review. Just imagine the possibilities! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67Gl1DnMVco http://www.designfax.net/enews/20100202/feature-6.asp I have no vested interest. de Doug KR2Q __ 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
