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Re: [TenTec] T/R turnaround times for TT xcvrs??

To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] T/R turnaround times for TT xcvrs??
From: "Paul Christensen" <pchristensen@ieee.org>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 10:25:32 -0500
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
> I recently read the ARRL review of the Elecraft K3, finding it to have
> splendid specs indeed. One spec, though, that I found a
> bit high was the T/R turnaround time of 25 msec.

Allan,

My K3 arrived last week, but I will be putting off the kit build until I get 
past some eye surgery in the next couple days.

Recently, I have been documenting T/R turnaround time and keyed waveform 
integrity for my transceivers.   Part of the overall delay is in the time it 
takes for RF to become generated after the key closure is made.  The time 
delay from key closure to RF for my IC-7800 is 9 ms.  My Omni VII measures 
at ~ 15 ms.  The ARRL measured the Omni VII complete T/R turn-around time of 
20 ms.

Just guessing, but I would put the K3 QSK speed (where one can hear between 
keyed elements) at about 35 WPM.  Can anyone here confirm?  That's not bad, 
but it's not great.  Ultra-fast QSK in a DSP rig is quite a challenge.  The 
best QSK I've heard on any recent radio tried here, is about 45 WPM.

The trick to fast QSK is to make everything switch fast enough without the 
nasty side-effects from the T-R transition -- like clicks, unstable PLL, 
etc.  These side effects have to settle before the actual transition back to 
receive occurs.

I'll know more about the K3 after I start the build but right now, my 
expectations aren't too high.

Paul, W9AC 

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