[CQ-Contest] [YCCC] Key Clicks in ARRL DX CW

Tue Feb 23 08:06:43 EST 2016

OK
I have read this kind of texts:
http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/CW-Rise-Time-td3218979.html

I do not have a K3.

In case K3 does not have a setting for CW edges, I am surprised.
This means there has been a number of changes to the initial factory
setting - for some reason.

Is there a possibiity in K3 to upgrade the firmware?

I presume it is much more difficult than a setting in a menu somewhere.

73,
Jukka OH6LI

2016-02-23 12:30 GMT+02:00 Barry N1EU <barry.n1eu at gmail.com>:

> Maybe I'm missing something but there is no rise time setting in the K3.
>
> 73, Barry N1EU
>
> On Tue, Feb 23, 2016 at 2:33 AM, Jukka Klemola <jpklemola at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Barry,
>> K3 can be set to click.
>> Just set the rise and/or fall times too short i.e. sharp and listen k#
>> click.
>>
>> K3 owners have a big responsibility in setting the radio correctly so it
>> serves the owner and his neighborhood correctly.
>> The neighborhood in this case is Fourier transformed into frequency
>> domain ... hey I attempted a nerd joke in English!
>>
>> Also some other radios, like IC756Pro2 and Pro3 have this feature.
>> One Finn had changed his CW wave fall time too short - he corrected his
>> settings after a discussion about what&how to change.
>>
>> Most people do not know the implications of sharpening the signal.
>> Over sharpening is not exactly good in this case.
>>
>>
>> 73,
>> Jukka OH6LI
>>
>> 2016-02-22 15:24 GMT+02:00 Barry N1EU <barry.n1eu at gmail.com>:
>>
>>> Great point Randy!  The untenable fact now is that those using clean
>>> transmitters (esp K3) are clearly at a disadvantage when running because
>>> they're just sitting ducks, i.e.  inviting someone to get real close to
>>> them and click all over their run frequency.
>>>
>>> Barry N1EU
>>>
>>> On Mon, Feb 22, 2016 at 8:07 AM, Randy Thompson K5ZD <k5zd at charter.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> > The challenge is that the problem is asymmetric.  It is all good for
>>> the
>>> > clicker in that he gets a clear frequency.  And there is little that a
>>> > station not clicking can do in response.
>>> >
>>> > We added the signal quality rule to CQWW, but we receive only 1 or 2
>>> direct
>>> > and specific complaints after the contest.  We need more of those to
>>> gauge
>>> > impact and to know where to look.
>>> >
>>> > This is problem that is going to take a long time to fix, but it has to
>>> > start with peer pressure.  I.e., naming names publicly and often.  Stop
>>> > saying things like "S5 station" and actually say their call.
>>> >
>>> > Randy, K5ZD
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > > -----Original Message-----
>>> > > From: YCCC [mailto:yccc-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Barry
>>> N1EU
>>> > > Sent: Monday, February 22, 2016 12:57 PM
>>> > > To: YCCC
>>> > > Subject: [YCCC] Key Clicks in ARRL DX CW
>>> > >
>>> > > (FYI - I just posted this to CQ-Contest)
>>> > >
>>> > > Instead of the situation improving over the past 15 years with more
>>> > > awareness, key clicks on the bands during contests have gotten much
>>> > > worse.
>>> > > I've copied excerpts from score postings from W1UE and N1EU below.
>>> > >
>>> > > Two groups of contest operators are going to be much more aware of
>>> the
>>> > > problem than others: those who run a lot (and experience the clarity
>>> and
>>> > > usability of their run frequency deteriorate over time) and those
>>> > > equipped with panadapters.  I also suspect that east coast operators
>>> are
>>> > > going to be impacted more due to stronger European signal levels.
>>> > >
>>> > > I suspect the situation doesn't bother most contesting folks as much
>>> as
>>> > > me.  I really think it has gotten bad enough to warrant extreme
>>> measures
>>> > > - we've got the tools to monitor/playback spectrum.  Wide signals
>>> simply
>>> > > should NOT be tolerated and operators should be disqualified.
>>> > >
>>> > > The other measure I'd really like to see is an S&P only category
>>> because
>>> > > I, for one, would like to throw in the towel entirely on running
>>> during
>>> > > cw contests.
>>> > >
>>> > > 73,
>>> > > Barry N1EU
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > On Mon, Feb 22, 2016 at 6:54 AM, Dennis Egan <
>>> egan.dennis88 at gmail.com>
>>> > >  wrote:
>>> > >
>>> > > > Sunday afternoon on 40M was a true click-fest.  I had a good 40M
>>> > > > frequency, with a rate of about 80.  Gerry W1VE then nestles in 400
>>> > > > cycles up, and I started getting key clicks, destroying the
>>> frequency
>>> > > > for Rx.  I slid up to chastise him for the clicks, but when I got
>>> on
>>> > > > his frequency I could still hear the clicks- his station wasn't
>>> > > > generating them!  I went up another 4 KHz, and the offender was an
>>> S5
>>> > > > station occupying about 20KHz of spectrum with his key clicks!  His
>>> > > > station was only S6- if he could have channeled the power expended
>>> on
>>> > > > his clicks into his signal, he probably would have been S9.
>>> > > >
>>> > > >
>>> > > On Sun, Feb 21, 2016 at 8:02 PM, Barry N1EU <barry.n1eu at gmail.com>
>>> > wrote:
>>> > >
>>> > > > Lastly, I have to say that I ended the weekend with a bad taste in
>>> my
>>> > > > mouth from the rampant key clicks on the band and the recurring
>>> > > > experience of having my clear run frequency eventually being
>>> > > > over-ridden by key clicking neighbors getting too close, over and
>>> over
>>> > > > and over again. I'm not sure if having the P3 panadapter is a good
>>> > > > thing or a bad thing, because it clearly shows the band filled with
>>> > > > wide key clicking signals. It's really sad that the ham radio
>>> > > > community has never come to grips with this solvable issue. It has
>>> > > seriously spoiled cw contesting for me.
>>> > > >
>>> > > _______________________________________________
>>> > > YCCC Reflector mailto:yccc at contesting.com Yankee Clipper Contest
>>> Club
>>> > > http://www.yccc.org Reflector Info:
>>> > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/yccc
>>> >
>>> >
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>>>
>>
>>
>