[TenTec] V2.060b Release Comments

[Vincent Bond]

I have to agree with 5B4AGN, in my experience the newest O1 firmware version does exhibit serious sidetone clicks at the trailing edge of each character, regardless of receiver settings. I am noticing the artifact only when using headphones (both Heil Proset and Sony 7506) and the audio through the speaker of my Herc II sounds clean. The problem is I never use the speaker.

This click sounds exactly like what I heard in 2.059d when I discovered the sub-receiver was set to any mode other than CW. When the sub-rx was set to a CW mode, the artifact completely disappeared and K7HP and I reported this to DnB.  With that in mind, I tried today to adjust various parameters of the sub-receiver while testing barefoot on CW (with headphones) in an effort to find a "magic bullet" setting that once again would solve the over-driven sound of the sidetone. So far, no such luck but I'll keep searching. I don't believe the artifact is related to QSK or headphone imp.  

I agree with Bob, it is aweful sounding in headphones and seems to exist independent of any adjustment of QSK, audio and RF levels, sidetone, etc.  I run my RF gain down around 50-60 on 40 meters, the AF gain at about 50 percent, and the sidetone around 4-6. I use med or slow AGC, and have nothing connected to rig other than coax, mic, paddles, headphones, a shielded cable to the Herc speaker, and the auto band switch from Orion to the Herc. I hope a solution is found because operating CW is no fun listening to raspy sidetone audio.

Vince K7NA