What settings to not overdrive during FT8?

Andy - KU7T

Hi, 

short and simple question. I am new to FT8, have read that I should make sure to not overdrive the radio. I do use DIGU mode.

What DAX TX gain, WSJT-X level and power level do others use?
I use 57, 100 and 100 respectively.  The 57 is the highest before the HF drops below 100W. 

Anything else I should look out for?

Thanks,
Andy
KU7T

KY6LA_Howard

@Andy

The actual setting vary very much by band, SWR, drive level by DAX, etc, etc etc

Look at the Mike Gain Meter... Keep it out of the Red

Andy - KU7T

Ok, 
when you say to keep it out of the red, its not clear to me. Do you mean red, do you mean organge, and do you mean the end of the bar or the peak indicator?  See image with two arrows.  I am thinking to put right arrow (peak indicator) so that it just starts to touch 0db. is that what you mean?



73
Andy
KU7T

Jay Nation

Andy

Anything peaking above the 0dB index line is overdriven and digitally distorted.
The meter display shows both average level, and peak level.
The peak level indicator is the smaller of the two indicators, to the right side of the average level bar.
You can raise the level using DAX TX slider until the peak indicator turns red. Once you hit red, then back it down some until it's no longer red.
You can make single % changes by carefully clicking in the center of the slider trough, to the left and right of the slider's adjustment button/knob. Each click will either add or subtract 1%. You will find a setting that at say ##% is yellow and ##+1% is red. As long as the peak indicator is yellow then your neither overdriven or distorted.

     SDRgadgets

#FlexRadio IRC chat

   73, Jay - NO5J

Tim - W4TME

Keep the peak indicator out of the red (far right)