Elecraft KDSP2 Manual User Manual
Page 46

46
Coefficients 
 
In mathematics, the coefficients of an equation are usually constant values. For example, in the phrase 
 
Ax
2
+ Bx + C
 
A, B and C are coefficients. x is the variable. 
 
In DSP filters, the coefficients define the filter response, and are usually fixed (constants). The sampled 
signal is the variable, and the result of the equation is the filtered signal. 
 
In the case of adaptive filters, the coefficients are changed by the DSP as a result of computations, so are 
not really constants. 
 
DAC 
 
Digital to Analog Converter. This is a device which accepts a digital value and converts it to an analog 
voltage. In the KDSP2, the DAC accepts the16-bit digital information from the DSP chip and converts it to 
a differential analog voltage which is applied to the audio amplifier in the K2. It does this 16,000 times per 
second. 
 
Decay 
 
In the LMS algorithm, Decay defines how quickly the filter abandons adjustments made in its attempt to 
implement the algorithm. If you think in terms of an automatic gain control, it corresponds to the decay 
time. 
 
A higher value means more rapid decay. 
 
Decimation 
 
It is sometimes advantageous to reduce the sampling rate of a signal that has already been sampled. The 
process of doing this is called decimation. In the KDSP2, the input sampling rate is 16 kHz. The filters 
operate better with a sampling rate of 8 kHz. A “decimation by two” operation takes place to change the 
sampling rate to 8 kHz from 16 kHz. 
 
Denoiser 
 
A process to remove random noise from a signal. This is usually meant to be thermal noise like the 
background hiss of an HF band. Denoisers usually don’t do well against static crashes or impulse (ignition) 
noise. 
 
