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Couple of questions on the P3

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Phil Anderson

Couple of questions on the P3

Recently added a P3 to my K3 station.....nice....yet questions:

1. Wonder why the spectrum display gets noisy when I tune VFO A. A few
have said that is expected and suggested that one make sure the screws
on the K3 and P3 case are tight. I'm assuming that when one tunes VFO A,
the FFT in the DSP gets lots of extra data and the display is noisy as a
result. Once I stop tuning the VFO A the spectrum display goes back to
averaging as expected.
Hm?

2. I purchased the SVGA card and it came installed in the P3......have
been successful is connecting my computer through the RS232 port on the
P3 to run both the K3 and P3 utility programs. Also the big display and
the P3's LCD are working for the most part. Ok there. Now, is it
standard for the external large display to not allow markers in the
waterfall area? When I use the P3 menu and turn waterfall markers on or
off that works for the P3 LCD. However, there is not marker shown in the
waterfall area of the big screen attached via the external display jack.
Hm? I can live with that but is that right?

3. Is anyone aware of an article on the web that goes into the "why" of
how the cursors and makers were designed to do what they do? Perhaps
things would be easier to follow then since there are a very large
number of "tap this or hold that" combinations available. I realize that
to tap or hold increases the number of actions that each switch/etc can
do, thus cutting down on the knob count on the front panel.

thanks, Phil, w0xi, KS

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k6dgw

Re: Couple of questions on the P3

Phil:

1. Are you in Tracking or Fixed Tune mode? I run in Fixed Tune [end
points of the display remain fixed and cursor moves as I tune], and
there is no change as I tune. My AVG setting is 6. When I set Tracking
mode, the spectrum display "bounces" just a little as I tune VFO A.

2. I don't have the SVGA but markers in the WF is a subject that's come
up before and I believe the behavior you see is correct.

3. You are describing a book that I don't think KE7X has written yet
but certainly should. :-) I have found limited use for the A & B
markers, and they're usually off. When I'm NCS on our NTS Section net,
I will set them for something like "down 3 and down 6." Other than
that, I really don't use them.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 50th Running of the Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2015
- www.cqp.org

On 1/22/2015 4:07 PM, Phil Anderson wrote:

> Recently added a P3 to my K3 station.....nice....yet questions:
>
> 1. Wonder why the spectrum display gets noisy when I tune VFO A. A few
> have said that is expected and suggested that one make sure the screws
> on the K3 and P3 case are tight. I'm assuming that when one tunes VFO A,
> the FFT in the DSP gets lots of extra data and the display is noisy as a
> result. Once I stop tuning the VFO A the spectrum display goes back to
> averaging as expected.
> Hm?
>
> 2. I purchased the SVGA card and it came installed in the P3......have
> been successful is connecting my computer through the RS232 port on the
> P3 to run both the K3 and P3 utility programs. Also the big display and
> the P3's LCD are working for the most part. Ok there. Now, is it
> standard for the external large display to not allow markers in the
> waterfall area? When I use the P3 menu and turn waterfall markers on or
> off that works for the P3 LCD. However, there is not marker shown in the
> waterfall area of the big screen attached via the external display jack.
> Hm? I can live with that but is that right?
>
> 3. Is anyone aware of an article on the web that goes into the "why" of
> how the cursors and makers were designed to do what they do? Perhaps
> things would be easier to follow then since there are a very large
> number of "tap this or hold that" combinations available. I realize that
> to tap or hold increases the number of actions that each switch/etc can
> do, thus cutting down on the knob count on the front panel.
>
> thanks, Phil, w0xi, KS
>
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Mike K2MK

Re: Couple of questions on the P3

In reply to this post by Phil Anderson

Hi Phil,

1. You shouldn't see noise generated when you tune the VFO. What bands in particular? Do you have an older K3. There was a VFO noise mod that cleared up tuning noise on the higher frequency bands like 10 and 6 meters.

2. You'll need the latest beta firmware for the P3 and SVGA card to see the markers in the waterfall of the external monitor.

3. The cursors indicate the frequencies seen on the upper and lower K3 displays.
A green cursor shows you where VFO A is tuned.
A magenta cursor shows you where VFO B is tuned.
A red cursor shows you where you transmitting if you are in split or if XIT is activated.
The width of the cursors change if you change bandwidth on the K3. The VFO B cursor can be turned off.

With regard to markers, my PERSONAL OPINION is that markers are not very useful for my style of operating. Too much effort for too little result. If I see a station of interest I just spin the VFO to land on top of it. Mission accomplished with very little effort.

I have used markers, however, as a place holder when I see a station that I want to call but I'm not quite ready to jump there quite yet. When I am ready I still tend to just spin the VFO dial rather than push the knob. Everybody develops their own techniques for using their P3. You will too after you've played with it for a few weeks.

73,
Mike K2MK

Phil Anderson wrote

Recently added a P3 to my K3 station.....nice....yet questions:

1. Wonder why the spectrum display gets noisy when I tune VFO A. A few
have said that is expected and suggested that one make sure the screws
on the K3 and P3 case are tight. I'm assuming that when one tunes VFO A,
the FFT in the DSP gets lots of extra data and the display is noisy as a
result. Once I stop tuning the VFO A the spectrum display goes back to
averaging as expected.
Hm?

2. I purchased the SVGA card and it came installed in the P3......have
been successful is connecting my computer through the RS232 port on the
P3 to run both the K3 and P3 utility programs. Also the big display and
the P3's LCD are working for the most part. Ok there. Now, is it
standard for the external large display to not allow markers in the
waterfall area? When I use the P3 menu and turn waterfall markers on or
off that works for the P3 LCD. However, there is not marker shown in the
waterfall area of the big screen attached via the external display jack.
Hm? I can live with that but is that right?

3. Is anyone aware of an article on the web that goes into the "why" of
how the cursors and makers were designed to do what they do? Perhaps
things would be easier to follow then since there are a very large
number of "tap this or hold that" combinations available. I realize that
to tap or hold increases the number of actions that each switch/etc can
do, thus cutting down on the knob count on the front panel.

thanks, Phil, w0xi, KS

k6dgw

Re: Couple of questions on the P3

Not so sure about #1 Mike, I don't think he was talking about the "VFO
Noise" issue from some time back. In tracking mode, my display "jumps"
... wouldn't call it "noise on the trace" it just jumps up a bit ...
when I tune. Makes sense. In Fixed mode, the FFT computes the same set
of samples over and over, and when I tune the VFO, all that moves is the
VFO cursor. In Tracking, it has to reset everything and load a new
range of samples every time I change the VFO. If he's in Tracking mode,
that's what I see too. If he's in Fixed mode, mine doesn't do that.

FWIW: Old Timey panadaptors were all tracking mode, "you" were in the
center and the band moved past you as you tuned. They were all analog
too. :-) I strongly prefer Fixed mode, I think of the band as
stationary, which it really is, and I'm moving my passband across it.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 50th Running of the Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2015
- www.cqp.org

On 1/22/2015 5:01 PM, Mike K2MK wrote:

> Hi Phil,
>
> 1. You shouldn't see noise generated when you tune the VFO. What bands in
> particular? Do you have an older K3. There was a VFO noise mod that cleared
> up tuning noise on the higher frequency bands like 10 and 6 meters.
>
> 2. You'll need the latest beta firmware for the P3 and SVGA card to see the
> markers in the waterfall of the external monitor.
>
> 3. The cursors indicate the frequencies seen on the upper and lower K3
> displays.
> A green cursor shows you where VFO A is tuned.
> A magenta cursor shows you where VFO B is tuned.
> A red cursor shows you where you transmitting if you are in split or if XIT
> is activated.
> The width of the cursors change if you change bandwidth on the K3. The VFO B
> cursor can be turned off.
>
> With regard to markers, my PERSONAL OPINION is that markers are not very
> useful for my style of operating. Too much effort for too little result. If
> I see a station of interest I just spin the VFO to land on top of it.
> Mission accomplished with very little effort.
>
> I have used markers, however, as a place holder when I see a station that I
> want to call but I'm not quite ready to jump there quite yet. When I am
> ready I still tend to just spin the VFO dial rather than push the knob.
> Everybody develops their own techniques for using their P3. You will too
> after you've played with it for a few weeks.
>
> 73,
> Mike K2MK
>
>
> Phil Anderson wrote
>> Recently added a P3 to my K3 station.....nice....yet questions:
>>
>> 1. Wonder why the spectrum display gets noisy when I tune VFO A. A few
>> have said that is expected and suggested that one make sure the screws
>> on the K3 and P3 case are tight. I'm assuming that when one tunes VFO A,
>> the FFT in the DSP gets lots of extra data and the display is noisy as a
>> result. Once I stop tuning the VFO A the spectrum display goes back to
>> averaging as expected.
>> Hm?
>>
>> 2. I purchased the SVGA card and it came installed in the P3......have
>> been successful is connecting my computer through the RS232 port on the
>> P3 to run both the K3 and P3 utility programs. Also the big display and
>> the P3's LCD are working for the most part. Ok there. Now, is it
>> standard for the external large display to not allow markers in the
>> waterfall area? When I use the P3 menu and turn waterfall markers on or
>> off that works for the P3 LCD. However, there is not marker shown in the
>> waterfall area of the big screen attached via the external display jack.
>> Hm? I can live with that but is that right?
>>
>> 3. Is anyone aware of an article on the web that goes into the "why" of
>> how the cursors and makers were designed to do what they do? Perhaps
>> things would be easier to follow then since there are a very large
>> number of "tap this or hold that" combinations available. I realize that
>> to tap or hold increases the number of actions that each switch/etc can
>> do, thus cutting down on the knob count on the front panel.
>>
>> thanks, Phil, w0xi, KS

Alan Bloom

Re: Couple of questions on the P3

In reply to this post by Phil Anderson

In tracking mode, the averaging is reset every time the VFO A is moved.
Otherwise the spectrum would "smear" as you tune the VFO. So when
averaging is on, the noise increases momentarily whenever you tune. It
doesn't happen in fixed-tune mode, only in tracking mode.

Waterfall markers will be in a firmware beta release shortly.

Alan N1AL

On 01/22/2015 04:07 PM, Phil Anderson wrote:

> Recently added a P3 to my K3 station.....nice....yet questions:
>
> 1. Wonder why the spectrum display gets noisy when I tune VFO A. A few
> have said that is expected and suggested that one make sure the screws
> on the K3 and P3 case are tight. I'm assuming that when one tunes VFO
> A, the FFT in the DSP gets lots of extra data and the display is noisy
> as a result. Once I stop tuning the VFO A the spectrum display goes
> back to averaging as expected.
> Hm?
>
> 2. I purchased the SVGA card and it came installed in the P3......have
> been successful is connecting my computer through the RS232 port on
> the P3 to run both the K3 and P3 utility programs. Also the big
> display and the P3's LCD are working for the most part. Ok there. Now,
> is it standard for the external large display to not allow markers in
> the waterfall area? When I use the P3 menu and turn waterfall markers
> on or off that works for the P3 LCD. However, there is not marker
> shown in the waterfall area of the big screen attached via the
> external display jack. Hm? I can live with that but is that right?
>
> 3. Is anyone aware of an article on the web that goes into the "why"
> of how the cursors and makers were designed to do what they do?
> Perhaps things would be easier to follow then since there are a very
> large number of "tap this or hold that" combinations available. I
> realize that to tap or hold increases the number of actions that each
> switch/etc can do, thus cutting down on the knob count on the front
> panel.
>
> thanks, Phil, w0xi, KS
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> http://www.avast.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>