K3 Beta firmware rev. 2.58: FASTER BAND SWITCHING; BAND MAPPING

[wayne burdick]

K3 beta-test firmware revision 2.58 (with DSP rev 1.94) is now
available. Please send any problem reports to [hidden email].
For instructions on how to load beta firmware, please see:

   http://www.elecraft.com/K3/k3_software.htm

Highlights:

* BAND SWITCHING is now possible using M>V and the numeric keypad -- a
faster alternative to using BAND UP/DOWN

* BAND MAPPING allows you to remove individual bands from the BAND
UP/DOWN switch rotation (great for contesters, or for those who never
use certain bands)

* VOX switch is now accessible during voice transmit, so you can turn
VOX off if shack noise suddenly increases

This revision also fixes the "CW pitch = 0" problem from rev. 2.57.

Other details appear below.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

* * *

MCU 2.58, 10-28-2008

New Features:

* FAST BAND SWITCHING USING KEYPAD:  We’ve added a “band select”
mode for memories 0-9. First, set CONFIG:MEM 0-9 to BAND SEL.
You can then use V>M to assign individual bands to keypad switches 0-9.
For example, use BAND UP/DN to get to 160 m, tap V>M, then tap #1.
 From then on, tapping M>V, then #1, will take you to your last-used
frequency
on 160 m, just as if you had used the BAND switches. Up to 10 of your
favorite
bands can be assigned to keypad switches, including transverter bands.
The behavior of memories 10-99 and the per-band quick memories (M1-M4)
will be unchanged.

* MAPPING OUT SELECTED BANDS:  You can now remove one or more bands
from the BAND UP/DN rotation using the CONFIG:BND MAP menu entry. Once
you’ve located CONFIG:BND MAP, use BAND UP/DN to select bands, and set
them to
IN or OUT using VFO A. (Works with transverter bands, too.) You can
still
get to mapped-out bands using memory recall, direct frequency entry, or
computer-control commands (“FA” and “FB”).

Miscellaneous:

* VOX CAN BE TURNED OFF DURING VOICE TRANSMIT: This is useful
if you’re using VOX and have a sudden increase in shack noise that
activates
transmit.

* MSG PLAY IN SSB MODE FIXED: In revision 2.57, tapping M1-M4 to play a
message in SSB modes was setting the CW pitch to 0 Hz. This has been
corrected.

For software developers:

* "RX" COMMAND AND TUNE: “RX” will now exit either an XMIT or TUNE
condition.

* MANUAL BAND CHANGE IN AI1 and AI2 MODES: Multiple rapid presses of
BAND UP or BAND DN were sometimes inserting band-change response data
for intermediate bands into the outgoing host command buffer. Now only
the
data for the final band is sent.



---

http://www.elecraft.com

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[dave.wilburn]

Sweet.  Thanks Elecraft!  You must of been reading my mind.  It is
hard to explain exactly how annoying it was recently having to keep
stopping on 60m when I was going back and forth between 40m and 80m
during CQ WW SSB.

David Wilburn
NM4M




wayne burdick wrote:

> K3 beta-test firmware revision 2.58 (with DSP rev 1.94) is now
> available. Please send any problem reports to [hidden email].
> For instructions on how to load beta firmware, please see:
>
>   http://www.elecraft.com/K3/k3_software.htm
>
> Highlights:
>
> * BAND SWITCHING is now possible using M>V and the numeric keypad -- a
> faster alternative to using BAND UP/DOWN
>
> * BAND MAPPING allows you to remove individual bands from the BAND
> UP/DOWN switch rotation (great for contesters, or for those who never
> use certain bands)
>
> * VOX switch is now accessible during voice transmit, so you can turn
> VOX off if shack noise suddenly increases
>
> This revision also fixes the "CW pitch = 0" problem from rev. 2.57.
>
> Other details appear below.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
> * * *
>
> MCU 2.58, 10-28-2008
>
> New Features:
>
> * FAST BAND SWITCHING USING KEYPAD:  We’ve added a “band select”
> mode for memories 0-9. First, set CONFIG:MEM 0-9 to BAND SEL.
> You can then use V>M to assign individual bands to keypad switches 0-9.
> For example, use BAND UP/DN to get to 160 m, tap V>M, then tap #1.
>  From then on, tapping M>V, then #1, will take you to your last-used
> frequency
> on 160 m, just as if you had used the BAND switches. Up to 10 of your
> favorite
> bands can be assigned to keypad switches, including transverter bands.
> The behavior of memories 10-99 and the per-band quick memories (M1-M4)
> will be unchanged.
>
> * MAPPING OUT SELECTED BANDS:  You can now remove one or more bands
> from the BAND UP/DN rotation using the CONFIG:BND MAP menu entry. Once
> you’ve located CONFIG:BND MAP, use BAND UP/DN to select bands, and set
> them to
> IN or OUT using VFO A. (Works with transverter bands, too.) You can still
> get to mapped-out bands using memory recall, direct frequency entry, or
> computer-control commands (“FA” and “FB”).
>
> Miscellaneous:
>
> * VOX CAN BE TURNED OFF DURING VOICE TRANSMIT: This is useful
> if you’re using VOX and have a sudden increase in shack noise that
> activates
> transmit.
>
> * MSG PLAY IN SSB MODE FIXED: In revision 2.57, tapping M1-M4 to play a
> message in SSB modes was setting the CW pitch to 0 Hz. This has been
> corrected.
>
> For software developers:
>
> * "RX" COMMAND AND TUNE: “RX” will now exit either an XMIT or TUNE
> condition.
>
> * MANUAL BAND CHANGE IN AI1 and AI2 MODES: Multiple rapid presses of
> BAND UP or BAND DN were sometimes inserting band-change response data
> for intermediate bands into the outgoing host command buffer. Now only the
> data for the final band is sent.
>
>
>
> ---
>
> http://www.elecraft.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>

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[drewko]

On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:20:59 -0400, David Wilburn
NM4M wrote:

>Sweet.  Thanks Elecraft!  You must of been reading my mind.  It is
>hard to explain exactly how annoying it was recently having to keep
>stopping on 60m when I was going back and forth between 40m and 80m
>during CQ WW SSB.
>
>David Wilburn
>NM4M
>


The only remaining annoyance is what happens when you leave the ham
bands, say if you leave 30m ham band and go into the 31m SWBC band:
the 31m band gets set as your 30m ham band. But with judicious
programming of the M1 thru M4 buttons you can at least restore it
quickly enough.

73,
Drew
AF2Z

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[Joe Subich, W4TV-3]

> The only remaining annoyance is what happens when you leave
> the ham bands, say if you leave 30m ham band and go into the
> 31m SWBC band: the 31m band gets set as your 30m ham band.

Yes, it would be nice if the K3 would spawn a "General Coverage"
band when tuning outside the amateur bands and leave the adjacent
ham band alone.  I think both Icom and Yaesu (in recent radios -
FT-2000/FT-950/FT-450) do that.  The general coverage band is
reset each time the user tunes out of the ham band and at least
with the Yaesu the "General coverage" band can be included or
excluded in the "band up/band down" steps.

73,

   ... Joe, W4TV
 
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of drewko
> Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 10:35 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Beta firmware rev. 2.58: FASTER
> BAND SWITCHING;BAND MAPPING
>
>
> On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:20:59 -0400, David Wilburn
> NM4M wrote:
>
> >Sweet.  Thanks Elecraft!  You must of been reading my mind.  It is
> >hard to explain exactly how annoying it was recently having to keep
> >stopping on 60m when I was going back and forth between 40m and 80m
> >during CQ WW SSB.
> >
> >David Wilburn
> >NM4M
> >
>
>
> The only remaining annoyance is what happens when you leave
> the ham bands, say if you leave 30m ham band and go into the
> 31m SWBC band: the 31m band gets set as your 30m ham band.
> But with judicious programming of the M1 thru M4 buttons you
> can at least restore it quickly enough.
>
> 73,
> Drew
> AF2Z
>

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[Jan Erik Holm]

Yes would like to see that too.

73 SM2EKM
-----------
Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:

>
> Yes, it would be nice if the K3 would spawn a "General Coverage"
> band when tuning outside the amateur bands and leave the adjacent
> ham band alone.  I think both Icom and Yaesu (in recent radios -
> FT-2000/FT-950/FT-450) do that.  The general coverage band is
> reset each time the user tunes out of the ham band and at least
> with the Yaesu the "General coverage" band can be included or
> excluded in the "band up/band down" steps.
>
> 73,
>
>    ... Joe, W4TV
>  

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[Tom Hammond-2]

Hi Drew:

I sometimes take my K3 for a visit to a neighboring SW band.

When I'm finished SWLing, I just press [A/B] to swap the (still-in-ham-band)
VFO B freq with VFO A and then press [A>B] to reset VFO A back to ham
band as well.

Two buttons, no problems.

73,

Tom   N0SS

At 09:35 10/29/2008, you wrote:

>On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:20:59 -0400, David Wilburn
>NM4M wrote:
>
> >Sweet.  Thanks Elecraft!  You must of been reading my mind.  It is
> >hard to explain exactly how annoying it was recently having to keep
> >stopping on 60m when I was going back and forth between 40m and 80m
> >during CQ WW SSB.
> >
> >David Wilburn
> >NM4M
> >
>
>
>The only remaining annoyance is what happens when you leave the ham
>bands, say if you leave 30m ham band and go into the 31m SWBC band:
>the 31m band gets set as your 30m ham band. But with judicious
>programming of the M1 thru M4 buttons you can at least restore it
>quickly enough.
>
>73,
>Drew
>AF2Z
>
>_______________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Post to: [hidden email]
>You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
>Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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[Don Ehrlich]

What is new here?  I have been switching bands this way since I received my
K3 last January.

Don K7FJ
------------------
>* BAND SWITCHING is now possible using M>V and the numeric keypad -- a
>faster alternative to using BAND UP/DOWN

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[wayne burdick]

The difference is that if you have BAND SEL in effect, an M>V recalls
the last-used frequency on the target band, not a fixed frequency. Thus
it's just like doing a BAND up/down.

Example: Suppose you're in BAND SEL mode, and you assign switch #4 to
40 m. Go to 40 m, then move the VFO. Then switch to any other band. Now
do M>V, #4, and you'll be back at the *new* VFO frequency on 40 m. In
normal memory mode, this would have taken you to a fixed location on 40
m.

73,
Wayne
N6KR


On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:27 AM, Don Ehrlich wrote:

>
> What is new here?  I have been switching bands this way since I
> received my K3 last January.
>
> Don K7FJ
> ------------------
>> * BAND SWITCHING is now possible using M>V and the numeric keypad --
>> a faster alternative to using BAND UP/DOWN
>
>
>

---

http://www.elecraft.com

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[Vic K2VCO]

Don Ehrlich wrote:
>
> What is new here?  I have been switching bands this way since I received
> my K3 last January.

What's new is that you can now go to the last frequency used in any band
  -- just like band up/down -- rather than to a particular memorized
frequency.
--
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco
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[drewko]

Yes, Tom, that works if you stray out of a ham band with the VFO. But
if you jump around to several different SWBC bands using direct memory
M->V access, they will reassign some of your ham bands to SWBC freqs.
You then have to bandswitch  to each one and recall one of your
(hopefully) stored ham channels for the particular band using M->V M1,
etc.

73,
Drew
AF2Z


On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:42:44 -0500, Tom   N0SS wrote:

>Hi Drew:
>
>I sometimes take my K3 for a visit to a neighboring SW band.
>
>When I'm finished SWLing, I just press [A/B] to swap the (still-in-ham-band)
>VFO B freq with VFO A and then press [A>B] to reset VFO A back to ham
>band as well.
>
>Two buttons, no problems.
>
>73,
>
>Tom   N0SS
>

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