K3 Menus, User Interface

[Jim Brown-10]

I own two K3s that I bought nearly 2 years ago. Partly because I was a K2
owner, I found the user interface quite easy to learn. I'm a member of a
big contest club, and many of my friends have also bought a K3. With each,
there is a learning curve. Those who RTFM learn quickly. Those who don't
are always on the phone with questions. When they call me, I try to help
them figure out their immediate problem, and urge that they RTFM.
Eventually, most they do. Those that don't RTFM complain about menus, and
some sell their radio in frustration.

K3 menus, like MP menus, and Icom menus, are for SETUP and configuration.
That allow us to make the radio work like WE want it to. The only times I
need to use menus is when I want to set up a new feature, or CHANGE how I
want the radio (and its controls) to behave. If you sit down and RTFM, it
doesn't take long to get the radio set the way you like it. Some of that
setup may include assigning a few commonly used controls to buttons (like
turning the speaker on and off). I use single-push memories to store my
favorite frequencies and operating modes on each band. If you RTFM, that
doesn't take long either.

I mostly work contests, but I also occasionally rag chew and chase DX. I
NEVER need to use menus in any of that activity. Mostly I use the main
tuning knob, the width control, AF and RF gain, RIT, and XIT. Occasionally
I'll tweak power output or keyer speed. I'll turn the sub-RX on/off, and
I'll put it in/out of diversity mode. NONE of those actions requires the
use of a menu!

When do I need a menu? To use a different mic, to install a roofing filter
or change its setup. To tweak the behaviour of the AGC system. To change
the behavior of the front panel AF gain controls from independent L/R to
gain and pan. I did alll of that once when I started using the radio,
and/or when I bought a new filter, or a new mic. NONE of those actions are
things you need to do during ordinary operation of the radio. All of those
things are easy if you RTFM.

73, Jim K9YC



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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Jim and all,

I agree, and I would suggest that if one wants a "shortcut" to RTFM, it
would be to turn to the section of the manual that lists the menu
functions.  If you read those menu entries, you will have a very good
idea about how a radio can be customized to meet your needs and
desires.  Yes, if you don't know how to change a menu item, you will
have to RTFM, but just reading the menu items will give you an idea of
just how configurable a radio is.  I recommend that for *any* radio, not
just the K3.  Of course, if you are using an HW101 with no
microprocessor and no menus, that does not apply, but most all modern
transceivers have menus that will do "magical things" for you, but to
understand the magic, you must RTFM.

Look at the postings I have placed on this reflector.  There are a lot
of troubleshooting posts, but many have simply been references to the
manual.  RTFM would have eliminated the need for the question in the
first place.  And, I observe that most of those questions would have
been answered by a perusal of the menu settings that are available (goes
for both the K2 and the K3).

What I am saying is that the *most* important part of understanding of
your radio capabilities (even if it is YaComWood) is to read the menu
settings for that radio.  It will tell you loads about what it is
capable of - and that is quite apart from the radio performance, of
which the Elecraft K3 is tops.

73,
Don W3FPR

Jim Brown wrote:

> I own two K3s that I bought nearly 2 years ago. Partly because I was a K2
> owner, I found the user interface quite easy to learn. I'm a member of a
> big contest club, and many of my friends have also bought a K3. With each,
> there is a learning curve. Those who RTFM learn quickly. Those who don't
> are always on the phone with questions. When they call me, I try to help
> them figure out their immediate problem, and urge that they RTFM.
> Eventually, most they do. Those that don't RTFM complain about menus, and
> some sell their radio in frustration.
>
> K3 menus, like MP menus, and Icom menus, are for SETUP and configuration.
> That allow us to make the radio work like WE want it to. The only times I
> need to use menus is when I want to set up a new feature, or CHANGE how I
> want the radio (and its controls) to behave. If you sit down and RTFM, it
> doesn't take long to get the radio set the way you like it. Some of that
> setup may include assigning a few commonly used controls to buttons (like
> turning the speaker on and off). I use single-push memories to store my
> favorite frequencies and operating modes on each band. If you RTFM, that
> doesn't take long either.
>
> I mostly work contests, but I also occasionally rag chew and chase DX. I
> NEVER need to use menus in any of that activity. Mostly I use the main
> tuning knob, the width control, AF and RF gain, RIT, and XIT. Occasionally
> I'll tweak power output or keyer speed. I'll turn the sub-RX on/off, and
> I'll put it in/out of diversity mode. NONE of those actions requires the
> use of a menu!
>
> When do I need a menu? To use a different mic, to install a roofing filter
> or change its setup. To tweak the behaviour of the AGC system. To change
> the behavior of the front panel AF gain controls from independent L/R to
> gain and pan. I did alll of that once when I started using the radio,
> and/or when I bought a new filter, or a new mic. NONE of those actions are
> things you need to do during ordinary operation of the radio. All of those
> things are easy if you RTFM.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>  

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