K3 display for contesters

[Dick Green WC1M]

N1EU recently posted a query about the lack of a full-time bandwidth
display. Many replied that all you have to do is turn a knob to see the
current bandwidth. Evidently, this also applies to a number of other
operating parameters, including output power(!)

 

This is all well-and-good for casual operating and DXing, but it's a real
liability for serious contesters. In a contest, the last thing I want to do
is take my hands off the keyboard. I need to be able to see certain
important transceiver setting with a quick glance in order to make a
decision whether or not to move my hands. Bandwidth is one of the settings I
need to know, and the roofing filter selection isn't sufficient -- I need to
know the ultimate selectivity provided by the DSP. I haven't had time to
study the K3 manual in depth, but there are many parameters that need to be
available at-a-glance: both VFO frequencies, bandwidth, shift/PBT, RIT/XIT
power, vox, AGC, RF Gain, preamp, notch, NB, receive antenna status, power,
etc.

 

Basically, you need to be able to see any setting that might affect
transmission or reception. For example, if the bandwidth is too narrow, and
you don't realize it, you may not hear stations calling slightly off
frequency, or they'll be significantly attenuated. You could have a similar
effect if the notch was inadvertently left on. I can't be required to
remember the last change I made to the settings, which might have been hours
ago. Also, I use two radios and it's impossible to memorize the settings for
both of them. I can't afford to spend time twiddling knobs to determine the
current state of the transceiver.

 

Are the LCD display fields fixed, like on older displays, or are all the
pixels under firmware control? If the display is fixed, the lack of status
displays could be a real problem.

 

73, Dick WC1M

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[Greg - AB7R]

Dick,

Please see notes below...

Dick wrote:
Basically, you need to be able to see any setting that might affect
transmission or reception. For example, if the bandwidth is too narrow, and
you don't realize it, you may not hear stations calling slightly off
frequency, or they'll be significantly attenuated.

There's a graphical representation of the DSP BW displayed all the time.
This will let you know
if you may be too narrow.  There's also an Elecraft unique dual context
filter with a narrow initial
BW but then another, wider, BW outside that to allow you to hear someone
calling off frequency.  This works great.

You could have a similar effect if the notch was inadvertently left on.

Notch status is constantly displayed on the LCD.


Hope this helps.  Most of the FT group are contesters and DXers and have not
had problems with these issues at all.

73
Greg
AB7R




-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Dick Green WC1M
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 3:09 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 display for contesters


N1EU recently posted a query about the lack of a full-time bandwidth
display. Many replied that all you have to do is turn a knob to see the
current bandwidth. Evidently, this also applies to a number of other
operating parameters, including output power(!)



This is all well-and-good for casual operating and DXing, but it's a real
liability for serious contesters. In a contest, the last thing I want to do
is take my hands off the keyboard. I need to be able to see certain
important transceiver setting with a quick glance in order to make a
decision whether or not to move my hands. Bandwidth is one of the settings I
need to know, and the roofing filter selection isn't sufficient -- I need to
know the ultimate selectivity provided by the DSP. I haven't had time to
study the K3 manual in depth, but there are many parameters that need to be
available at-a-glance: both VFO frequencies, bandwidth, shift/PBT, RIT/XIT
power, vox, AGC, RF Gain, preamp, notch, NB, receive antenna status, power,
etc.




Are the LCD display fields fixed, like on older displays, or are all the
pixels under firmware control? If the display is fixed, the lack of status
displays could be a real problem.



73, Dick WC1M

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[Ed Muns, W0YK]

On the one hand, I've done a lot of contesting with the K3 since July and
have survived without these displays.  Bandwidth is indicated in two ways,
both the crystal filter setting and the filter bandwidth icon giving
relative width.  I quickly adapted to this UI and feel pretty comfortable
with it.  One worry is if I've adjusted the DSP bandwidth to an intermediate
value between crystal filters ... what is it?  But in contesting, I mostly
just want to be sure I'm at a known bandwidth and for that I can hit the
XFIL button or use the two PRESETs.

OTOH, I agree that the parameter displays you describe below are very useful
in contesting where you don't want to take time to turn controls back and
forth to activate their display momentarily.  This input is already in the
K3 firmware hopper and Wayne will deal with some of them in a future
release.  For example, there might be a configuration parameter to
constantly display RIT offset in the VFO-B display area.  Or, functions for
each of the controls you mention, e.g., POWER, that can be assigned to a PF
button for instant display in the VFO-B area.

73,
Ed - W0YK

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Dick Green WC1M
> Sent: Friday, 30 November, 2007 15:09
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 display for contesters
>
> N1EU recently posted a query about the lack of a full-time
> bandwidth display. Many replied that all you have to do is
> turn a knob to see the current bandwidth. Evidently, this
> also applies to a number of other operating parameters,
> including output power(!)
>
>  
>
> This is all well-and-good for casual operating and DXing, but
> it's a real liability for serious contesters. In a contest,
> the last thing I want to do is take my hands off the
> keyboard. I need to be able to see certain important
> transceiver setting with a quick glance in order to make a
> decision whether or not to move my hands. Bandwidth is one of
> the settings I need to know, and the roofing filter selection
> isn't sufficient -- I need to know the ultimate selectivity
> provided by the DSP. I haven't had time to study the K3
> manual in depth, but there are many parameters that need to
> be available at-a-glance: both VFO frequencies, bandwidth,
> shift/PBT, RIT/XIT power, vox, AGC, RF Gain, preamp, notch,
> NB, receive antenna status, power, etc.
>
>  
>
> Basically, you need to be able to see any setting that might
> affect transmission or reception. For example, if the
> bandwidth is too narrow, and you don't realize it, you may
> not hear stations calling slightly off frequency, or they'll
> be significantly attenuated. You could have a similar effect
> if the notch was inadvertently left on. I can't be required
> to remember the last change I made to the settings, which
> might have been hours ago. Also, I use two radios and it's
> impossible to memorize the settings for both of them. I can't
> afford to spend time twiddling knobs to determine the current
> state of the transceiver.
>
>  
>
> Are the LCD display fields fixed, like on older displays, or
> are all the pixels under firmware control? If the display is
> fixed, the lack of status displays could be a real problem.
>
>  
>
> 73, Dick WC1M
>
> _______________________________________________
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> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
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>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>

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[Brendan Minish]

On Fri, 2007-11-30 at 18:09 -0500, Dick Green WC1M wrote:

> N1EU recently posted a query about the lack of a full-time bandwidth
> display. Many replied that all you have to do is turn a knob to see the
> current bandwidth. Evidently, this also applies to a number of other
> operating parameters, including output power(!)
>
>  
>
> This is all well-and-good for casual operating and DXing, but it's a real
> liability for serious contesters. In a contest, the last thing I want to do
> is take my hands off the keyboard. I need to be able to see certain
> important transceiver setting with a quick glance in order to make a
> decision whether or not to move my hands. Bandwidth is one of the settings I
> need to know, and the roofing filter selection isn't sufficient -- I need to
> know the ultimate selectivity provided by the DSP.

I used my K3 in anger in the CQWW CW contest last weekend. this was
driving my Full KSK amp (Acom 1000)
(Yes I did operate Full QSK for parts of the contest, the K3 QSK is very
smooth indeed. )

Several times during the weekend I switched back to my Icom IC-7800, the
K3 gave a better account of it's self particularly in European 40m
conditions and was better ergonomically (please also bear in mind I have
been using the 7800 for more than a year and am now well versed in using
it but the k3 I have only had a couple of weeks)  

On Monday I Placed my 7800 on the market, it's far too much money to
have tied up in my second radio slot.

The K3 is a fine contest radio, best I have used to date. I don't
understand why I would ever need to know my exact RX filter bandwidth in
a contest, surely my ears will tell me that! The roofing filter display
on mine makes plenty of sense when you have 1k 500hz and 250 hz roofing
filters in there  

RIT (and any other operation that means you are TX and RX on differing
frequencies) is indicated by a nice bright LED
 My logging software displays any RIT/XIT offset on the PC in front of
me.
Notch filter status (on or off) is clearly displayed on the K3 display
but again, if there's a notch filter sized hole in my audio pass-band I
expect my ears to be able to tell me it's on.

Output power is displayed very accurately by my (external, post amp)
LP-100 on a nice big fluorescent display, surely this is better than
having it on a crowded LCD display on the radio, when your primary focus
is the logging PC anyway  

My suggestion would be that if you already have K3 on order, wait till
you get it, then try it out. if you don't like it then sell it on, If
you do keep it.
If you don't have one on order, ordering one is a small price in
contesting terms to try out this fine radio.
Until Elecraft get their shipping rate up to speed I suspect that second
hand K3's  would easily make retail price.
Heck I might buy it to try out SO2R  

In the CQWW contest in 28 hours operating fitted in around family
activities, food and sleep I managed the following claimed score

 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  281    12       56
   80:  408    13       55
   40:  220    19       71
   20:  348    15       58
   15:  177    22       57
   10:   79     5       16
------------------------------
Total: 1513   313       86  Total Score = 994,707

This was single operator, single radio High power assisted.
All antennas on one 60 foot tower
Inv L(160m) Inv V dipole (80) M2 7-10-30 skip log 40 -10m
power 400W

73's EI6IZ


--
Don‘t complain. Nobody will understand. Or care. And certainly don‘t try
to fix the situation yourself. It‘s dangerous. Leave it to a highly
untrained, unqualified, expendable professional.

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