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KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

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Buck - k4ia

KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

I am fooling around with an EM0202 external soundcard and NaP3 which
works just fine with an LpPan pandapter providing the I/Q from my K3 but
I am not having much luck with the KX3, I have turned on the RX I/Q in
the menu and run the I/Q output from the KX3 to the soundcard. I had to
crank the gain way up but the signals are not there - just images, a
blip in the center frequency and mirrored spurs on either side. .

Before I go crazy trying to get this to work, is it fully implemented at
this time and should it work? If it is, I will go about trouble
shooting my cables and connectors.

--
Buck
k4ia
K3 # 101 KX3 #715

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Barry K3NDM

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

Buck,
I have my KX3 running using the NaP3 software with the same sound card you have. The operating system is Windows 7. The one thing I found out quickly was that I needed the beta driver from Creative Labs. The rest of it was a little more than a little fiddling with the set up. But, it works rather nicely. I can point and click and the the radio tune to that signal. It's great!! I also have PowerSDR-IQ running with the radio, but it only operates as a panadapter; PowerSDR-IQ doesn't control the radio like NaP3.

There are just two issues I've run into. The first, I have not been able to get VAC to work with NaP3. Secondly, I can hear the refresh click in the outputted audio. This doesn't happen in any of the other SDR software I've tried.

Some suggestions:
1. Start with the sample rate set to 48 KHz.
2. Install Omnirig - available for free on the web
3. Make your input and out put card set to the EMU-0202 and use the audio jack of the soundcard to connect to a powered stereo speaker.
4. Make sure you are really plugged into the EMU-0202 as you think you need.

Best of luck and enjoy.

73,
Barry
K3NDM

----- Original Message -----
From: "Buck k4ia" <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 10:40:09 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

I am fooling around with an EM0202 external soundcard and NaP3 which
works just fine with an LpPan pandapter providing the I/Q from my K3 but
I am not having much luck with the KX3, I have turned on the RX I/Q in
the menu and run the I/Q output from the KX3 to the soundcard. I had to
crank the gain way up but the signals are not there - just images, a
blip in the center frequency and mirrored spurs on either side. .

Before I go crazy trying to get this to work, is it fully implemented at
this time and should it work? If it is, I will go about trouble
shooting my cables and connectors.

--
Buck
k4ia
K3 # 101 KX3 #715

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Tony Estep

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

In reply to this post by Buck - k4ia

On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 9:40 PM, Buck k4ia <[hidden email]> wrote:

> ...the signals are not there - just images....

==========
Buck, I have NaP3 running with my KX3, and it works fine. Set the global
offset to 0. NaP3 will automatically balance images if you give it a strong
signal to work on. I use my XG3 to put in a signal of S9+20 and tune the
KX3 about 20 khz above the XG3 signal. You'll see two spikes, but
eventually the right-hand spike will diminish. You can move the tuning
around a bit, and finally you'll see the image drop to 40db or even more
below the correct signal. When an antenna is connected, the images will be
invisible in the grass.

The cable that carries the I-Q has to be stereo 3/32" on one end and stereo
1/8" on the other end. If something is shorted in the cable, that would
cause the symptoms you describe.

Anyway, I assure you that it does work and that in fact it makes an
excellent SDR. Once you get it going, you'll love it.

73,
Tony KT0NY

--
http://www.isb.edu/faculty/facultydir.aspx?ddlFaculty=352
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Greg - AB7R

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

You should also have some sort of galvanic ground isolation on the
line from the KX3 IQ to the sound card.

Also, If I recall correctly, the 0202 has a way to lift the grounds on
the input lines. Experiment with those as well if you are having
image issues.

73
Greg

On 8/2/12, Tony Estep <[hidden email]> wrote:

> On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 9:40 PM, Buck k4ia <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> ...the signals are not there - just images....
>
> ==========
> Buck, I have NaP3 running with my KX3, and it works fine. Set the global
> offset to 0. NaP3 will automatically balance images if you give it a strong
> signal to work on. I use my XG3 to put in a signal of S9+20 and tune the
> KX3 about 20 khz above the XG3 signal. You'll see two spikes, but
> eventually the right-hand spike will diminish. You can move the tuning
> around a bit, and finally you'll see the image drop to 40db or even more
> below the correct signal. When an antenna is connected, the images will be
> invisible in the grass.
>
> The cable that carries the I-Q has to be stereo 3/32" on one end and stereo
> 1/8" on the other end. If something is shorted in the cable, that would
> cause the symptoms you describe.
>
> Anyway, I assure you that it does work and that in fact it makes an
> excellent SDR. Once you get it going, you'll love it.
>
> 73,
> Tony KT0NY
>
>
> --
> http://www.isb.edu/faculty/facultydir.aspx?ddlFaculty=352
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

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Nr4c

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

In reply to this post by Tony Estep

Anyone have any experience with the Behringer U202 or U222 USB sound
device? I see a lot of regular spikes across the band.

...bill nr4c

On Thu, 2 Aug 2012 08:46:14 -0500, Tony Estep wrote:

> On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 9:40 PM, Buck k4ia <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> ...the signals are not there - just images....
>
> ==========
> Buck, I have NaP3 running with my KX3, and it works fine. Set the
> global
> offset to 0. NaP3 will automatically balance images if you give it a
> strong
> signal to work on. I use my XG3 to put in a signal of S9+20 and tune
> the
> KX3 about 20 khz above the XG3 signal. You'll see two spikes, but
> eventually the right-hand spike will diminish. You can move the
> tuning
> around a bit, and finally you'll see the image drop to 40db or even
> more
> below the correct signal. When an antenna is connected, the images
> will be
> invisible in the grass.
>
> The cable that carries the I-Q has to be stereo 3/32" on one end and
> stereo
> 1/8" on the other end. If something is shorted in the cable, that
> would
> cause the symptoms you describe.
>
> Anyway, I assure you that it does work and that in fact it makes an
> excellent SDR. Once you get it going, you'll love it.
>
> 73,
> Tony KT0NY

Mike Heitmann

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

In reply to this post by Tony Estep

Buck,

I've had results similar to what Tony describes. I'm using a external Griffin
iMic as the soundcard. It works well, and I have been able to use a Virtual
Audio Cable (VAC) to route the NaP3 audio to a 3rd party digital mode
application (I use Fldigi). You still need an external cable to route the audio
from the soundcard output to the mic input of the KX3, you can't use a VAC for
that. It works just about like my Flex radio does configured that way, except
with full break-in CW!

My Flex-1500 is looking for a new home now.

Mike, N0SO

----- Original Message ----
From: Tony Estep <[hidden email]>
To: Elecraft <[hidden email]>
Sent: Thu, August 2, 2012 9:08:08 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 9:40 PM, Buck k4ia <[hidden email]> wrote:

> ...the signals are not there - just images....

==========
Buck, I have NaP3 running with my KX3, and it works fine. Set the global
offset to 0. NaP3 will automatically balance images if you give it a strong
signal to work on. I use my XG3 to put in a signal of S9+20 and tune the
KX3 about 20 khz above the XG3 signal. You'll see two spikes, but
eventually the right-hand spike will diminish. You can move the tuning
around a bit, and finally you'll see the image drop to 40db or even more
below the correct signal. When an antenna is connected, the images will be
invisible in the grass.

The cable that carries the I-Q has to be stereo 3/32" on one end and stereo
1/8" on the other end. If something is shorted in the cable, that would
cause the symptoms you describe.

Anyway, I assure you that it does work and that in fact it makes an
excellent SDR. Once you get it going, you'll love it.

73,
Tony KT0NY
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KU7Y

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

In reply to this post by Tony Estep

Where do I find NaP3?

Thanks,

OK, back in my hole,

Ron, KU7Y
SOWP 5545M
Arizona Outlaws Contest Club
Brenda, AZ (Winter)
Caldwell, ID (Summer)
[hidden email]
http://www.hatpinsandmore.com
KX3 #0062
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Greg - AB7R

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

www.telepostinc.com

Go to the LP-Pan section and Larry has the links to NAP3 there.

73
Greg

On 8/2/12, KU7Y <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Where do I find NaP3?
>
> Thanks,
>
> OK, back in my hole,
>
> Ron, KU7Y
> SOWP 5545M
> Arizona Outlaws Contest Club
> Brenda, AZ (Winter)
> Caldwell, ID (Summer)
> [hidden email]
> http://www.hatpinsandmore.com
> KX3 #0062
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

KU7Y

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

Thanks Greg,

Got it all OK.

OK, back in my hole,

Ron, KU7Y
SOWP 5545M
Arizona Outlaws Contest Club
Brenda, AZ (Winter)
Caldwell, ID (Summer)
[hidden email]
http://www.hatpinsandmore.com
KX3 #0062
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Barry K3NDM

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

In reply to this post by KU7Y

Ron,
Google it. I forget. It's a free download. I'm sure that you'll
have a lot of fun with it once you've gotten it running.

73,
Barry
K3NDM

On 8/2/2012 10:35 AM, KU7Y wrote:

Tony Estep

Re: KX3 I/Q output for pandapter

In reply to this post by Barry K3NDM

On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 11:52 PM, <[hidden email]> wrote:

> ...I have not been able to get VAC to work with NaP3....

========
If you can get VAC to work with something else, it should also work with
NaP3. Set up 2 cables, SR=11025, 96000 rate, 8..32 bps, NC 1..2, source
line Line. Max inst 20, Ms 5, Cable range.
Then set the output of NaP3 to Line 1 Virtual and set the input of your
digital program (e.g. MixW2) to Line 1 Virtual. That ought to do it. If
not, I am out of suggestions, but it should work.

Note that the sound card for your digital program shouldn't be the same
sound card used to decode the I-Q.

Tony KT0NY

--
http://www.isb.edu/faculty/facultydir.aspx?ddlFaculty=352
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