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PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

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sblogghe

PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

I thought that it might be a good idea to make a little (squeaking) noise on
this topic in the hope that it might happen sooner rather than later. :)
And perhaps others might chime in.

I have, and use all of the time, a P3 in conjunction with my K3. I am not
sure I can imagine (radio) life without it. I would feel quite "in the
dark"!

Pretty much from day one I have used Fixed Tune exclusively on the P3.

A bit over three months ago, as I was (gleefully!) preparing to order a PX3
to add to my KX3, I just happened to discover that it did not have a "Fixed
Tune" mode. I had absolutely assumed that it did and was quite surprised
that it did not.

(If I am wrong about that I would be thrilled to find that out!)

This discovery made me "put my credit card back in my wallet". I am really
not sure that the PX3 would make me very happy without this functionality. I
sent an email to Elecraft Sales back then to let them know what at least one
customer would like to see in the PX3. I assume they do like to hear from
their customers. I did not get any response. But I assume my vote was
tallied.

It is my hope that this can be accomplished via a future firmware update,
and perhaps I should just buy a PX3 now in the expectation that it will
fulfill my needs in the future?

I am puzzled that I have not seen very many other requests for this feature
for the PX3. This makes me wonder if I am missing the boat somewhere in my
operation of my P3, and therefore, in my hoped for operation of a PX3.

Are there better ways to use the P3? Am I way overstating the behavioral
difference between using Fixed vs. Tracking? I never feel the urge to switch
to Track Mode. Am I being shortsighted? Are there some user's with both the
P3 and the PX3 who can weigh in with their experiences? Is there a better
way? I am always open to enlightenment. ;)

The discussions of my peers on this list are (almost!) always very
enlightening and broaden my viewpoint. My thanks to everyone who contributes
to this list. Really.

gud dx es 73

Sean Logghe

KB2CKN

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pa0pje

Re: PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

Hi Sean

You most probably have missed this message from Wayne:

<quote>
On 2015-02-10 07:38 Wayne Burdick wrote:

Subject: [Elecraft] Fixed-Tune mode for the PX3: Very early version
ready for a few hardy field testers

Hi all,

Fixed-tune mode is now pretty much working on the PX3, though it's not
quite ready for beta test. (In fixed-tune mode, the PX3's displayed
frequency range stays "fixed" rather than "tracking" the KX3's VFO A
frequency. This feature is very popular with users of the P3, the PX3's
big brother.)

We're looking for a couple of thrill seekers who (a) *really* want to
test fixed-tune mode, (b) won't be rattled when they encounter they
occasional bug, and (c) can start giving our development team feedback
right away, as in tomorrow.

If you're interested, please email me directly (n6kr at elecraft dot
com). This will be a very limited distribution, but I suspect we'll be
ready for beta in a week or two.

Thanks!

Wayne
N6KR
<end quote>

So I assume it's on it's way.
I have a PX3 too but I for one am not missing the "fixed tune" option
and drew that card a while ago...:-)

If Wayne still wants an extra field tester I would jump in though...
73,
Peter - PA0PJE

Op 2015-02-20 22:38 schreef Sean Logghe:
> It is my hope that this can be accomplished via a future firmware update,
> and perhaps I should just buy a PX3 now in the expectation that it will
> fulfill my needs in the future?
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Phil Wheeler-2

Re: PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

In reply to this post by sblogghe

My understanding is that there is a firmware mod
for this now in field test, Sean. Hopefully it
will be available in beta form any day now, and
I'll install it as soon as it shows up.

So "any day now" :-)

Phil W7OX

On 2/20/15 1:38 PM, Sean Logghe wrote:
> It is my hope that this can be accomplished via a future firmware update,
> and perhaps I should just buy a PX3 now in the expectation that it will
> fulfill my needs in the future?

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k6dgw

Re: PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

In reply to this post by sblogghe

I believe it is on the PX3 To-Do list, Sean.

On 2/20/2015 1:38 PM, Sean Logghe wrote:

> (If I am wrong about that I would be thrilled to find that out!)

> I am puzzled that I have not seen very many other requests for this feature
> for the PX3. This makes me wonder if I am missing the boat somewhere in my
> operation of my P3, and therefore, in my hoped for operation of a PX3.

> Are there better ways to use the P3? Am I way overstating the behavioral
> difference between using Fixed vs. Tracking? I never feel the urge to switch
> to Track Mode. Am I being shortsighted? Are there some user's with both the
> P3 and the PX3 who can weigh in with their experiences? Is there a better
> way? I am always open to enlightenment. ;)

Probably; No; No; I will weigh in below; I prefer Fixed Tune, YMMV.

Analog panadapters have been around since WW2, indeed many used by hams
in the early 50's were WW2 surplus. They, of necessity, operated in
what the P3 calls Tracking mode. Your RX QRG is always in the middle
and as you tune, the band "moves" past it. That has always seemed a
little strange to me. The P3, being digital, offers a lot more in the
way of features, including Fixed Tune mode, where the screen displays a
slice of the band and you tune across it. Much more intuitive to me.

Aside from operator preference, there are some real differences between
the two modes. In Fixed Tune, you can average the spectrum display
because the spectrum limits change only when you tune past the edge and
the averaging has to be restarted. Averaging tends to suppress noise
and can make weak signals stand out better. Averaging would work in
Tracking mode except that every time you tuned ... even 1 Hz ... the
averaging would have to start over. Someone asked about this not long
ago, his spectrum "jumped" every time he tuned.

Fixed Tune also gives you better control over what you're looking at.
For example, you can adjust the CENTER and SPAN so that K1N is near the
left edge of the screen and the pile up spread across the entire screen
to the right. In Tracking mode, K1N will always be in the center, the
pile up will occupy the right half of the screen, and the left half is
sort of "wasted."

I am fairly certain Fixed Tune mode is going to appear for the PX3 soon.

73,

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

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wayne burdick

Re: PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

Administrator

Fixed-tune is being tested on the PX3 already. But we had some bugs crop up that were seen only on some units. Our firmware engineer has one of these in hand, now, and is working on it.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

On Feb 20, 2015, at 3:08 PM, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I believe it is on the PX3 To-Do list, Sean.
>
> On 2/20/2015 1:38 PM, Sean Logghe wrote:
>
>> (If I am wrong about that I would be thrilled to find that out!)
>
>> I am puzzled that I have not seen very many other requests for this feature
>> for the PX3. This makes me wonder if I am missing the boat somewhere in my
>> operation of my P3, and therefore, in my hoped for operation of a PX3.
>
>> Are there better ways to use the P3? Am I way overstating the behavioral
>> difference between using Fixed vs. Tracking? I never feel the urge to switch
>> to Track Mode. Am I being shortsighted? Are there some user's with both the
>> P3 and the PX3 who can weigh in with their experiences? Is there a better
>> way? I am always open to enlightenment. ;)
>
> Probably; No; No; I will weigh in below; I prefer Fixed Tune, YMMV.
>
> Analog panadapters have been around since WW2, indeed many used by hams in the early 50's were WW2 surplus. They, of necessity, operated in what the P3 calls Tracking mode. Your RX QRG is always in the middle and as you tune, the band "moves" past it. That has always seemed a little strange to me. The P3, being digital, offers a lot more in the way of features, including Fixed Tune mode, where the screen displays a slice of the band and you tune across it. Much more intuitive to me.
>
> Aside from operator preference, there are some real differences between the two modes. In Fixed Tune, you can average the spectrum display because the spectrum limits change only when you tune past the edge and the averaging has to be restarted. Averaging tends to suppress noise and can make weak signals stand out better. Averaging would work in Tracking mode except that every time you tuned ... even 1 Hz ... the averaging would have to start over. Someone asked about this not long ago, his spectrum "jumped" every time he tuned.
>
> Fixed Tune also gives you better control over what you're looking at. For example, you can adjust the CENTER and SPAN so that K1N is near the left edge of the screen and the pile up spread across the entire screen to the right. In Tracking mode, K1N will always be in the center, the pile up will occupy the right half of the screen, and the left half is sort of "wasted."
>
> I am fairly certain Fixed Tune mode is going to appear for the PX3 soon.
>
> 73,
>
> Fred K6DGW
> - Northern California Contest Club
> - CU in the 50th Running of the Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2015
> - www.cqp.org
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ

Re: PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

Administrator

In reply to this post by Phil Wheeler-2

The first alpha version of the PX3 f/w with fixed tune mode is in test. We are
now correcting some bugs and will be testing the next release of it shortly.
Overall it looked good when I played with it in the lab last week.

My expectations are that we'll have it ready for beta test in the next 2-3 weeks.

73,

Eric
elecraft.com

On 2/20/2015 2:09 PM, Phil Wheeler wrote:

> My understanding is that there is a firmware mod for this now in field test,
> Sean. Hopefully it will be available in beta form any day now, and I'll
> install it as soon as it shows up.
>
> So "any day now" :-)
>
> Phil W7OX
>
> On 2/20/15 1:38 PM, Sean Logghe wrote:
>> It is my hope that this can be accomplished via a future firmware update,
>> and perhaps I should just buy a PX3 now in the expectation that it will
>> fulfill my needs in the future?
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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k6dgw

Re: PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

In reply to this post by k6dgw

Ummm ... technically, that could be done. However, given that anything
"looking odd, even for a moment", such as the spectrum trace jumping a
little on tuning in tracking mode seems to provoke a huge number of
potential solutions to a non-problem, I really doubt Elecraft is going
there. And I doubt "operators would get used to it" either. :-))

Fixed Track solves the problem. On a slightly different subject, I've
never been able to get used to the Half-screen Shift when tuning off of
one or the other edge, and yet I know a number of people who use it just
fine. I'm a full-screen guy, it fits my mental picture of what's
happening. To each his own, at least we have choices.

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 2/20/2015 6:00 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:

> On Feb 20, 2015, at 3:08 PM, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]> wrote:
>> […] Averaging tends to suppress noise and can make weak signals
>> stand out better. Averaging would work in Tracking mode except
>> that every time you tuned ... even 1 Hz ... the averaging would
>> have to start over. Someone asked about this not long ago, his
>> spectrum "jumped" every time he tuned.
>
> It does start over, but it doesn’t have to. It could keep the
> averaged data for the portion that used to be in the window and build
> up an average for the new portion. It would look odd for a moment,
> but operators would get used to it.

Jim Brown-10

Re: PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

In reply to this post by Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ

On Fri,2/20/2015 5:42 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote:
> The first alpha version of the PX3 f/w with fixed tune mode is in test.

What is the maximum span for Fixed Tune mode?

73, Jim K9YC
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Alan Bloom

Re: PX3 Fixed Tune Mode

The maximum total span is 200 kHz, or +/- 100 kHz from the KX3 VFO A
frequency. So for example, if the span is set to 50 kHz (+/- 25 kHz),
then the maximum positive fixed-tune offset is 75 kHz (that is, +50 to
+100 kHz display range).

Alan N1AL

On 02/20/2015 07:59 PM, Jim Brown wrote:

> On Fri,2/20/2015 5:42 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote:
>> The first alpha version of the PX3 f/w with fixed tune mode is in test.
>
> What is the maximum span for Fixed Tune mode?
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
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