Some K4 updates from the engineering department

[wayne burdick]

Greetings from locked-down California.... I hope everyone, near and far, is staying safe!

I thought I'd take a break from playing with the K4 and tweaking firmware to give everyone a status report from the engineering side. (Eric has been keeping everyone informed about how Elecraft has been affected by the pandemic more generally.)

These musings are in no particular order. I hope they help satisfy those who recently posted with questions, info-cravings, etc.

* * *

Reference Oscillator

The K4 includes a stable internal TXCO, standard, as well as the ability to lock to an external 10 MHz reference. We just completed a round of testing on this feature.

The internal TCXO is accurate to within +/- .28 ppm with no calibration and no external reference connected. There's a menu entry for dialing this in as tight as +/- .02 PPM (+/- 1 Hz at 50 MHz). Connecting an external reference will hold it even closer, and of course keep it there over an even wider temperature range.

Panadapter Controls

Thanks to the efforts of our [working-at-home] software team, the panadapter controls just keep getting better. When you tap DISPLAY, you're presented with 14 easy to use display functions. But we took things a step further by allowing you to specify whether to adjust the current parameter on LCD, EXT, or both (when an external monitor is attached), and on main, sub, or both (when in dual-display mode). You can independently specify single or dual-pan for LCD and external monitor. For example, you could have dual-Pan on a large HDMI monitor, while setting the LCD to monitor just main or sub RX.

Stereo Audio

Receive audio provides independent left and right channels for both headphones and external speakers. When used in single-receive mode, this allows you to use simulated stereo or "pitch mapping"-- both very effective at relieving listening fatigue. I've been using this a lot in DXing and QRP work. Full stereo also comes into play in diversity mode, when listening to pileups, or just monitoring two separate bands. Even with a basic K4, the two receivers can be set to any two bands, and you can operate cross-band split. The K4D adds a second set of band-pass filters and a second A-to-D converter to greatly improve out-of-band rejection when monitoring different bands.

Receive Antenna Controls

We recently made some improvements in this area. In addition to main RX ant and sub RX ant selection switches, there are now separate icons showing which antennas are in use: one for main RX, one for sub RX, and one for TX antenna. Main and sub receivers default to the TX antenna, but you can select any of the antenna jacks for assignment to each receiver independently. This updates the icons accordingly. You can also assign names to antenna ports using a pop-up alphanumeric keyboard. On my K4, I have names for the three antennas connected to my KAT4 ATU, as well as "SIG GEN" for the RX ANT IN 1 jack and "LOOP" for RX ANT IN 2.

RF Gain Controls

The ATTN switch brings up a selection tool that allows you to turn the attenuator on/off and select attenuation from 0 to 21 dB in 3-dB steps. (As with all receive and transmit controls, these settings are stored per-band and per-receiver.) You can also dial in per-receiver RF GAIN (0 to -60 dB, with digital readout) and preamp setting (off/pre1/pre2). All gain settings are now taken into account when calculating S-meter and panadapter reference levels.

Miscellaneous Controls

Compared the the K3S, the K4 has numerous additional controls, resulting in a lot less use of the menu. Each receiver has a collection of per-mode settings (tap MAIN RX or SUB RX, respectively), as does the transmitter (tap the TX button). There are dedicated switches for TUNE LP (user-specified low-power TUNE setting), REM ANT (for future control of remote antenna switches, rotators, etc.), VFO B>A (in addition to the usual A>B), AUTO spot (in addition to SPOT), PF1-PF4 (plus another 14 user functions, Fn 1-14, via a touch function), and a separate audio BALance knob function, the behavior of which could be adapted to various operator needs in the future.

Touch Controls

We're sure you'll find, as we have, that the K4's touch screen interface is fast and convenient to use. To capitalize on this, we've been adding new touch features. To highlight a few: Tapping the RIT/XIT offset window turns RIT on/off (per receiver). Tapping the antenna icons brings up their selection widgets, with planned custom behavior for quick A/B testing. The Status Area of the LCD normally shows time and date, but you can tap it to select from various alternatives, including system parameters (like supply voltage/current) or per-receiver absolute signal levels in dBm. Tapping the per-RX filter graphics switches between per-mode FL1/2/3 settings.

* * *

I have to admit that it's frustrating to be sequestered at home, making only the occasional quick trip to the office or to visit coworkers. Work, like life, has become more challenging for all of us. But the good news for everyone waiting for a K4 is that a handful of testers are using them every day, so that when you do get your hands on one, it'll be rock-solid.

Believe me, we're just as anxious for that day to arrive as you are. Maybe more :)

73,
Wayne
N6KR








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[Richard Zalewski]

Thank you very much.  More updates like this will make your bankers (those
that pre-ordered) feel a lot better.  Please keep it up and Stay Safe!

Richard
*W7ZR* ex:5C5Z, CN2ZR, K2JSP, W6SBZ, W7KXR, K9ZIJ, W9KNF, W0KDF, W0MQU,
J68ZR, KC6ZR, PJ4/W7ZR, KH2,W7ZR, KH6/W7ZR, V31ZR, VK4AAZ, XE2DV


*Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer*


On Sun, Apr 19, 2020 at 12:47 PM Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Greetings from locked-down California.... I hope everyone, near and far,
> is staying safe!
>
> I thought I'd take a break from playing with the K4 and tweaking firmware
> to give everyone a status report from the engineering side. (Eric has been
> keeping everyone informed about how Elecraft has been affected by the
> pandemic more generally.)
>
> These musings are in no particular order. I hope they help satisfy those
> who recently posted with questions, info-cravings, etc.
>
> * * *
>
> Reference Oscillator
>
> The K4 includes a stable internal TXCO, standard, as well as the ability
> to lock to an external 10 MHz reference. We just completed a round of
> testing on this feature.
>
> The internal TCXO is accurate to within +/- .28 ppm with no calibration
> and no external reference connected. There's a menu entry for dialing this
> in as tight as +/- .02 PPM (+/- 1 Hz at 50 MHz). Connecting an external
> reference will hold it even closer, and of course keep it there over an
> even wider temperature range.
>
> Panadapter Controls
>
> Thanks to the efforts of our [working-at-home] software team, the
> panadapter controls just keep getting better. When you tap DISPLAY, you're
> presented with 14 easy to use display functions. But we took things a step
> further by allowing you to specify whether to adjust the current parameter
> on LCD, EXT, or both (when an external monitor is attached), and on main,
> sub, or both (when in dual-display mode). You can independently specify
> single or dual-pan for LCD and external monitor. For example, you could
> have dual-Pan on a large HDMI monitor, while setting the LCD to monitor
> just main or sub RX.
>
> Stereo Audio
>
> Receive audio provides independent left and right channels for both
> headphones and external speakers. When used in single-receive mode, this
> allows you to use simulated stereo or "pitch mapping"-- both very effective
> at relieving listening fatigue. I've been using this a lot in DXing and QRP
> work. Full stereo also comes into play in diversity mode, when listening to
> pileups, or just monitoring two separate bands. Even with a basic K4, the
> two receivers can be set to any two bands, and you can operate cross-band
> split. The K4D adds a second set of band-pass filters and a second A-to-D
> converter to greatly improve out-of-band rejection when monitoring
> different bands.
>
> Receive Antenna Controls
>
> We recently made some improvements in this area. In addition to main RX
> ant and sub RX ant selection switches, there are now separate icons showing
> which antennas are in use: one for main RX, one for sub RX, and one for TX
> antenna. Main and sub receivers default to the TX antenna, but you can
> select any of the antenna jacks for assignment to each receiver
> independently. This updates the icons accordingly. You can also assign
> names to antenna ports using a pop-up alphanumeric keyboard. On my K4, I
> have names for the three antennas connected to my KAT4 ATU, as well as "SIG
> GEN" for the RX ANT IN 1 jack and "LOOP" for RX ANT IN 2.
>
> RF Gain Controls
>
> The ATTN switch brings up a selection tool that allows you to turn the
> attenuator on/off and select attenuation from 0 to 21 dB in 3-dB steps. (As
> with all receive and transmit controls, these settings are stored per-band
> and per-receiver.) You can also dial in per-receiver RF GAIN (0 to -60 dB,
> with digital readout) and preamp setting (off/pre1/pre2). All gain settings
> are now taken into account when calculating S-meter and panadapter
> reference levels.
>
> Miscellaneous Controls
>
> Compared the the K3S, the K4 has numerous additional controls, resulting
> in a lot less use of the menu. Each receiver has a collection of per-mode
> settings (tap MAIN RX or SUB RX, respectively), as does the transmitter
> (tap the TX button). There are dedicated switches for TUNE LP
> (user-specified low-power TUNE setting), REM ANT (for future control of
> remote antenna switches, rotators, etc.), VFO B>A (in addition to the usual
> A>B), AUTO spot (in addition to SPOT), PF1-PF4 (plus another 14 user
> functions, Fn 1-14, via a touch function), and a separate audio BALance
> knob function, the behavior of which could be adapted to various operator
> needs in the future.
>
> Touch Controls
>
> We're sure you'll find, as we have, that the K4's touch screen interface
> is fast and convenient to use. To capitalize on this, we've been adding new
> touch features. To highlight a few: Tapping the RIT/XIT offset window turns
> RIT on/off (per receiver). Tapping the antenna icons brings up their
> selection widgets, with planned custom behavior for quick A/B testing. The
> Status Area of the LCD normally shows time and date, but you can tap it to
> select from various alternatives, including system parameters (like supply
> voltage/current) or per-receiver absolute signal levels in dBm. Tapping the
> per-RX filter graphics switches between per-mode FL1/2/3 settings.
>
> * * *
>
> I have to admit that it's frustrating to be sequestered at home, making
> only the occasional quick trip to the office or to visit coworkers. Work,
> like life, has become more challenging for all of us. But the good news for
> everyone waiting for a K4 is that a handful of testers are using them every
> day, so that when you do get your hands on one, it'll be rock-solid.
>
> Believe me, we're just as anxious for that day to arrive as you are. Maybe
> more :)
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

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Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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[ke9uw]

When I read about the touch controls, I suddenly had an image in my mind of a small touch tablet on the desk that had all the controls on it that were on the K4 display.
Kind of a touch panel Kpod...

Jack BMW Motorcycles
Chuck KE9UW
[hidden email]

Sent from my iPad

> On Apr 19, 2020, at 2:46 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Greetings from locked-down California.... I hope everyone, near and far, is staying safe!
>
> I thought I'd take a break from playing with the K4 and tweaking firmware to give everyone a status report from the engineering side. (Eric has been keeping everyone informed about how Elecraft has been affected by the pandemic more generally.)
>
> These musings are in no particular order. I hope they help satisfy those who recently posted with questions, info-cravings, etc.
>
> * * *
>
> Reference Oscillator
>
> The K4 includes a stable internal TXCO, standard, as well as the ability to lock to an external 10 MHz reference. We just completed a round of testing on this feature.
>
> The internal TCXO is accurate to within +/- .28 ppm with no calibration and no external reference connected. There's a menu entry for dialing this in as tight as +/- .02 PPM (+/- 1 Hz at 50 MHz). Connecting an external reference will hold it even closer, and of course keep it there over an even wider temperature range.
>
> Panadapter Controls
>
> Thanks to the efforts of our [working-at-home] software team, the panadapter controls just keep getting better. When you tap DISPLAY, you're presented with 14 easy to use display functions. But we took things a step further by allowing you to specify whether to adjust the current parameter on LCD, EXT, or both (when an external monitor is attached), and on main, sub, or both (when in dual-display mode). You can independently specify single or dual-pan for LCD and external monitor. For example, you could have dual-Pan on a large HDMI monitor, while setting the LCD to monitor just main or sub RX.
>
> Stereo Audio
>
> Receive audio provides independent left and right channels for both headphones and external speakers. When used in single-receive mode, this allows you to use simulated stereo or "pitch mapping"-- both very effective at relieving listening fatigue. I've been using this a lot in DXing and QRP work. Full stereo also comes into play in diversity mode, when listening to pileups, or just monitoring two separate bands. Even with a basic K4, the two receivers can be set to any two bands, and you can operate cross-band split. The K4D adds a second set of band-pass filters and a second A-to-D converter to greatly improve out-of-band rejection when monitoring different bands.
>
> Receive Antenna Controls
>
> We recently made some improvements in this area. In addition to main RX ant and sub RX ant selection switches, there are now separate icons showing which antennas are in use: one for main RX, one for sub RX, and one for TX antenna. Main and sub receivers default to the TX antenna, but you can select any of the antenna jacks for assignment to each receiver independently. This updates the icons accordingly. You can also assign names to antenna ports using a pop-up alphanumeric keyboard. On my K4, I have names for the three antennas connected to my KAT4 ATU, as well as "SIG GEN" for the RX ANT IN 1 jack and "LOOP" for RX ANT IN 2.
>
> RF Gain Controls
>
> The ATTN switch brings up a selection tool that allows you to turn the attenuator on/off and select attenuation from 0 to 21 dB in 3-dB steps. (As with all receive and transmit controls, these settings are stored per-band and per-receiver.) You can also dial in per-receiver RF GAIN (0 to -60 dB, with digital readout) and preamp setting (off/pre1/pre2). All gain settings are now taken into account when calculating S-meter and panadapter reference levels.
>
> Miscellaneous Controls
>
> Compared the the K3S, the K4 has numerous additional controls, resulting in a lot less use of the menu. Each receiver has a collection of per-mode settings (tap MAIN RX or SUB RX, respectively), as does the transmitter (tap the TX button). There are dedicated switches for TUNE LP (user-specified low-power TUNE setting), REM ANT (for future control of remote antenna switches, rotators, etc.), VFO B>A (in addition to the usual A>B), AUTO spot (in addition to SPOT), PF1-PF4 (plus another 14 user functions, Fn 1-14, via a touch function), and a separate audio BALance knob function, the behavior of which could be adapted to various operator needs in the future.
>
> Touch Controls
>
> We're sure you'll find, as we have, that the K4's touch screen interface is fast and convenient to use. To capitalize on this, we've been adding new touch features. To highlight a few: Tapping the RIT/XIT offset window turns RIT on/off (per receiver). Tapping the antenna icons brings up their selection widgets, with planned custom behavior for quick A/B testing. The Status Area of the LCD normally shows time and date, but you can tap it to select from various alternatives, including system parameters (like supply voltage/current) or per-receiver absolute signal levels in dBm. Tapping the per-RX filter graphics switches between per-mode FL1/2/3 settings.
>
> * * *
>
> I have to admit that it's frustrating to be sequestered at home, making only the occasional quick trip to the office or to visit coworkers. Work, like life, has become more challenging for all of us. But the good news for everyone waiting for a K4 is that a handful of testers are using them every day, so that when you do get your hands on one, it'll be rock-solid.
>
> Believe me, we're just as anxious for that day to arrive as you are. Maybe more :)
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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[Rick Bates, NK7I]

Simpler yet, use an appropriate size  (for your desk) tablet to manage the K4.  Then take that with you when you’re in another room, traveling, etc.

Rick NK7I

Smell Czech corruptions are inevitable

> On Apr 19, 2020, at 1:11 PM, hawley, charles j jr <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> When I read about the touch controls, I suddenly had an image in my mind of a small touch tablet on the desk that had all the controls on it that were on the K4 display.
> Kind of a touch panel Kpod...
>
> Jack BMW Motorcycles
> Chuck KE9UW
> [hidden email]
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Apr 19, 2020, at 2:46 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> Greetings from locked-down California.... I hope everyone, near and far, is staying safe!
>>
>> I thought I'd take a break from playing with the K4 and tweaking firmware to give everyone a status report from the engineering side. (Eric has been keeping everyone informed about how Elecraft has been affected by the pandemic more generally.)
>>
>> These musings are in no particular order. I hope they help satisfy those who recently posted with questions, info-cravings, etc.
>>
>> * * *
>>
>> Reference Oscillator
>>
>> The K4 includes a stable internal TXCO, standard, as well as the ability to lock to an external 10 MHz reference. We just completed a round of testing on this feature.
>>
>> The internal TCXO is accurate to within +/- .28 ppm with no calibration and no external reference connected. There's a menu entry for dialing this in as tight as +/- .02 PPM (+/- 1 Hz at 50 MHz). Connecting an external reference will hold it even closer, and of course keep it there over an even wider temperature range.
>>
>> Panadapter Controls
>>
>> Thanks to the efforts of our [working-at-home] software team, the panadapter controls just keep getting better. When you tap DISPLAY, you're presented with 14 easy to use display functions. But we took things a step further by allowing you to specify whether to adjust the current parameter on LCD, EXT, or both (when an external monitor is attached), and on main, sub, or both (when in dual-display mode). You can independently specify single or dual-pan for LCD and external monitor. For example, you could have dual-Pan on a large HDMI monitor, while setting the LCD to monitor just main or sub RX.
>>
>> Stereo Audio
>>
>> Receive audio provides independent left and right channels for both headphones and external speakers. When used in single-receive mode, this allows you to use simulated stereo or "pitch mapping"-- both very effective at relieving listening fatigue. I've been using this a lot in DXing and QRP work. Full stereo also comes into play in diversity mode, when listening to pileups, or just monitoring two separate bands. Even with a basic K4, the two receivers can be set to any two bands, and you can operate cross-band split. The K4D adds a second set of band-pass filters and a second A-to-D converter to greatly improve out-of-band rejection when monitoring different bands.
>>
>> Receive Antenna Controls
>>
>> We recently made some improvements in this area. In addition to main RX ant and sub RX ant selection switches, there are now separate icons showing which antennas are in use: one for main RX, one for sub RX, and one for TX antenna. Main and sub receivers default to the TX antenna, but you can select any of the antenna jacks for assignment to each receiver independently. This updates the icons accordingly. You can also assign names to antenna ports using a pop-up alphanumeric keyboard. On my K4, I have names for the three antennas connected to my KAT4 ATU, as well as "SIG GEN" for the RX ANT IN 1 jack and "LOOP" for RX ANT IN 2.
>>
>> RF Gain Controls
>>
>> The ATTN switch brings up a selection tool that allows you to turn the attenuator on/off and select attenuation from 0 to 21 dB in 3-dB steps. (As with all receive and transmit controls, these settings are stored per-band and per-receiver.) You can also dial in per-receiver RF GAIN (0 to -60 dB, with digital readout) and preamp setting (off/pre1/pre2). All gain settings are now taken into account when calculating S-meter and panadapter reference levels.
>>
>> Miscellaneous Controls
>>
>> Compared the the K3S, the K4 has numerous additional controls, resulting in a lot less use of the menu. Each receiver has a collection of per-mode settings (tap MAIN RX or SUB RX, respectively), as does the transmitter (tap the TX button). There are dedicated switches for TUNE LP (user-specified low-power TUNE setting), REM ANT (for future control of remote antenna switches, rotators, etc.), VFO B>A (in addition to the usual A>B), AUTO spot (in addition to SPOT), PF1-PF4 (plus another 14 user functions, Fn 1-14, via a touch function), and a separate audio BALance knob function, the behavior of which could be adapted to various operator needs in the future.
>>
>> Touch Controls
>>
>> We're sure you'll find, as we have, that the K4's touch screen interface is fast and convenient to use. To capitalize on this, we've been adding new touch features. To highlight a few: Tapping the RIT/XIT offset window turns RIT on/off (per receiver). Tapping the antenna icons brings up their selection widgets, with planned custom behavior for quick A/B testing. The Status Area of the LCD normally shows time and date, but you can tap it to select from various alternatives, including system parameters (like supply voltage/current) or per-receiver absolute signal levels in dBm. Tapping the per-RX filter graphics switches between per-mode FL1/2/3 settings.
>>
>> * * *
>>
>> I have to admit that it's frustrating to be sequestered at home, making only the occasional quick trip to the office or to visit coworkers. Work, like life, has become more challenging for all of us. But the good news for everyone waiting for a K4 is that a handful of testers are using them every day, so that when you do get your hands on one, it'll be rock-solid.
>>
>> Believe me, we're just as anxious for that day to arrive as you are. Maybe more :)
>>
>> 73,
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

[wayne burdick]

We already have this capability, too....

Wayne
N6KR

> On Apr 19, 2020, at 1:10 PM, hawley, charles j jr <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> When I read about the touch controls, I suddenly had an image in my mind of a small touch tablet on the desk that had all the controls on it that were on the K4 display.
> Kind of a touch panel Kpod...
>
> Jack BMW Motorcycles
> Chuck KE9UW
> [hidden email]
>
> Sent from my iPad

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Message delivered to [hidden email]

[David Gilbert]

That was already demonstrated by Elecraft in what I believe was their
first video of the K4 in action at one of the trade shows. I'm sure you
can still find it on YouTube somewhere.

Dave   AB7E



On 4/19/2020 1:10 PM, hawley, charles j jr wrote:
> When I read about the touch controls, I suddenly had an image in my mind of a small touch tablet on the desk that had all the controls on it that were on the K4 display.
> Kind of a touch panel Kpod...
>
> Jack BMW Motorcycles
> Chuck KE9UW
> [hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
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Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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[Bob McGraw - K4TAX]

Yep, got that experience last year at the Huntsville Hamfest.  The K4 was being controlled wirelessly from an iPad.  Darn slick too.  

Bob, K4TAX


Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 19, 2020, at 4:43 PM, David Gilbert <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> 
> That was already demonstrated by Elecraft in what I believe was their first video of the K4 in action at one of the trade shows. I'm sure you can still find it on YouTube somewhere.
>
> Dave   AB7E
>
>
>
>> On 4/19/2020 1:10 PM, hawley, charles j jr wrote:
>> When I read about the touch controls, I suddenly had an image in my mind of a small touch tablet on the desk that had all the controls on it that were on the K4 display.
>> Kind of a touch panel Kpod...
>>
>> Jack BMW Motorcycles
>> Chuck KE9UW
>> [hidden email]
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

[Paul Van Dyke]

I will be the one that will ask ... I ASSUME it will also be accessed with
an Android tablet?

Paul Van Dyke .. KB9AVO
   also on the early list

On Sun, Apr 19, 2020 at 5:47 PM Bob McGraw K4TAX <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> Yep, got that experience last year at the Huntsville Hamfest.  The K4 was
> being controlled wirelessly from an iPad.  Darn slick too.
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Apr 19, 2020, at 4:43 PM, David Gilbert <[hidden email]>
> wrote:
> >
> > 
> > That was already demonstrated by Elecraft in what I believe was their
> first video of the K4 in action at one of the trade shows. I'm sure you can
> still find it on YouTube somewhere.
> >
> > Dave   AB7E
> >
> >
> >
> >> On 4/19/2020 1:10 PM, hawley, charles j jr wrote:
> >> When I read about the touch controls, I suddenly had an image in my
> mind of a small touch tablet on the desk that had all the controls on it
> that were on the K4 display.
> >> Kind of a touch panel Kpod...
> >>
> >> Jack BMW Motorcycles
> >> Chuck KE9UW
> >> [hidden email]
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
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[Nolan Kienitz]

Wayne & Crew,

Any granular details about the CW Keyer in the K4?  

Any possibility of embedding WinKeyer platform?

CW Keying modes?  Will you have Ultimatic, Ultimatic dit and Ultimatic dah
added as options?


73 - ki5io
Nolan Kienitz
Texas



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[wayne burdick]

> On Apr 19, 2020, at 7:47 PM, Nolan Kienitz <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Wayne & Crew,
>
> Any granular details about the CW Keyer in the K4?  
>
> Any possibility of embedding WinKeyer platform?

This is certainly possible, but not currently in the works.


>
> CW Keying modes?  Will you have Ultimatic, Ultimatic dit and Ultimatic dah
> added as options?

At present the modes are Iambic A and B, like the K3S and our other transceivers. You can control the weight as well. W

We'll be able to add other controls in the future. It'll be "sortof" democratic, i.e. we'll weight user request rate and feasibility when deciding what to add next. We're in it for the long haul...just as we were when we designed the K3. (The K4 is even more modular and extensible, by design.)

73,
Wayne
N6KR


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[Ian, NV4C]

Wayne,

Thank you for this update. I am eagerly awaiting information on the K4
kits and when they will be available (I know, not for a while yet ;-)).

My only regret with my K3, s/n 261, is that I bought it, and its
accompanying P3, used. Consequently, I didn't get the joy of building
them myself. I built my KPA500 and KAT500. Aside from dropping the tiny
fasteners into the deep pile carpet in the dining room, I loved every
minute of it. I've thoroughly enjoyed my K-Line, and look forward to
upgrading to the K4 (and maybe the KPA1500, if the funds hold out).

73 de,

Ian, NV4C

On 4/19/20 3:46 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote:

> Greetings from locked-down California.... I hope everyone, near and far, is staying safe!
>
> I thought I'd take a break from playing with the K4 and tweaking firmware to give everyone a status report from the engineering side. (Eric has been keeping everyone informed about how Elecraft has been affected by the pandemic more generally.)
>
> These musings are in no particular order. I hope they help satisfy those who recently posted with questions, info-cravings, etc.
>
> * * *
>
> Reference Oscillator
>
> The K4 includes a stable internal TXCO, standard, as well as the ability to lock to an external 10 MHz reference. We just completed a round of testing on this feature.
>
> The internal TCXO is accurate to within +/- .28 ppm with no calibration and no external reference connected. There's a menu entry for dialing this in as tight as +/- .02 PPM (+/- 1 Hz at 50 MHz). Connecting an external reference will hold it even closer, and of course keep it there over an even wider temperature range.
>
> Panadapter Controls
>
> Thanks to the efforts of our [working-at-home] software team, the panadapter controls just keep getting better. When you tap DISPLAY, you're presented with 14 easy to use display functions. But we took things a step further by allowing you to specify whether to adjust the current parameter on LCD, EXT, or both (when an external monitor is attached), and on main, sub, or both (when in dual-display mode). You can independently specify single or dual-pan for LCD and external monitor. For example, you could have dual-Pan on a large HDMI monitor, while setting the LCD to monitor just main or sub RX.
>
> Stereo Audio
>
> Receive audio provides independent left and right channels for both headphones and external speakers. When used in single-receive mode, this allows you to use simulated stereo or "pitch mapping"-- both very effective at relieving listening fatigue. I've been using this a lot in DXing and QRP work. Full stereo also comes into play in diversity mode, when listening to pileups, or just monitoring two separate bands. Even with a basic K4, the two receivers can be set to any two bands, and you can operate cross-band split. The K4D adds a second set of band-pass filters and a second A-to-D converter to greatly improve out-of-band rejection when monitoring different bands.
>
> Receive Antenna Controls
>
> We recently made some improvements in this area. In addition to main RX ant and sub RX ant selection switches, there are now separate icons showing which antennas are in use: one for main RX, one for sub RX, and one for TX antenna. Main and sub receivers default to the TX antenna, but you can select any of the antenna jacks for assignment to each receiver independently. This updates the icons accordingly. You can also assign names to antenna ports using a pop-up alphanumeric keyboard. On my K4, I have names for the three antennas connected to my KAT4 ATU, as well as "SIG GEN" for the RX ANT IN 1 jack and "LOOP" for RX ANT IN 2.
>
> RF Gain Controls
>
> The ATTN switch brings up a selection tool that allows you to turn the attenuator on/off and select attenuation from 0 to 21 dB in 3-dB steps. (As with all receive and transmit controls, these settings are stored per-band and per-receiver.) You can also dial in per-receiver RF GAIN (0 to -60 dB, with digital readout) and preamp setting (off/pre1/pre2). All gain settings are now taken into account when calculating S-meter and panadapter reference levels.
>
> Miscellaneous Controls
>
> Compared the the K3S, the K4 has numerous additional controls, resulting in a lot less use of the menu. Each receiver has a collection of per-mode settings (tap MAIN RX or SUB RX, respectively), as does the transmitter (tap the TX button). There are dedicated switches for TUNE LP (user-specified low-power TUNE setting), REM ANT (for future control of remote antenna switches, rotators, etc.), VFO B>A (in addition to the usual A>B), AUTO spot (in addition to SPOT), PF1-PF4 (plus another 14 user functions, Fn 1-14, via a touch function), and a separate audio BALance knob function, the behavior of which could be adapted to various operator needs in the future.
>
> Touch Controls
>
> We're sure you'll find, as we have, that the K4's touch screen interface is fast and convenient to use. To capitalize on this, we've been adding new touch features. To highlight a few: Tapping the RIT/XIT offset window turns RIT on/off (per receiver). Tapping the antenna icons brings up their selection widgets, with planned custom behavior for quick A/B testing. The Status Area of the LCD normally shows time and date, but you can tap it to select from various alternatives, including system parameters (like supply voltage/current) or per-receiver absolute signal levels in dBm. Tapping the per-RX filter graphics switches between per-mode FL1/2/3 settings.
>
> * * *
>
> I have to admit that it's frustrating to be sequestered at home, making only the occasional quick trip to the office or to visit coworkers. Work, like life, has become more challenging for all of us. But the good news for everyone waiting for a K4 is that a handful of testers are using them every day, so that when you do get your hands on one, it'll be rock-solid.
>
> Believe me, we're just as anxious for that day to arrive as you are. Maybe more :)
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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[W0FK]

Sounds great Wayne, it appears you and the engineers are staying productive
and moving the ball forward. Very exciting information.

It's occurred to me that you don't have enough testers for the K4. In the
spirit of pitching in during these tough times, I'll offer myself as a K4
tester and help out in your efforts to beat back Covid-19 for the ham
community. It's the least I can do.

73

Lou, W0FK  



-----
St. Louis, MO

"The difference between stupidity and genius is that
genius has its limits." Albert Einstein


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