Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

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Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

David Stratton
Hoping that I may not be the only Ham puzzled by the block diagram of the
KX3 I am asking that someone please explain it because it is so different
from the superheterodyne radio concept I have become accustomed to in
current amateur radios. I understand direct conversion radios but what is
all the stuff that's there besides the mixer-oscillator and audio amplifier
needed by a direct conversion radio? It seems to me the KX3 block diagram
looks a lot like radios put forth some time ago by Rick Campell KK7B. Pardon
my saying so but the KX3 radio looks like it has a weak front end and a
heavy back end that hopes to make up for the weak front end!

Dave - KO4KL

 

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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

wayne burdick
Administrator
Dave,

Let me assure you that the KX3 has a strong front end. The numbers  
will bear this out when we release them later this month.

This is a zero-I.F. receiver, like many other SDRs. But that doesn't  
imply "weak", as long as the gain distribution is optimized and a  
strong mixer is used. In addition, we go beyond other SDRs to include  
roofing filters in the balanced I/Q path (the KXFL3 option).

Please take a look at the Theory of Operation section, which goes into  
further detail. There's also a glossary.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

On Mar 7, 2012, at 7:19 PM, David Stratton wrote:

> Hoping that I may not be the only Ham puzzled by the block diagram  
> of the
> KX3 I am asking that someone please explain it because it is so  
> different
> from the superheterodyne radio concept I have become accustomed to in
> current amateur radios. I understand direct conversion radios but  
> what is
> all the stuff that's there besides the mixer-oscillator and audio  
> amplifier
> needed by a direct conversion radio? It seems to me the KX3 block  
> diagram
> looks a lot like radios put forth some time ago by Rick Campell  
> KK7B. Pardon
> my saying so but the KX3 radio looks like it has a weak front end  
> and a
> heavy back end that hopes to make up for the weak front end!
>
> Dave - KO4KL
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

Mike WA8BXN
In reply to this post by David Stratton
Hi Dave,
 
I'll try to give you some perspective on it. First, have you used a direct
conversion receiver? If they are decently designed, you don't get much
problem from out of band signals. The problem is selectivity. You can use an
audio filter, but they don't do anything for opposite sideband rejection.
You hear each signal above and below zero beat.
 
Now add that back end you mention. There is so much "magic" that can be done
there. Of course, its not really magic. Its digital signal processing. Its
not like an analog audio filter. Coming out of the detector there are two
audio signals, referred to as I and Q. Software is able to use those two
audio signals to get opposite sideband rejection.That is accomplished by
digital methods much like SSB generation using the phasing method if you
understand that. Also very sharp filtering can be done, in effect somewhat
like audio filtering. Other processing can be done including carrier nulling
(useful on SSB when someone is tuning up) and noise reduction.
 
Bottom line, its a very sound way to implement a rig these days.
 
73 - Mike WA8BXN
 
 
 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: David Stratton
Date: 3/7/2012 10:20:05 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram
 
Hoping that I may not be the only Ham puzzled by the block diagram of the
KX3 I am asking that someone please explain it because it is so different
>From the superheterodyne radio concept I have become accustomed to in
Current amateur radios. I understand direct conversion radios but what is
All the stuff that's there besides the mixer-oscillator and audio amplifier
Needed by a direct conversion radio? It seems to me the KX3 block diagram
Looks a lot like radios put forth some time ago by Rick Campell KK7B. Pardon

My saying so but the KX3 radio looks like it has a weak front end and a
Heavy back end that hopes to make up for the weak front end!
 
Dave - KO4KL
 
 
 
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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

Matt Maguire
In reply to this post by David Stratton
Here is a presentation by G8VOI which talks about some of the concepts used in radios like the KX3.
http://www.pe0fko.nl/g8voi/SDR_1.pdf

The presentation uses a softrock radio as a concrete example, so where the presentation talks about PCs and soundcards, keep in mind that for the KX3 this corresponds to the A/D & D/A convertors and DSP/microcontroller that are built into the KX3 itself.

73, Matt VK2ACL.


On 08/03/2012, at 2:19 PM, David Stratton wrote:

> Hoping that I may not be the only Ham puzzled by the block diagram of the
> KX3 I am asking that someone please explain it because it is so different
> from the superheterodyne radio concept I have become accustomed to in
> current amateur radios. I understand direct conversion radios but what is
> all the stuff that's there besides the mixer-oscillator and audio amplifier
> needed by a direct conversion radio? It seems to me the KX3 block diagram
> looks a lot like radios put forth some time ago by Rick Campell KK7B. Pardon
> my saying so but the KX3 radio looks like it has a weak front end and a
> heavy back end that hopes to make up for the weak front end!
>
> Dave - KO4KL
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

wayne burdick
Administrator
Also keep in mind those roofing filters. This is a substantial  
departure from other SDRs. Wasn't easy, either :)

Wayne

On Mar 7, 2012, at 8:17 PM, Matt Maguire wrote:

> Here is a presentation by G8VOI which talks about some of the  
> concepts used in radios like the KX3.
> http://www.pe0fko.nl/g8voi/SDR_1.pdf
>
> The presentation uses a softrock radio as a concrete example, so  
> where the presentation talks about PCs and soundcards, keep in mind  
> that for the KX3 this corresponds to the A/D & D/A convertors and  
> DSP/microcontroller that are built into the KX3 itself.
>
> 73, Matt VK2ACL.
>
>
> On 08/03/2012, at 2:19 PM, David Stratton wrote:
>
>> Hoping that I may not be the only Ham puzzled by the block diagram  
>> of the
>> KX3 I am asking that someone please explain it because it is so  
>> different
>> from the superheterodyne radio concept I have become accustomed to in
>> current amateur radios. I understand direct conversion radios but  
>> what is
>> all the stuff that's there besides the mixer-oscillator and audio  
>> amplifier
>> needed by a direct conversion radio? It seems to me the KX3 block  
>> diagram
>> looks a lot like radios put forth some time ago by Rick Campell  
>> KK7B. Pardon
>> my saying so but the KX3 radio looks like it has a weak front end  
>> and a
>> heavy back end that hopes to make up for the weak front end!
>>
>> Dave - KO4KL
>>
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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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> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

Igor Sokolov-2
Is roofing filter switched out when dual RX is enabled in KX3? What limits
dual RX to +/- 10 kHz?
Is it ADC or something else?

73, Igor UA9CDC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Burdick" <[hidden email]>
To: "Matt Maguire" <[hidden email]>
Cc: "Elecraft Reflector" <[hidden email]>
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 10:20 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram


> Also keep in mind those roofing filters. This is a substantial
> departure from other SDRs. Wasn't easy, either :)
>
> Wayne
>
> On Mar 7, 2012, at 8:17 PM, Matt Maguire wrote:
>
>> Here is a presentation by G8VOI which talks about some of the
>> concepts used in radios like the KX3.
>> http://www.pe0fko.nl/g8voi/SDR_1.pdf
>>
>> The presentation uses a softrock radio as a concrete example, so
>> where the presentation talks about PCs and soundcards, keep in mind
>> that for the KX3 this corresponds to the A/D & D/A convertors and
>> DSP/microcontroller that are built into the KX3 itself.
>>
>> 73, Matt VK2ACL.
>>
>>
>> On 08/03/2012, at 2:19 PM, David Stratton wrote:
>>
>>> Hoping that I may not be the only Ham puzzled by the block diagram
>>> of the
>>> KX3 I am asking that someone please explain it because it is so
>>> different
>>> from the superheterodyne radio concept I have become accustomed to in
>>> current amateur radios. I understand direct conversion radios but
>>> what is
>>> all the stuff that's there besides the mixer-oscillator and audio
>>> amplifier
>>> needed by a direct conversion radio? It seems to me the KX3 block
>>> diagram
>>> looks a lot like radios put forth some time ago by Rick Campell
>>> KK7B. Pardon
>>> my saying so but the KX3 radio looks like it has a weak front end
>>> and a
>>> heavy back end that hopes to make up for the weak front end!
>>>
>>> Dave - KO4KL
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> 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
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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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> 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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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

wayne burdick
Administrator
Igor Sokolov wrote:

> Is roofing filter switched out when dual RX is enabled in KX3?

The wider of the two roofing filters (FL2) is usable with dual RX if  
the distance between VFO A and B is small (about 2 kHz). Beyond this  
the filters are switched out, leaving the "native" I.F. bandwidth of  
about 15 kHz (FL1).

(The K3, with its true sub receiver, has a definite filtering  
advantage over the KX3's dual watch feature. But it's also six times  
bigger :)

As mentioned in the manual, this is one of several cases where the  
roofing filters must be bypassed. The others are AM, FM, ESSB, and  
with some wide-band noise-blanker settings.


> What limits dual RX to +/- 10 kHz? Is it ADC or something else?

Sampling rate, mostly, and some existing firmware constraints. +/- 15  
kHz may be possible later.

Wayne
N6KR


>
> 73, Igor UA9CDC
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wayne Burdick" <[hidden email]>
> To: "Matt Maguire" <[hidden email]>
> Cc: "Elecraft Reflector" <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 10:20 AM
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram
>
>
>> Also keep in mind those roofing filters. This is a substantial
>> departure from other SDRs. Wasn't easy, either :)
>>
>> Wayne
>>
>> On Mar 7, 2012, at 8:17 PM, Matt Maguire wrote:
>>
>>> Here is a presentation by G8VOI which talks about some of the
>>> concepts used in radios like the KX3.
>>> http://www.pe0fko.nl/g8voi/SDR_1.pdf
>>>
>>> The presentation uses a softrock radio as a concrete example, so
>>> where the presentation talks about PCs and soundcards, keep in mind
>>> that for the KX3 this corresponds to the A/D & D/A convertors and
>>> DSP/microcontroller that are built into the KX3 itself.
>>>
>>> 73, Matt VK2ACL.
>>>
>>>
>>> On 08/03/2012, at 2:19 PM, David Stratton wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hoping that I may not be the only Ham puzzled by the block diagram
>>>> of the
>>>> KX3 I am asking that someone please explain it because it is so
>>>> different
>>>> from the superheterodyne radio concept I have become accustomed  
>>>> to in
>>>> current amateur radios. I understand direct conversion radios but
>>>> what is
>>>> all the stuff that's there besides the mixer-oscillator and audio
>>>> amplifier
>>>> needed by a direct conversion radio? It seems to me the KX3 block
>>>> diagram
>>>> looks a lot like radios put forth some time ago by Rick Campell
>>>> KK7B. Pardon
>>>> my saying so but the KX3 radio looks like it has a weak front end
>>>> and a
>>>> heavy back end that hopes to make up for the weak front end!
>>>>
>>>> Dave - KO4KL
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>>> 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
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> 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
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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>>
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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

Tony Estep
In reply to this post by wayne burdick
On Wed, Mar 7, 2012 at 10:20 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>...This is a substantial departure from other SDRs.....
----------------
Yep, for sure. And the biggest departure from the typical ham SDR is
the fact that the computer is inside the radio box. There are various
commercial and non-commercial SDRs in use on the ham bands, but nearly
all of them rely on the PC to do filtering, detection, and other
stuff. At first this had a certain irresistible gadget-lover's appeal,
but when you stop to think about it, it's not surprising that it opens
up a can with a nearly infinite number of worms.

The processing inside the PC introduces latency which is aggravated by
delayed procedure calls, an operating-system process that happens when
certain interrupts happen at certain times. This can mess up
performance both on receive and transmit.

Moreover, the programming involved is complicated. To replicate all
the functions of a competitive ham transceiver, a lot of code is
required. When that code has to run in an environment where an unknown
mix of other resource-hogging code is running, in an operating system
not designed for real-time application, the complexity multiplies. The
result can be an endless bug-squashing process, which has to start
over every time there's a big change in the running environment (e.g.
a new OS version).

I sorta think that in the medium term the future of SDRs in ham radio
will be those like the KX3, wherein the computer is completely devoted
to the radio, using its own real-time OS, and handing off ancillary
functions like the pan display to an external client. I don't think
the KX3 is the last word by any means, because with a bigger CPU and
different A/D gizmos you could obtain much wider bandwidth and more
gadgetry. But at the moment, it's the thought-leader in the SDR
sweepstakes.

Tony KT0NY





----------
http://www.isb.edu/faculty/facultydir.aspx?ddlFaculty=352
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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

Alan Bloom
The advantage of using a PC for the SDR engine is massive economy of
scale, which drives prices down.  The processor in a modern PC is many
times more powerful than the processors in a ham transceiver.  On the
other hand, it has to do a lot more to support the bloated operating
system, which, as you note, was not designed for real-time processing.
In real-time applications the effective processing power is only a small
fraction of the theoretical.

There are companies that make real-time operating systems (RTOS) that
are specifically designed for use in "embedded systems" (that is,
systems that use a microprocessor but are not general-purpose
computers).  An RTOS delivers far more computing power with the same
hardware because it is not trying to support word processors, web
browsers, video games, etc. etc. at the same time.

Or you could go all the way and eliminate the operating system entirely.
With a little extra work you can write real-time software from scratch
to squeeze the maximum performance possible from the available hardware
resources.  That's what I did in the P3.  A single inexpensive,
low-power, 40 MIPS processor does all the user interface, hardware
control and digital signal processing, yet it achieves excellent
real-time performance.

Just think if you did the same thing with a 3 GHz, quad-core Pentium
processor!  The possibilities are mind-boggling.

Of course it would also draw as much power as a whole K3 - don't even
talk about a KX3.  But that wouldn't be a problem as long as you plan to
always use it with a line-operated power supply.

Alan N1AL


On Thu, 2012-03-08 at 09:28 -0600, Tony Estep wrote:

> On Wed, Mar 7, 2012 at 10:20 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
> >...This is a substantial departure from other SDRs.....
> ----------------
> Yep, for sure. And the biggest departure from the typical ham SDR is
> the fact that the computer is inside the radio box. There are various
> commercial and non-commercial SDRs in use on the ham bands, but nearly
> all of them rely on the PC to do filtering, detection, and other
> stuff. At first this had a certain irresistible gadget-lover's appeal,
> but when you stop to think about it, it's not surprising that it opens
> up a can with a nearly infinite number of worms.
>
> The processing inside the PC introduces latency which is aggravated by
> delayed procedure calls, an operating-system process that happens when
> certain interrupts happen at certain times. This can mess up
> performance both on receive and transmit.
>
> Moreover, the programming involved is complicated. To replicate all
> the functions of a competitive ham transceiver, a lot of code is
> required. When that code has to run in an environment where an unknown
> mix of other resource-hogging code is running, in an operating system
> not designed for real-time application, the complexity multiplies. The
> result can be an endless bug-squashing process, which has to start
> over every time there's a big change in the running environment (e.g.
> a new OS version).
>
> I sorta think that in the medium term the future of SDRs in ham radio
> will be those like the KX3, wherein the computer is completely devoted
> to the radio, using its own real-time OS, and handing off ancillary
> functions like the pan display to an external client. I don't think
> the KX3 is the last word by any means, because with a bigger CPU and
> different A/D gizmos you could obtain much wider bandwidth and more
> gadgetry. But at the moment, it's the thought-leader in the SDR
> sweepstakes.
>
> Tony KT0NY


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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

wayne burdick
Administrator
Alan Bloom wrote:

> Of course it would also draw as much power as a whole K3 - don't even
> talk about a KX3.  But that wouldn't be a problem as long as you  
> plan to
> always use it with a line-operated power supply.

Except that some of us prefer to minimize energy use at all times, not  
just when operating portable. When I solar-power my house, some day,  
I'll be even more interested in efficient solutions, not shack  
warmers....

This concern for saving energy is why the K3 draws about one third the  
current of a conventional mega-rig, why the KX3 draws half as much  
current as an FT-817--why our entire product lineup is power-efficient.

The trick is to also keep performance high. (A famous radio engineer  
once commented that the K2's measured and verified level of receiver  
performance was "not possible" given its low current drain :)

It's double-bottom-line engineering. Fortunately we're not the only  
ones doing it. I recently bought a new "green" charge adapter for my  
iPhone that draws essentially zero power when not in use, even if you  
keep it plugged in. Past chargers were of the "vampire" class that  
sucks power continuously.

Don't get me started on LED lighting.

Back to my firmware cave,

Wayne
N6KR

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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

Tony Estep
In reply to this post by Alan Bloom
On Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 11:52 AM, Alan Bloom <[hidden email]> wrote:
> ...That's what I did in the P3.  A single inexpensive,
> low-power, 40 MIPS processor does all the user interface, hardware
> control and digital signal processing, yet it achieves excellent
> real-time performance.
>
> Just think if you did the same thing with a 3 GHz, quad-core Pentium
> processor!  The possibilities are mind-boggling....
============
Alan, the programming in all the Elecraft products is awesome. I have
a cynical and negative view of the level  of programming skill
reflected in many ham products, but Elecraft's is just absolutely
top-notch.

Having said that (and I mean it sincerely), at some point I hope that
Elecraft turns its attention to the mind-boggling possibilities. Maybe
not with a power-sucking Pentium chip, but an ARM or similar might be
just the thing.

The present generations of SDRs are falling way short of what is
possible, largely because of the compromises and complexities inherent
in the fact that they are PC based. It is true that a full-featured
build-out of the KX3 philosophy would draw more power, but hey, not
every rig has to be a battery-operated Field Day radio.

Seems to me that by elaborating on the KX3 design and exploring those
mind-boggling possibilities, you could devise a radio that would
really jump ahead by a full generation and leave the competitors, both
SDR and hardware-based, trailing far behind. Just my $0.02.

Tony KT0NY


--
http://www.isb.edu/faculty/facultydir.aspx?ddlFaculty=352
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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

Edward R Cole
In reply to this post by David Stratton
Well stated points.  SDR is incorporated increasingly into commercial
radio products where I think the norm is an internal processor.  Not
being a computer geek, just a moderately knowledgeable user, I wonder
if some kind of partitioning of a generic computer used for SDR could
solve many of these issues?  I would guess a start would be
eliminating web access and browsers/e-mail clients.  Would Linux be a
better choice over windows OS?  Or a separate OS launched from a
partition?  Just musing on the topic.

I am VERY HAPPY that IQ port was provided on the KX3 so that
alternative SDR programs resident on a computer may be used and
played with.  BUT one reason I chose my K3 was that it runs
independent of a computer (the other choice was the Flex-5000, which
I am learning was not what I wanted).

Looking forward to receipt of my new KX3!


73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
======================================
BP40IQ   500 KHz - 10-GHz   www.kl7uw.com
EME: 50-1.1kw?, 144-1.4kw, 432-QRT, 1296-?, 3400-?
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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

W6ODJ
In reply to this post by wayne burdick
Wayne,

Could you quote the manufacturer and model for this "green" charger?  

Tnx es 73,

Oliver Johns
W6ODJ


On Mar 8, 2012, at 10:16 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:

> t's double-bottom-line engineering. Fortunately we're not the only  
> ones doing it. I recently bought a new "green" charge adapter for my  
> iPhone that draws essentially zero power when not in use, even if you  
> keep it plugged in. Past chargers were of the "vampire" class that  
> sucks power continuously.

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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

wayne burdick
Administrator
http://go2wireless.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=6156

Wayne


On Mar 8, 2012, at 1:55 PM, Oliver Johns wrote:

> Wayne,
>
> Could you quote the manufacturer and model for this "green" charger?
>
> Tnx es 73,
>
> Oliver Johns
> W6ODJ
>
>
> On Mar 8, 2012, at 10:16 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
>
>> t's double-bottom-line engineering. Fortunately we're not the only
>> ones doing it. I recently bought a new "green" charge adapter for my
>> iPhone that draws essentially zero power when not in use, even if you
>> keep it plugged in. Past chargers were of the "vampire" class that
>> sucks power continuously.
>

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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

Alan Bloom
In reply to this post by Tony Estep
On Thu, 2012-03-08 at 13:19 -0600, Tony Estep wrote:
...
> Maybe not with a power-sucking Pentium chip, but an ARM or
> similar might be just the thing.

The power consumption of most CMOS chips tends to be directly
proportional to the clock rate.  By reducing the Pentium's clock rate
from a few GHz to a few hundred MHz it should draw much less current
while still providing lots of processing power.

Alan N1AL


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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

Jessie Oberreuter-2
In reply to this post by Alan Bloom

On Thu, 8 Mar 2012, Alan Bloom wrote:
> That's what I did in the P3.  A single inexpensive, low-power, 40 MIPS
> processor does all [...] Just think if you did the same thing with a 3
> GHz, quad-core Pentium processor!  The possibilities are mind-boggling.

      ROFL!  Yes!  The amount of CPU power we're sitting in front of is
truly mind-bending!  I'm hacking a reasonably peppy Smalltalk VM on a
10mhz Z80; I do most of my personal development on a 12 year old 200mhz
laptop -- "reasonably peppy" on a 10mhz CPU translates to "immediate" at
200mhz, and "instanteneous" on my 3ghz quad-core at work :).  'Course, at
work we're still tied to static languages running on dozens of layers of
abstraction that manage to load some of the world's fastest boxes back
down to "reasonably peppy", but that's the price we pay when we spread
development across hundreds or even thousands of engineers.  -kb7psg
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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

roncasa
On 03/08/2012 06:04 PM, Jessie Oberreuter wrote:
>
> On Thu, 8 Mar 2012, Alan Bloom wrote:
>> That's what I did in the P3.  A single inexpensive, low-power, 40 MIPS
>> processor does all [...] Just think if you did the same thing with a 3
>> GHz, quad-core Pentium processor!  The possibilities are mind-boggling.



I'm confused .....

did the topic morphed from the subject???

If so, what did I missed?


72
Ron, wb1hga
"QRP, when you care to send the very least"
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Re: Understanding the KX3 Block Diagram

W8JH
In reply to this post by wayne burdick
And when can I order the Elecraft whole house solar kit?

I can be patient for a week or two if necessary.

73,
73,

Joe, W8JH

K3s, KPA 500, KAT 500 and  KX3 happy user.