some advice if considering LP PAN, LP Bridge and your computer for K3 PSDR

Posted by Brian Pepperdine on Sep 30, 2011; 2:34pm
URL: http://elecraft.85.s1.nabble.com/some-advice-if-considering-LP-PAN-LP-Bridge-and-your-computer-for-K3-PSDR-tp6848029.html


My apologies for a bit of divergence.
This concerns implementation of LP PAN and LP Bridge with PSDR for the K3.
Old hat perhaps, now that the P3 product exists.

In my case, living in Canada, I was not really willing to consider a P3 at this time, with respect, as an Elecraft product.
We have 14% import GST tax as well as some high postage costs.
As well,  a larger monitor to be used is better for my personal vision situation.
Yes, I realize EU etc. has it worse re. obtaining a P3 as well.


Anyhow, the LP products are fine.
But if it was possible to go down bad roads getting them work, I took those roads :)

So, caveats if you want to use LP products and the accompanying PSDR, with your K3 (which IS wonderful):

-Do not use a USB hub serial connection. Most computers don't have a COMM port these days, so be sure you have or are willing to get
a computer with some PCI and PCIe slots to put a COMM serial card into.

-Similarly, I advice a PCI based sound card. Firewire devices will likely, possibly and probably only work IF you get a TI chipset based Firewire interface, which are much less common as plug-in cards or on-board Firewire in laptops. Certainly the device I had did not work with a non TI based Firewire card.

-Lastly, if you have an older K3, be prepared or able to do or willing to farm out the K3 IF I/0 modification. Yes, its only a resistor change, but for me the SMD caught me blind-sided and I messed up. I killed some board traces, killed the SMD JFET etc. Not pretty, not my finest moment, but first time it was.
I fixed this with good help from Elecraft support and put in some wire paths for the ruined traces and a leaded JFET.
(not an issue for K3s after a certain serial number..). Afterward, of course I found some ideas on doing this better from Don Wilhelm. Such is fate.

Otherwise, now it all works very well. I am going to have good fun with this now.

73
Brien
VE3VAW
Toronto ON
     
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