[Elecraft] ELEPRODUCT POLL (WAS Any advice on the OHR WM-2 QRPwattmeter?)

[Kevin Rock]

Great idea!  I miss the S-100 bus very much.  I thought it was a very 
useful addition to microcomputers.  It allowed me to experiment by 
creating my own peripheral boards in the hey day of computers.  Plug and 
pray is not the way I grew up.

Only trouble is the communication protocol is a closed book on the K2.  
And the firmware is also a closed book.  Kind of like the Apple computer 
and the Microsoft OS.  Aghhh!   I put those two in the same sentence!
   73,
       Kevin.

On Fri, 14 May 2004 16:19:32 -0700, Vic Rosenthal <vic at rakefet.com> wrote:

> Roger Marrotte wrote:
>
>> How about a slightly larger K2 case with a larger front panel that has 
>> more
>> controls for things like DSP ON/OFF, a larger display showing the second
>> VFO, etc.  Just drop in the old insides and plug in a new set of 
>> firmware.
>> I'd also like to have a TX monitor.
>
> This is a good idea.  There would be room for a larger speaker, power 
> supply, etc.  Does anyone remember the S-100 bus computers?  How about a 
> completely modular unit with slots for such things as the 100 watt PA 
> and tuner, KRC2 board, digital modes adaptor (including digital voice 
> encoding/decoding), panadaptor (what would be called today a band-scan 
> display), etc.  Build your K2 to fit your operating needs.
>
> In fact the bus specification could be open.  Then other manufacturers 
> could produce K2-compatible boards.  A communications protocol could 
> pass messages to the main firmware, allowing configuration of adapter 
> boards from a main menu.  Would this hurt Elecraft?  It didn't hurt the 
> IBM PC!
>



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