[Elecraft] Simultaneous audio out & digital out for K2 -- safe?

[Cathy James]

With my Alinco DX-70TH, I have become used to using the waterfall 
spectrum display to zero-beat CW signals.  Just spin the tuning knob 
until the signal is sitting on the beat frequency, and you're tuned.  I 
also like to use my ears to get a rough find on PSK and other digital 
signals.  Both are these are very easy with that setup because I get 
audio out of the speaker *and* audio into the sound card at the same time.

The K2 cuts off the speaker when I insert the cable into the ext speaker 
jack, which makes it almost impossible to do what I describe above.  It 
is pretty obvious how to jumper the ext speaker jack to prevent this, 
but I don't know if I would be running any risks by doing so.  Do I need 
additional isolation circuitry?  Is the audio power out sufficient to 
drive both speaker and sound card?  Has anyone else done this?

Cathy N5WVR