[Elecraft] Band Button gripe - was ON4UN has a K3?

[Brett Howard]

Or you can just use an up/down and get done the working up the bands and
scanning with the dial...

Hell our forefathers had to tune up for quite some time to change bands.
Now we've reached the point where using and up/down button set is too
slow for us.  Then god forbid we actually have to engage our brain and
remember what band we have saved where.  If its so hard put a band plan
on the wall and just write a number next to each one in order.  Then you
can walk through them that way.  But oh my gosh we have to press two
buttons to get to each band....  If you're a condo/dipole class why not
sit back and enjoy it.  Maybe cut your QSO shorter by 3 seconds so you
can get in those extra button presses for band changes.  

Maybe you can head to a fast food place and have them make you a meal
that you can eat in the car without having to ever stop or get out.
That should save you enough time for a few extra button presses to
change bands.  

Personally I like the portability that a smaller/lighter rig affords me.
Thankfully the K1, KX1, K2, and K3 pretty much all fit into that
category.  I don't think I'm alone in this though....  There has to be a
reason why the IC706 is the best selling rig in the hobby and it has
band up/dn buttons.  Not that I own one though... 

On Fri, 2008-07-25 at 20:24 -0700, Don Rasmussen wrote:
> >>>Just what is "the big deal" about pushing a single
> button instead of pushing two buttons in sequence to
> get to the band and mode you want? <<<
> 
> Hey Doug - You hit the nail on the head, contestors
> have the optimal solution with the stock K3. But
> "modest stations", what I'll call condo class or
> dipole class (like my own) require a scan of the
> available bands to see which -one- you can use on a
> given day. There is a fair amount of back and forth in
> determining which band to call home for a couple
> hours. 
> 
> With single touch band changes, you press one button
> (example 20m), twirl the main tuning knob, take a
> reading, okay now hit the next band up (15m), twirl,
> okay how about 10m? Nope, MUF not there, back to 15m.
> Your finger remembers single press bands, even between
> weekends (many of us work). 
> 
> Now imagine sitting down on Saturday morning after
> last
> operation a week ago - okay, hmmm, which button oh
> yeah - M->V, okay now which band is button 20m? Hmmm
> think it's 1. Two button press and you are there. 
> 
> Repeat 3 times as in example. 
> 
> Summary - one button is enough for even a finger to
> remember for a week. Multiple keypresses, in addition
> to requiring extra time to accomplish, require the
> user "boot the brain" before the action gets
> accomplished.
> 
> Hard to put into words Doug, but if you were there it
> would be plain as day!
> 
> c u 
> 
> Don
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --- DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL <dougzzz at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hi Don,
> > 
> > I am genuinely curious.  Just what is "the big deal"
> > about pushing a
> > single button instead of pushing two buttons in
> > sequence to get to the
> > band and mode you want?  I just don't see how it can
> > matter...and I'm
> > a contester, so speed is important to me.  You
> > really have me baffled
> > so I please fill me in.
> > 
> > Thanks!
> > de Doug KR2Q
> > 
> 
> 
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