[Elecraft] K3 v. ORION II and flexibility (not that kind)

Don Wilhelm w3fpr at embarqmail.com
Thu Jun 12 10:38:34 EDT 2008


Dave,

I am with you on all counts :-)  - if it just were possible!  For those 
K3 owners who do not appreciate the problem, try tuning the radio by 
placing the fingers of the left hand on top of the radio and tune the 
VFO with your thumb - the hand covers much of the display.  Now try it 
with the right hand - the whole display can be read easily.   Put a mic 
plug into the front panel connector and use the left hand to operate the 
RF Gain control, it works, but with difficulty  - similarly for the AF 
Gain when there are headphones plugged into the front jack.  
Fortunately, the K3 has rear connectors.

I suppose the 'left handed syndrome' is why I find computer control of 
the radio easier - but OTOH, my preference is really for real knobs and 
buttons.  Using a mouse works, but pointing and clicking does not 
provide the feel of a real knob.

73,
Don W3FPR

Dave wrote:
> Two great radios. Two right handed great radios. Two great radios whose developers  paid little or no inclusion to left handed people. 
>  I'd suggest that doing more than a software change that a handful of people might want because of their particular activity that we look into real, not virtual, moveable front panels. Imagine taking a main tuning module and placing it towards the left. Take those archaic plugs for the mic, headphones and key and get them away from that all important left side control position. Put them out of the way at the bottom right hand corner. Individual 6 pin modules with concentric knobs  could be placed in a matrix on the front panel, and software could be the tool to activate that position as a user selected control function position (a USCFP).  
>  Two great radios that I wouldn't trade for the... unless these were made in left handed models. 
> 73 de Dave K1OPQ
>   
>


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