[Elecraft] K3 FIRMWARE UPDATE: MCU 1.87, DSP 1.69 (Finally!)

[wayne burdick]

We've just completed the most extensive K3 firmware update ever. The 
full list of changes is provided below.

*** NOTE ***  You must use the latest version of our firmware loader 
(K3 Utility rev 1.1.4.1) or else you won't be able to load all 
components of the upgrade. It's available on our K3 software page, 
along with release notes:

     http://www.elecraft.com/K3/k3_software.htm

As usual, if you have any difficulty with the firmware upgrade, send 
email to k3support at elecraft.com. Both Lyle, KK7P (DSP firmware) and 
myself (MCU firmware) will be closely monitoring your results in case 
further tweaking is required.

I'd also like to thank all of our K3 customers for their patience. This 
firmware release was delayed several times due to testing, engineering 
staff vacations, etc. Our field testers have been pounding on interim 
releases for weeks (thanks, guys). I hope you'll find it worth the 
wait!

73,
Wayne, N6KR

* * *

MCU 1.87 / DSP 1.69, 5-3-08

   This release includes improvements in all areas. Changes are 
categorized below.

   NEW FEATURES:

   * CW KEYING IN SSB MODES:  While in SSB modes, you can now send CW 
without
     changing modes or using an offset. The other station will hear the 
signal at your CW pitch.
     This is especially useful on VHF bands when SSB signals can’t be 
copied.
     To enable this feature, go into CONFIG:CW WGHT and tap ‘1’ until 
you see SSB +CW.

   * FM MODE ADDED: Requires FM filter installed in slot FL1. Those not 
needing
     FM mode can set CONFIG:FM MODE to OFF. To set up a repeater offset: 
Use the
     CONFIG:RPT OFS menu entry, then hold ALT to select -/+/simplex (-/+ 
appear under
     the FM mode icon). To set up tone encode: hold PITCH, then rotate 
VFO B to select
     PL TONE or PL OFF, and rotate VFO A to select the desired CTCSS 
tone. (When
     PL TONE is on, a letter ‘T’ will appear near the FM mode icon.) 
Repeater offsets and
     PL tones are stored per-band/per-memory.

   * VARIABLE AMP KEYING DELAY: Added CONFIG:TX DLY menu entry, which
     sets the time from KEY OUT jack (active low) to first RF in 1-ms 
steps, from 8 to 20 ms.
     To minimize loss of QSK speed, use the shortest delay that works 
with your amp.
     Most will work with the default (minimum) setting of 8 ms.

   * LINE OUT ALLOWS RX/TX AUDIO RECORDING: Normally, CONFIG:LIN OUT 
sets a
     fixed-level, receive-only output for main/sub (L/R), compatible 
with digital modes. Tapping
     '1' switches LIN OUT to =PHONES, where the line outputs match 
headphone audio,
     audio level controlled by AF/SUB gain controls, and both RX and TX 
audio available.

   * SIMULTANEOUS USE OF MIC AND LINE IN:  If the MAIN:MIC+LIN menu 
entry is set to
     ON, and MIC SEL = FP or RP, the present mic OR line in can be used 
for transmit audio.
     NOTE: Setting MIC SEL to LINE overrides the MIC+LIN menu entry (its 
parameter
     becomes "N-A").  When MIC+LIN is in effect, rotating the MIC 
control shows MIC GAIN.
     The op has to set MIC SEL to LINE temporarily to set LINE IN gain.

   * S-METER ABSOLUTE MODE: Use the CONFIG:SMTR MD menu entry. Set to ABS
     (absolute) to have S-meter stay constant with preamp/atten 
settings. Default is NOR (where
     PRE/ATTN affect the S-meter). ABS mode requires recalibration (SMTR 
OF & SMTR SC).

   RECEIVE:

   * SSB RECEIVE PASSBAND EXTENDED AT LOW END (now 100 Hz; was 200 Hz).

   * AM RECEIVE WIDTH RANGE INCREASED:  The WIDTH control in AM mode now 
has
     a range of 2.8 to 10.0 kHz. Wider settings provide outstanding 
fidelity for hi-fi speech
     and other wide-band signals. This is the *IF* filter bandwidth -- 
the traditional way to show
     bandwidth for AM, because the required IF bandwidth is twice the 
modulation bandwidth.
     NORM selects an IF bandwidth of 6.0 kHz in this mode. WIDTH 
settings above 6.0 kHz
     will not be useful unless you have an FM-bandwidth crystal filter 
installed (at FL1).

   * IF A 2.8 KHZ FILTER IS INSTALLED, SSB "NORM" BW is 2.8 kHz (was 
fixed at 2.7 kHz).

   * AUTO-SPOT (SPOT with CWT ON) now works with both very weak and very 
strong signals.

   * PSK AUTOTUNE ACCURACY improved. You may still need to use RIT (FINE 
steps) to
     tune in signals for best built-in text decode. (Also see CW-to-DATA 
in the Owner’s Manual.)

   TRANSMIT:

   * TRANSVERTER POWER CONTROL: The value set in CONFIG:XVn PWR now 
correctly
     sets a fixed power level on the associated transverter band (0-1.50 
mW or 0-12W).

   * POWER ROLLBACK BASED ON REFLECTED POWER:  Power rollback begins at 
about
     2.5:1 at 100 W (and of course much higher SWRs are tolerated at 
lower power settings).
     Recovers to original target power level after mismatch is corrected.

   * CW QSK further refined, with smoother mute/unmute in the presence 
of QRN and QRM.

   * SSB TRANSMIT BANDPASS EXTENDED AT LOW END. Improvement is about 2 dB
     at 300 Hz, 3 dB at 200 Hz, and 6 dB at 100 Hz. Additional 
improvement possible via TX EQ.

   * SSB TX POWER CONTROL improved. Set ALC for about 5 bars (rarely 6+) 
using MIC gain
     control, then set CMP and POWER as desired. The RF power bargraph 
shows approx.
     peak power when you whistle or shout, but will typically show well 
below peak power
     during normal speech. If you’re using an external peak-reading 
wattmeter or power
     amplifier, adjust POWER as required while observing the effect of 
speech peaks.
     If you find that an SSB power setting higher or lower than for CW 
is often required,
     you may wish to compensate for this using the CONFIG:TXG VCE menu 
entry.

     Technical Note: Our latest MCU and DSP code uses minimal amounts of 
ALC, consistent
     with analysis done by Leif Asbrink, SM5BSZ. (His findings and 
recommendations can be
     found on his web site, www.nitehawk.com/sm5bsz.) The general idea 
is to keep
     transmit drive just below where ALC can cause splatter on speech 
peaks, rather than
     apply ALC heavily to achieve additional compression.

   CONTROLS:

   * A->B SWITCH: 1st tap copies frequency only; 2nd tap within 2 
seconds copies mode
     and filter settings.

   * VFO LOCK is no longer cancelled by VFO tuning controls (RATE, FINE, 
or COARSE).

   * TUNING EITHER VFO ACROSS MULTIPLE BANDS now brings the other VFO 
along
     with it, so that both VFOs will always be on the same band. This 
eliminates the problem
     of bands getting out of sequence due to wide tuning excursions. 
(Later, we’ll allow the
     subreceiver to be on a different band from main if CONFIG:VFO IND 
is enabled.)


---

http://www.elecraft.com