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

Sat May 3 22:52:13 EDT 2008

utility rev. shows 1.1.4.8
why?

Thanks,

MARK

--- On Sat, 5/3/08, wayne burdick <n6kr at elecraft.com> wrote:

> From: wayne burdick <n6kr at elecraft.com>
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 FIRMWARE UPDATE:   MCU 1.87, DSP 1.69   (Finally!)
> To: "Elecraft Reflector" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> Date: Saturday, May 3, 2008, 5:29 PM
> 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
> 
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