[Elecraft] QST Review: Minor Quibble

[Dave Zeph]

Several years ago I bought a Griffin PowerMate for use with Ham Radio
Deluxe.  I was disappointed because it just did not have the resolution of
the Rotary Encoder in transceivers - not enough Pulses / Rotation.

A number of years ago, K9SD made a Remote Tuning Knob (a remote incremental
encoder) for the IC-781.  I kept it to the right of my keyboard and hardly
every turned the Tuning Knobs on the IC-781 chassis.  Occasionally I might
reach for the NOTCH or tweak the DUAL Passband controls, but in a Contest a
great Radio doesn't have to be fiddled with very much.  That's been my
(limited) Contest experience with the K3.

I used my K3 down at a vacation QTH in far Southwestern North Carolina in
the CW WW Phone - 100W to a Dipole at 50-feet looking into mountains 1000
feet higher than my QTH.  I had virtually no propagation to Asia, the
Pacific, or South/Central America but ended up with 24 zones and 87
countries.  My xyl said if they couldn't hear me on the radio, they could
probably have heard me yelling!

I found myself wishing that I had a similar Relocatable Remote Tuning Knob
for the K3 sitting next to my Laptop Keyboard.  That would also take care of
the needs of left-handed users as well.  It REALLY is hard to tune with the
"wrong" hand!  By "wrong" I mean the hand that is NOT natural to the user.

Wayne & Eric that would make a wonderful accessory for Elecraft to market!


73 ---> Dave, W9ZRX




-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of K8TB
Sent: Wednesday, 26 November, 2008 8:41 PM
To: 'Elecraft Reflector'
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QST Review: Minor Quibble

    I used a Griffin Power Knob, using N4PY software on the K2. Now, 
Mike, KE4U, has written software for using the Griffin Tuning Knob and 
the K3. I found with the K2 it was very useful to be able to move the 
Knob around the table, and not have to reach up to the rig. Maybe this 
should be looked at by some. (Mike, I have to dig through 85+ boxes in 
the basement "storage" area to find my Powermate!). I would like to try 
it myself.

    Please note that this solution requires the $ 45 Powermate and your 
shack computer. It has a way cool blue LED glow from the bottom. K8AJ 
really likes that!

The Powermate is shown at:

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powermate

    tom K8TB


Rob May wrote:
 >I came over from a 718 also. I tune with my left thumb with the rest 
of the hand resting on the table and the fingertips on the bottom of the 
radio. ......
 >>Coming to the K3 from an ICOM IC-718 I had grown accustomed
 >>to using my thumb in the swiveling dimple on that machine's tuning knob.

 >>>However, the tuning knob is too close to the power and width 
controls. I tune
 >>>with my left hand and found myself hitting those controls a lot.
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