[Elecraft] Still More P3 Details

[Wayne Burdick]

In response to questions posted recently:

- The P3 will always draw well under 500 mA in any configuration (it's  
250-300 mA at present). It can be powered from the K3. The P3 can be  
turned on/off using its front panel switch, or can be strapped such  
that it turns on when the power supply (or K3) is turned on.

- We could display just about anything on the P3's LCD, from decoded  
K3 data-mode text to eQSLs to photos of your kids. For now it's  
limited to spectrum, waterfall, and text associated with P3 setup and  
control. Whatever we put on this LCD will look great -- it's fast,  
bright, and very high-resolution.

- We can and will have programmable averaging for the spectral display.

- I'd love to demodulate SSTV with the P3, and it's on the wish-list.

- FN1-FN8 can be used for various P3 functions as well as for  
controlling the K3 (such as one-tap band switching). The labels for  
FN1-FN8 can be shown on the P3's LCD at the touch of a switch, or they  
can be left off. They'll have very useful defaults associated with the  
P3 itself, but their functions can be changed at the P3 itself using  
its menu.

- RS232 control of the K3 is unchanged when the P3 is added to the  
system; the P3 has its own set of commands, and it simply relays  
everything else transparently to the K3 at maximum speed (38.4 kb).  
External applications will see very little additional latency.

- The P3 can go on either side of the rig, or on top, even upside  
down. But we'll supply simple P3-to-K3 support hardware to ensure that  
the P3 doesn't move when you push the buttons. Or you can weight it  
down by putting your own power supply inside, which is what I plan to  
do :)

73,
Wayne
N6KR