[Elecraft] LP PAN

[Dave - AB7E]

I fully agree.  Even more to the point, can anyone explain to me why it is at all important for a panadapter to be standalone, i.e., independent of a computer for either display or function?  

1.  Whether I am contesting or DXing or ragchewing, my computer is always connected to my K3 for logging and other functions (digital modes, memory buffers, etc).  Why would I want to add another user interface in the form of a keyboard or mouse connected directly to the panadapter?

2.  I guarantee I would be able to upgrade my computer for function or storage capacity more easily than I could the innards of a standalone panadapter.  The more dedicated hardware in the panadapter, the more functionally stagnate it becomes.

3.  External monitors with MUCH larger screens that would be practical for a standalone panadapter are cheap, as are video cards with dual monitor ports.  What's the point of having a wide spectrum capability if the display scrunches it down to VGA dimensions?

4.  Software that controlled the panadapter from the computer would almost certainly integrate more easily into other software such as logging or rig control programs, compared with firmware residing on the panadapter.


So ... why add cost and size in the form of panadapter hardware that can be done better and more cheaply with hardware that already exists?  Are there that many K3 owners out there that use their rig like an FT-101?

73,
Dave   AB7E


------Original Mail------
From: "R. Kevin Stover" <rkstover at mchsi.com>
To: "N5GE" <n5ge at n5ge.com>,
    "Elecraft Reflector" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:27:38 -0500
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] LP PAN

Click with what?
Plug a mouse/keyboard into the panadapter?
That's going to be some pretty fancy firmware programming and real 
expensive.

I don't think there's any way for Elecraft to produce a standalone 
panadapter that can compete with the LP-PAN/Sound card/Computer combo 
either performance or price wise.