[Elecraft] LP PAN and "Point and Click"

[Dick Williams]

Vic,

Your point is well taken; but in the end what percentage of  amatuers that 
own a K3 do not have it hooked up to a computer and a logging program; and I 
bet that most amateurs leave their computer on 24/7 and connected to a DX 
Cluster.

Like Dave (AB7E) who posted a comment,  I am also part of the aforementioned 
group, my computer is on all the time;  thus PowerSDR and LP Bridge are also 
on all the time.  When I turn on the K3, LP-Pan (which is powered by the Aux 
12V out on the K3) turns on, and bingo,  signals appear on the PowerSDR 
screen.    If for some reason (like going on vacation) I turn off my 
computer,  when I turn it back on, I just start LP Bridge and that auto 
starts both DXBase and PowerSDR.   Basically one click and one button push 
on the K3 and I am in business.

Actually, I have to admit that it is slightly more complicated than that; 
after I turn on the K3, I have to push the on/off switch on the Green Heron 
Eng rotor box to on.   The Green Heron is plugged into a AC switch that all 
the other assorted and sundry accessories are plugged into, and turning it 
on, powers up the rest of the station.

So, I guess that I have not figured out what all the other "issues" might be 
in having a panadapter run by your computer??    Actually I spend more time 
in the summer connecting and disconnecting the coax and rotor cables because 
of the thundrestorms than I do "turning on" the K3 and Green Heron Rotor 
box.

In any case, I am sure that your wish for a stand alone unit will come true. 
The only question is what features and at what cost will the Elecraft unit 
have.  One thing I am sure of is the display will not be of the 17" to 22" 
variity.

One other interesting point that should be brought upis that CW Skimmer 
works very well with LP-Bridge..  Though I have not installed it yet,  I 
have been told that CW Skimmer is  the "cats meow" to the CW contester or 
DXer; and to them, it  is what Viagra is to the "old timers"!    It works 
great and allows them to do things they had never done before!

Dick K8ZTT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vic K2VCO" <vic at rakefet.com>
To: "Dick Williams" <k8ztt at mho.com>; "Elecraft Reflector" 
<elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 10:57 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] LP PAN and "Point and Click"


> Dick Williams wrote:
>
>> Yes, you do have to have a computer;  but what ham out there does not own 
>> a computer (especially amateurs that have found there "niche" in the 
>> hobby were they want and need the capabilities of the K3)?   If you can 
>> afford a K3 (and the cost of a add on panadapter), I will "go out on a 
>> limb" and say you can afford to purchase a computer.
>>
>> You don't have to be a "computer geek" to install and configure LP-Pan, 
>> LP-Bridge, and Power SDR.
>
> I have (several) computers and I am a 'computer geek'. But I still want a 
> standalone unit.
>
> I want it to come on when the radio does and I don't want to mess around 
> with all of the issues surrounding a computer just to use it.
> -- 
> 73,
> Vic, K2VCO
> Fresno CA
> http://www.qsl.net/k2vco