[Elecraft] K3 Beta Firmware Rev. 3.94: Enhancements to RX & TX EQ, European FM & repeater operation, etc.

[Wayne Burdick]

K3 beta-test firmware revision 3.94 (with DSP rev. 2.54) is now  
available. See release notes below for details.

Please send any questions to k3support at elecraft.com. For instructions  
on how to load beta firmware, see:

      http://www.elecraft.com/K3/k3_software.htm

73,
Wayne
N6KR

* * *

New Features:


* SEPARATE RECEIVE EQ FOR CW MODE: To set up CW RX EQ, select CW mode,  
then use MAIN:RX EQ. To set up voice-mode RX EQ, select any non-CW  
mode except DATA. (Mode can be changed while in the menu.)

* SEPARATE TRANSMIT EQ FOR SSB MODE: The SSB transmit passband can now  
be set up differently from AM/FM/ESSB. To set up SSB TX EQ, select USB  
or LSB with ESSB off, then use MAIN:TX EQ. To set up AM/FM/ESSB TX EQ,  
select AM, FM, or USB/LSB with ESSB on. (To turn ESSB on/off, tap ‘1’  
in CONFIG:TX ESSB. When ON ,the “+” mode icon appears.) Also see TE  
command, below.
	
* TRANSMIT EQ SETUP COMMAND (TE): Can be used in switch macros (or  
software applications) to quickly optimize TX EQ settings for  
different  users or mics. For example, “TE-08+00+00+00+00+00+00+00;”  
cuts the 50-Hz EQ band by 8 dB.


Changes related to European FM and Repeater Operation:


* 12.5 AND 25 KHZ VFO INCREMENTS (FOR EU REPEATERS): Added 12.5 kHz  
and 25 kHz step sizes in FM mode. To specify step size, select FM  
mode, then use the CONFIG:VFO CRS menu entry.

* SQUELCH-CONTROLLED 1750-HZ PL TONE: Some EU repeaters require a 1750- 
Hz PL tone burst to open. Previously, an 0.5-second burst was  
generated at the start of each transmission. Now, this tone is only  
generated if squelch is not already open. The squelch-controlled PL  
tone feature can be turned off by setting the PITCH parameter to PL  
OFF. With either the PL TONE or PL OFF setting, the operator can still  
do manual PL tone burst as described in the next item.

* MANUALLY CONTROLLED 1750-HZ PL TONE: The operator can now generate a  
variable-length tone burst at any time while transmitting by holding  
PITCH switch.

* PL TONE DEVIATION RANGE CHANGED: The deviation range for the 1750-Hz  
PL tone is now 1.5 to 6.0 kHz. The default, 3.6 kHz, is about 70% of 5  
kHz, as recommended for many EU repeaters.
The deviation for sub-audible tones is now stored separately and has a  
range of 150-600 Hz (default 360 Hz).


Other Changes:


* Full support for P3 Panadapter. Allows very fast K3-to-P3 response  
during VFO movement, etc.
	
* K3 Memory Editor: This revision of K3 firmware works with our new K3  
Memory Editor (Not yet released. Presently PC/Windows-only, but may  
eventually work on other platforms.) The memory editor will allow you  
to edit frequency memories 00-99 and, if desired, per-band quick  
memories (M1-M4). Each memory includes a “QSY” button, providing  
convenient memory selection. Memory contents can be saved in a file  
and shared with other K3 users. Further details to be posted elsewhere.
* MEMORY CHANNEL COMMAND (MC): This new remote-control command was  
created in support of the K3 Memory Editor (see above). Sending an MC  
command to the K3 loads VFOs from a memory (or “channel”), emulating  
M>V. It can be used in switch macros. Examples: “MC080;” loads memory  
#80. “MC100;” loads 160-m quick-memory M1. (For details on creating  
macros, refer to K3 Utility Help or the K3 Programmer’s Reference.)


For software developers:


* See TE and MC commands, above.

* TEXT BUFFER COMMAND (TB): This is an improvement over the “TT1”  
method for implementing a CW/data terminal. Returns number of transmit  
characters from KY<text> packets remaining to be sent, as well as a  
string containing all available characters, and RX character count.

* Fixed KY<text> problem in PSK-D/FSK-D modes: Sending packets during  
the 4-second idle time was delaying transmit until end of idle time.

* Now recognizing a slashed-zero character from the PC keyboard (0xD8)  
in KY<text> packets.Converted to regular zero.

* IC COMMAND: Added CONFIG:MEM 0-9 setting (byte a, bit 1).
	
* NOISE BLANKER LEVEL CONTROL: Added NL and NL$ commands to remotely  
set DSP and IF blanker levels for main and sub receivers. Refer to the  
K3 Programmer’s Reference, revision C10 or later.