[Elecraft] P3 Unexpected Control Operation ...

[The Smiths]

I completely disagree... Clockwise rotation makes things bigger, wider, taller, open, louder etc... Turning the Width moves the filter width WIDER, More open.. It has nothing to do with selectivity.  I'm sure that when they designed the K3 that's exactly what they were thinking too. It follows conventional logic that the common man uses, not engineers that tend to over think, or over complicate things.

With the P3 when you move the Ref lel clockwise things get taller, expand etc... JUST like on the K3.  I think you're over thinking this one Joe.  Personally I don't feel "Violated" at all. My P3 works exactly as I would have expected it to.

 
> Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 10:57:12 -0400
> From: lists at subich.com
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] P3 Unexpected Control Operation ...
> 
> 
> Bill,
> 
> > Alan N1AL may want to respond but I don't believe either is a bug.
> > Both are consistent with more sensitivity in the clockwise direction,
> > which is consistent in my opinion.
> 
> While both controls, in fact, increase a behavioral parameter with
> clockwise rotation, the behavior is still inconsistent with other
> controls on both the K3 and P3. If the controls were arranged to
> adjust an underlying behavioral parameter instead of an absolute
> value, the WIDTH control on the K3 should be reversed so that it
> increases SELECTIVITY (less width) with increasing clockwise
> rotation.
> 
> > We need to remember the P3 is not a spectrum analyzer (mainly used
> > for measuring spurious signals down from a reference carrier but a
> > panadapter (mainly used for identifying weak signals above a noise
> > floor).
> 
> I don't see how this makes any difference. The P3 controls are labeled
> REF LVL and SCALE and not "MIN/MAX SENSITIVITY" and the values they
> control have specific numeric values. Their behavior is backward based
> on both the numeric values and the behavior of other controls in the
> K3/P3 system.
> 
> Although one could conceivably argue that REF LVL is ergonomically
> correct in that counterclockwise rotation moves the reference level
> (baseline) DOWN on screen, I find SCALE to be very confusing since
> increasing rotation results in less visible range and a smaller (min
> to max) size scale. After all the control is SCALE not amplitude
> or trace size.
> 
> 73,
> 
> ... Joe, W4TV
> 
> On 8/9/2010 10:01 AM, Bill W4ZV wrote:
> >
> >
> > Joe Subich, W4TV-4 wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> Rotary controls in the K3 and P3 increase their parameter as the
> >> encoder is turned clockwise except in two cases.
> >>
> >> 1) The P3 "REF LVL" is decreased with clockwise rotation. Maximum
> >> reference level is -10 dBm with the encoder fully counterclockwise
> >> while it is minimum -160 dBm with the encoder fully clockwise.
> >>
> >> 2) The P3 "SCALE" (range) is decreased with clockwise rotation.
> >> Scale is minimum (10 dB) when the encoder is fully clockwise
> >> and maximum (80 dB) when the encoder is fully counterclockwise.
> >>
> >> Both of these controls violate the principle of "expected" behavior
> >> and consistent operation.
> >>
> >
> > Alan N1AL may want to respond but I don't believe either is a bug. Both are
> > consistent with more sensitivity in the clockwise direction, which is
> > consistent in my opinion. In the case of REF LVL, turning clockwise until
> > the noise floor becomes visible seems correct (i.e. like turning RF GAIN
> > clockwise in a traditional radio). In the case of SCALE, it means less
> > visible range above the noise floor which means more resolution of weak
> > signals.
> >
> > After using the P3 I find the current conventions intuitive. While they
> > might not be technically consistent (in terms of the values being set) I
> > believe both are consistent and intuitive in terms of practical use. We
> > need to remember the P3 is not a spectrum analyzer (mainly used for
> > measuring spurious signals down from a reference carrier but a panadapter
> > (mainly used for identifying weak signals above a noise floor). Either
> > *can* be used the other way around, but I believe the controls of both are
> > set up differently for good reasons.
> >
> > 73, Bill
> >
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