[Elecraft] P3 and Digital Mode Operation

[Alan Bloom]

Good idea, I'll add it to the list of possible future features.  I
haven't used MTTY, but I assume the X-Y display is like the "plus sign"
on the old analog RTTY demodulators of years ago.

Alan N1AL


On Mon, 2010-03-29 at 14:47 -0400, Claude Du Berger wrote:
> Lyle, could we use the P3 as a X-Y Scope to monitor RTTY signal
> as on MMTTY?
> 
> 73 de VE2FK
> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Lyle Johnson 
>   To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net 
>   Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 2:40 PM
>   Subject: [Elecraft] P3 and Digital Mode Operation
> 
> 
> 
>   I've been testing the P3 < URL:http://www.elecraft.com/news.htm > for a 
>   while now, and it has a really nice feature for Digital Modes that my 
>   other panadapter solutions lack.
> 
>   The P3 has a SPAN control.  This sets the width of the spectrum display 
>   in kHz.  When looking at a busy band, for example during last weekend's 
>   contest, this made it pretty easy to spot activity on a relatively quiet 
>   band (15m) or a hole on a very busy busy band (20m).  This isn't much 
>   different than other panadapters, just more convenient.
> 
>   However, let's say you decide to operate a digital mode, such as PSK 31.
> 
>   Dial down the SPAN to ± 3 kHz.  Suddenly, the display looks like the 
>   usual "waterfall" you are accustomed to when using DM780, MIXW, 
>   MultiPSK, CocoaModem, etc.  You can easily distinguish individual 
>   signals, and see the modulation on them.  It is extremely simple to then 
>   set the marker on a signal, tap the control to re-tune, then then tap 
>   the SPOT button on the K3 to get it nailed.  You are now ready for a QSO 
>   using PSK-D mode.
> 
>   This same feature is also very useful when operating RTTY.  Further, the 
>   P3 lets you see nearby signals in fine detail even when you have the 
>   K3's dual passband feature turned on.  Use of such narrow filtering on 
>   the K3 restricts the usual waterfall display on the DM780 or MMTTY 
>   console, for example.
> 
>   And, the P3 doesn't consume PC screen real estate.
> 
>   The reason this works so well with the P3 is that as you adjust the 
>   SPAN, the P3 automatically adjusts its internal filters, sampling rates 
>   and calculations to effectively utilize the display width. If you use 
>   the ZOOM control on PowerSDR with LP-PAN, for example, you just get a 
>   much coarser display as you zoom in because the sampling rate for the 
>   soundcard being used with PowerSDR doesn't automatically adjust as you 
>   change displayed bandwidth.  If it did, it has limited rate selections 
>   depending on the soundcard being used and its drivers.  Since the P3 
>   hardware is purpose-built from the outset to be a panadapter rather than 
>   a general spectrum display or a soundcard, it does not have these 
>   limitations.
> 
>   73,
> 
>   Lyle KK7P
> 
>   Disclaimer: I work for Elecraft.
>   ______________________________________________________________
>   Elecraft mailing list
>   Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>   Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>   Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
>   This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>   Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html