[Elecraft] New K3 & P3 Beta Firmware Available

[Wayne Burdick]

Hi all,

K3 beta firmware rev 4.12 and P3 rev 0.36 are now available. If you  
have a P3, you'll want to load both. They work together to greatly  
reduce serial I/O delays with PC applications such as HRD.

There are many other improvements as well. See release notes for both  
K3 and P3 below.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

* * *

K3 Release Notes

> MCU 4.12 / DSP 2.60 / FPF 1.13, 9-15-2010
>
> * K3-to-P3 SERIAL COMMUNICATIONS: The K3/P3 RS232
> interface has been optimized to eliminate problems with VFO
> tuning and some third-party PC applications such as HRD.
>
> * DVR TRANSMIT MONITOR SEPARATELY ADJUSTABLE:  Applies
> to TX message play as well as transmit playback of the 90-second loop.
> First, set CONFIG:TX DVR to IND (independent) and exit the menu. Next,
> hold in the CMP/PWR knob to select MON. Holding the knob in a
> second time alternates between MON xx and DVR xx. You can adjust
> MON or DVR level during transmit playback.
>
> * NO GAP IN 6-METER POWER RANGE: The PA now kicks in
> at 9 W on 6 m, rather than 13 W as on the other bands. This
> eliminates the original gap from 9 to 12 W on 6 meters.
>
> * 60-METER CHANNEL HOPPING DOWN TO 5.366.5 KHZ WORKS:
> Previously, the PLL voltage would sometimes go to zero in this case.
>
> * VFO B to A COPY NOW UPDATES THE P3. This is useful for
> re-centering the P3 at a desired center frequency. For example, you
> could leave VFO B set to the center of a band segment. After tuning
> VFO A around, use VFO B>A to go back to the  center. (To use
> VFO B>A, assign CONFIG:VFO B>A to a PFx or Mx switch.)
>
> * K144XV S-METER CORRECTION: The S-meter is now properly
> compensating for the added gain of the K144XV.
>
> * K144XV BAND-DATA OUTPUT ADDRESS RANGE INCREASED:
> Originally, CONFIG:XVn ADR was always set to “INT TRN1” to enable
> the K144XV. This set all band data outputs on the ACC jack to 0. Now,
> XVn ADR has of “INT TRN0” to “INT TRN9” for the K144XV. Band- 
> data
> outputs are set accordingly. This may be useful when the K144XV is
> used as an IF for higher-band external transverters. (If you have a
> K144XV, the original INT TRN1 will now be INT TRN0 in the menu.
> This is the new recommended setting if you’re not using external
> transverters in conjunction with the K144XV.)
>
> NOTE: When using the K144XV, XVn RF can be set to the RF band
> of an external transverter that is using the K144XV as an I.F., rather
> than at the 2-meter band edge (144).
>

P3 Release Notes

> MCU 00.36/ 9-16-2010
>
> * Center frequency and markers now work on UHF transverter bands.
>
> * Additional latency reduction for K3 commands.
>
> * Extensive changes to the RS-232 handler.  To obtain the full  
> benefit of the improvements, use K3 firmware 04.12 or later.
>
> * Added "Knob Tap" and "Knob Hold" to the MENU.
>
> * Added 8215 kHz to transceiver menu.
>
> * Fixed missing single line in bitmap display upload.
>