[Elecraft] [KX3] ADC/DAC access, keyer input

[Phil Hystad]

Actually, I can see how Elecraft might consider making their own separately boxed sound card interface to do what the original requestor wanted to do.  That is, take in the I/Q signal, digitize via the sound card, and present a USB interfaced digital number stream to the computer.

So, Elecraft can do this but would they.  I am thinking if they are smart about business they would not bother.  I mean, who is going to buy this "box" when they have a sound card already built into their computer that would likely do the same job.  Or, there are a myriad of other external high-quality sound cards you can buy to do this job.

Or, am I missing something -- easy to miss something because I am not sure I understood the purpose in the original question.

Personally, I want my KX3 just the way that Eric and Wayne make it since they seem to be smart about this sort of thing.

73, phil, K7PEH


On Aug 19, 2011, at 8:26 AM, Christian KJ4VPK wrote:

> Sound card USB chips are tiny... Plenty of them, too. Volume cost is very very low, too.  Making it an optional feature if it really breaks the bank.. 
> 
> Not needing shielded analog cables seems like a beautiful thing.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don Wilhelm
> Sent: Friday, August 19, 2011 10:55 AM
> To: gmaxwell
> Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] ADC/DAC access, keyer input
> 
> I believe what you are asking for means full soundcard function in the KX3.
> That does not seem reasonable to me.
> Why should others who do not desire that internal function have to pay 
> for it?  There are many (I would even say most) who want the KX3 for 
> portable use (without dragging along a computer for a panadapter 
> display), and that is its major design point as far as I can determine.
> 
> Your "trickle charge" suggestion means a voltage booster circuit would 
> have to be added, and many of them generate RF hash.
> 
> Besides, I don't think there is room inside the KX3 for those things you 
> are asking.  We are approaching the "Dick Tracy wrist radio" in the KX3 
> - how much smaller can it get?  Many complain about the size of the K3 
> buttons!
> 
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
> 
> On 8/19/2011 10:15 AM, gmaxwell wrote:
>> Tony Estep wrote:
>>> IF output connected over USB? Maybe you mean a BNC,
>>> 
>> No. I mean USB, as in digital output, as is found on the USRP (for example).
>> 
>> I see no attraction in yet another analog step that is only going to add
>> noise and interference, complicate PTT and control signaling,  and leave me
>> with a mess of more cables and boxes in order to interconnect it.  (What
>> netbook has stereo inputs? what netbook has inputs that aren't full of
>> spurious tones from the computer?)
>> 
>> Conceivably the KX3 could be trickle charged (500ma at 5v) via a USB client
>> connection, meaning a complete computer-enabled mobile station could be
>> [antenna]-[kx3]-[netbook]-[power] which would be clean indeed.
>> 
>> 
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