[Elecraft] KX3 netbook

[Forums]

 A while back Wayne suggested using a netbook with the KX3 to log and run SDR software.  Someone else –I don’t remember who - warned that most net books don’t have stereo mic inputs.  I looked for a light cheap laptop with stereo inputs.  I checked a couple of dozen from Asus, hp, Lenovo, and Toshiba.  No netbook that I can find has stereo inputs.  All, of course have stereo outputs.  

In fact, I can’t find any current production laptop that has stereo inputs except the Apple MacBook series and it doesn’t run windows natively, though there are a couple of hypervisor solutions.  There are hundreds of models and I didn’t check every one but did check 25 or 30. I did call Dell and hp and ask them. There may be some and if there are I would love to know a brand and model.

My next thought was so called USB sound cards.  On the high end (price of a netbook and size of a KX3) there are lots of choices.  There seem to be a number of Altoids tin sized USB “sound cards” some have stereo mic and / or line inputs and some don’t.  Almost all the external devices emphasize the output functions and are skimpy on the input specs. 

I guess this is a long winded way of asking if during development and field test some thought could be given to a light weight package in the spirt of the KX3 itself that is tested and known to work.  I would see this as KX3, netbook, and "a small USB sound card."  Alternatively, if there is a reasonably priced light laptop with the requisite capabilities that would be fine too.

73 John N6MNX

John Fogarty
john.fogarty at sbcglobal.net

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