[Elecraft] Monitor output...

[Ian White GM3SEK]

Tony Estep wrote:
>On Fri, May 13, 2011 at 10:18 PM, Gary K9GS <garyk9gs at wi.rr.com> wrote:
>
>> ....a P3 driving a nice big 20 something inch monitor would be the way to
>> go....
>>
>> I set up a panadaptor display on my computer in parallel with my P3. It
>gives a nice big, detailed picture, but I soon scrapped it. Why? Because the
>monitor is a step backward from the P3 if it doesn't have point-and-shoot.
>There has to be communication between computer and K3. This adds complexity,
>software, and another cable. So it's not such a simple task.
>

I came to the P3 from an SDR-IQ using a 15in second monitor [1], linked 
to the K3 and N1MMLogger through LP-Bridge. For the moment, the much 
tighter integration between the P3 and the K3 (particularly the tracking 
cursors on *both* VFOs) overrides the need to peer at a small screen 
that is lacking in detail.

The 480x272 display of the P3 is pin-sharp and superb for its size, but 
the fine detail is still a major loss. A 1024x768 display with 
appropriate sampling provides much clearer information on other 
stations' signal quality and spectrum occupancy, and it gives the 
operator a much better understanding of what's happening on the band. 
With plenty of space for the waterfall, it has extra clarity in two 
dimensions, both frequency and time.

 From experience, the more detailed display allows *much* better 
judgements when choosing a 'clear' frequency. The loss of detail in the 
P3 has brought back an uncomfortable element of guesswork. Anyone who 
has used a larger, more detailed panadapter display to choose a clear 
frequency will know exactly what I mean.

Anyone who has only ever viewed seen the band through a P3... well, 
continue to enjoy; but when the VGA adapter arrives, you'll be due for a 
big surprise! Elecraft have already promised that the VGA adapter will 
allow a more detailed display (it won't be simply a block graphics 
version of the existing screen) and I'm very much looking forward to 
that.



[1] By the way, the 15in display was the *smallest* 1024x768 monitor 
that I could find. Filling the screen, the panadapter display is just 
about the right size to take in all the information at a glance. A 
larger-screen, wide-format monitor looks great from a distance, but the 
operator soon develops a severe case of swiveling eyeballs :-)


-- 

73 from Ian GM3SEK
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek