[Elecraft] KPA500 Utility

[Rob May]

Dick,
Thanks for explaining the thinking in choosing to do separate utilities.  My comment about cluttering up the desktop with Elecraft icons was tongue in cheek.  Half the desktop is taken up with radio related programs!  Sorry if I came off more serious that I really meant to be.  Thanks for the great job you do.
Rob
NV5E

----------------------------------------
> From: dieven at comcast.net
> To: roblitespeed at hotmail.com; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KPA500 Utility
> Date: Sun, 15 May 2011 07:32:14 -0700
>
> Rob:
>
> There are separate utilities for the K3, W2, P3, K144XV, KPA500 and XG3.
> Yes, a couple more of them are on the radar.
>
> We considered putting these all into one larger software offering, but I
> couldn't think of a way to keep it simple and focused.
>
> If I made one utility that could communicate with just one device at a time,
> then users of the K3 and KPA500 who might want both utilities running
> concurrently (say for the K3's terminal page and the KPA500 operate page)
> would have to choose which tab they're viewing.
>
> We'd also need quite an array of serial port choices to satisfy users who
> have multiple serial ports connected to different devices.
>
> If you're on the "save configuration" tab page, would it be the K3 or the
> KPA500's configuration you're saving?
>
> I fear that new users of just one Elecraft product (say just a P3) would be
> find a uber-utility confusing. Confusing means "$upport calls".
>
> The utilities progress at different times and in different ways. The KPA
> Utility's "operate" page requires a very internal different technique than
> anything in the K3 Utility. I'm making large changes right now to just the
> KPA Utility to more smoothly handle the transitions between "not
> communicating" to "back panel power switch on, front panel switch off" to
> "front panel power on". Eventually these techniques will influence the
> other utilities. But I can now make sweeping changes to one at a time
> only.
>
> Making changes to a single "uber utility" risks breaking unrelated functions
> whenever I change anything. Testing is easier if they're separate: when I
> release a version of the KPA Utility, I don't have to test K3-only
> functionality like TxGain or RF Gain calibration. The test matrix for a
> larger utility would be daunting and would make it impossible to release
> anything in a hurry.
>
> You can delete some or all of the Elecraft desktop icons if you find them
> cluttering your desktop, they're not essential. Just right click the desktop
> icon and choose "delete. The Utilities can be found on the Start Menu under
> "Elecraft".
>
> Or you might also want to create a single desktop folder, perhaps named
> "Elecraft Cornucopia" and drag all the Elecraft Utility desktop icons into
> that folder.
>
> 73 de Dick, K6KR
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Rob May
> Sent: Friday, May 13, 2011 8:37 PM
> To: hb9anm at bluewin.ch; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Utility
>
>
> Surely we don't need 3 separate utilities for the K3, P3 and KPA500.  I
> could accept a separate utility short term for the P3, but this is getting
> out of hand.  Will there be yet another utility for the high power antenna
> tuner?  My desktop is getting crowded with Elecraft utilities.
>
> Rob
> NV5E
>
>
> ----------------------------------------
> > Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 13:12:08 -0700
> > From: hb9anm at bluewin.ch
> > To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> > Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Utility
> >
> > The FW page for KPA Utility (Windows Version 1.4.5.4) May 4, 2011 reads:
> >
> > "Download and run the file from the above link.
> > Use this utility to check for the latest releases of new features for
> > your K3.
> > Requires either a RS-232 cable or KUSB Serial-USB Cable to download
> > from your PC to the K3."
> >
> > To the K3??? Or to the KPA500?
> > Is this a typo?
> >
> > It's a bit early (still waiting for my KPA500 and it will have the
> > initial FW anyway) but I'm curious!
> >
> > 73
> > Richard
> >
> > -----
> > Richard - HB9ANM
> > --
> > View this message in context:
> > http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA500-Utility-tp6361039p6361039.
> > html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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