[Elecraft] K4

[Bill Frantz]

Hmmmm. I've been trying to figure out the best way of using the 
band switching on modern radios. In my use, it is an impediment 
to using different modes. Most of the time, when I switch to the 
20 meter band, I arrive set up for the PSK sub-band. If I want 
to use CW or SSB, I have to make a bunch of changes to things 
like mode, filter bandwidth, frequency etc. etc. If I had been 
doing CW or SSB the last time I used 20 meters, I have to change 
them all back.

Now memories let me do most of what I need, but I still haven't 
figured out how to organize memories for both specific things 
like repeater frequencies and CTCSS or net frequencies, as well 
as band switching in a way that I can figure out which memory 
holds what I want.

I think if I had an array of band buttons, I would want them 
subservient to the current mode, so I could easily jump from 20M 
PSK to 40M PSK. I would also want separate modes for RTTY and 
each of the other digital modes. If I did much AM, I would want 
to separate AM and SSB.

All of this is quite doable with radio firmware. There is a 
significant question of whether I would really like a radio that 
works as I described, or if I would want yet more changes. :-0

If I install the internal 2M transverter, do I get a new front 
panel button? What about external transverters? New FCC 
authorized bands? :-)


More seriously, I see a possible K4 as a radical change from the 
K3. If we could get AtoD converters with 140+ dB dynamic range 
and 100 mega-samples/second, we might see a very interesting 
radio. If we had narrow-band VHF roofing filters, we might see 
an up-converting radio instead of the K3 "middle" conversion radio.

Cheers - Bill, AE6JV

On 4/28/12 at 8:37, k2vco.vic at gmail.com (Vic K2VCO) wrote:

>I am not sure how Wayne will do it, but the market wants dedicated band buttons.

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