[Elecraft] [K3] Another way to access APF

[drewko]

Years ago Gateway bundled a so-called "AnyKey" keyboard with their
PCs: you could assign a macro (series of keystrokes) to any key on the
board, even the ENTER key. You could also remap any keys as you liked.
This was all done in the keyboard firmware; no software application
necessary. 

This was immensely useful in seemlessly integrating different software
applications (say, a foreign language dictionary, a text editor and
keyboard language layout), or for just extending or "improving" the
software developer's idea of how his program should be used or which
keys should be used for which functions.

Wouldn't something similar be a useful feature in software defined
radios? You could customize your rig by appending (or prepending) a
macro or series of button pushes to ANY button on the front panel. Add
QSY to the SPLIT key, as you mentioned, etc. Instead of being limited
to a few programmable function keys every button on the panel would in
a sense be programmable, or at least "extendable".

73,
Drew
AF2Z






On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 07:45:03 +0100, you wrote:

>Al Lorona wrote:
>>
>>
>>There was recent discussion about the need to HOLD a pushbutton to turn on the
>>APF. In January 2011, Wayne made a post entitled "Tips for using APF" in which
>>he wrote,
>>
>>"2. There are two filter "Presets" (I and II, accessed by HOLDing the 
>>HI/WIDTH
>>knob). You can turn APF on for one preset and off for the
>>other. This control is closer to where the action is than DUAL PB, and
>>I find it more convenient to use."
>>
>>Although this still involves HOLDing a button it may provide a better
>>alternative to the whole business of enabling APF.
>>
>
>That suggestion will work, of course, and so too will the macro route - 
>but both of them are work-arounds, to compensate for functionality that 
>is missing from the button where it belongs.
>
>The same applies to SPLIT: the K3 is the only high-end radio with a 
>non-configurable SPLIT button. All the others have an option to 
>configure that button as "Split and QSY" - but in the K3, that function 
>must be assigned to some <other> button, while the SPLIT button where 
>that functionality should be is no longer used.
>
>The macro facility is seriously overplayed as an answer to missing 
>functionality. Remember that the K3 has only TWO dedicated macro 
>buttons, PF1 and PF2. Anything beyond that requires hidden controls 
>which are a nightmare for the guest operator.