[Elecraft] Wondering if anyone is using cw Skimmer with K2?

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

Duane - I suggest you read the Getting Started article on the DXAtlas 
web site.  You can also get the program itself on a 30-day free trial.
You will need:

A buffer amp to bring out the IF signal from the K2 - Clifton Labs makes 
a kit specifically for the K2, and there is a lot of info about doing 
this on Jack's web site 
<http://cliftonlaboratories.com/z10000_buffer_amp.htm>.

Some sort of SDR capable of tuning to the K2's IF.  Softrocks are cheap 
and effective.  They feed  what's called I/Q audio to a sound card, and 
software in the computer processes the audio into a map of the band.  
When working with an IF tap, Skimmer is only capable of around 24 KHz 
coverage, and to show actual frequencies, you'll need to link your 
transceiver and Skimmer with Omni-rig (freeware that comes with it).

I wrote a number of articles for National Contest Journal about CW 
Skimmer.  You can find most of them on my web page < 
http://pvrc.org/~n4zr/Articles/So%20You%20Want%20to%20Skim.pdf> for one.

73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the Reverse Beacon Network at
http://reversebeacon.net,
blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com.
For spots, please go to your favorite
ARC V6 or VE7CC DX cluster node.

On 8/20/2013 10:24 AM, dw wrote:
> Hi All,
> I seem to remember at least one person in the group had tapped into his
> K2 IF for cw skimmer.
> I suspect I can also simply patch the audio output from the K2 into the
> PC sound-card.
> But I'm not familiar enough with cw skimmer to know if it has a scan
> mode, where it can control the K2 to scan through a band in order to
> capture a list of stations on the band.
>
> Or perhaps there is another software that does this?
>
> Getting something like this running sounds like a fun winter project for
> me.
> I would sincerely appreciate any help or advise anyone can provide.
>
> Sincere thanks
> Duane - N1BBR
>