[Elecraft] Will the K2 and KX3 work with the P3?

[wb4jfi at knology.net]

I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish here with the KX3, pardon if 
I mis-interpret.

Using a P3 requires that two issues be resolved: 1) control and, 2) RF 
signal input.

P3 control is via the serial RS232 connection, and can be figured out.

However, the P3 wants to a single RF signal at its IF input.  It then goes 
through a typical DDC-based SDR approach, including an FFT, to display the 
spectrum.  The P3 works with the 8.215MHz IF output of the K3 (or many other 
RF-frequency range, IF signals).  The KX3 does NOT have a single  RF/IF 
output at the proper frequency.   Instead, it has an I/Q output pair at 
audio frequencies (0Hz-approx 48kHz or so) from the internal QSD.  You would 
need to upconvert that I/Q pair back to a single RF signal in order to feed 
it to the P3.  That's a lot of work, with much simpler solutions available.

I don't know much about the K2.  Looking at the manual, internally, it has 
an 4.9152MHz IF, but I don't think that's available on a connector, or if 
the drive level is buffered and adequate.  If so, you could use a P3 with a 
K2 I suppose.  The IF would need to be tapped BEFORE the crystal filtering. 
I do NOT see an IF output connector, and only one transistor buffer between 
the mixer and the crystal filters.

The KX3 I/Q output is set up to feed into a typical computer sound card 
(stereo, line-in) and a Softrock SDR-type program, which is easier than 
trying to jerry-rig a P3.  You can potentially use a CAT interface with the 
KX3 to query the current frequency, for SDR software display.  I have NOT 
one this directly, so I don't know what SDR software support that.
73, Terry, WB4JFI


-----Original Message----- 
From: Tom
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 11:35 PM
To: Elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Will the K2 and KX3 work with the P3?

I have determined that I can emulate the firmware and provide full 
functionality via serial commands.
Now, would there be an interest for P3 usage on a kx3 or k2?
Tom

Sent from my iPhone

On 2013-08-27, at 10:33 PM, Tom <tomb18 at videotron.ca> wrote:

> Hi
> I know that the P3 requires a serial connection to the K3 and the 
> appropriate firmware and that this does not exist for the K2 and Kx3.
> However, will it display the spectrum? And if it does, can one emulate the 
> serial commands via the P3 serial port?
> I am wondering if this could be an option in my software Win4K3 Suite if I 
> provide a K2 and KX3 version.
> Thanks, Tom
> Va2fsq.com
>
> Sent from my iPhone
<snip>