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

[Michael Babineau]

Terry et al : 

Clifton Laboratories makes a product called the Z10000B (http://www.cliftonlaboratories.com/k2_interface.htm)
that will add a IF port to the K2 or Orion, suitable for use with the LP-PAN and P3.

To get back to the original question, I am not sure how many people would want to add a P3 to a K2 ? 
For the price of the P3 (or even an LP-Pan) you could pick up a new Flex-1500.

Michael VE3WMB 


>From: <wb4jfi at knology.net>
>Date: August 28, 2013 12:38:40 AM EDT
>To: "Tom" <tomb18 at videotron.ca>, "Elecraft" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Will the K2 and KX3 work with the P3?


>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