[Elecraft] P3SVGA or LP-PAN / NaP3 (K3)

[Dale Boresz]

Paul,

I started with the LP-Pan and NaP3, and it worked very well. I now have 
the P3SVGA and like it a *lot*.

For some context, I only used 'Fixed Tune' mode with both scenarios, and 
generally limit the displayed bandwidth to somewhere between 30-50KHz.

The P3 screen, though it is small, is very sharp and (IMHO) easy on the 
eyes when other supporting factors (nature or your glasses) can provide 
the proper focus for the required viewing distance. The external monitor 
provides an outstanding large-screen enhancement that makes everything 
easier to see, but the really big 'plus' to the external monitor for me 
is the much longer 'history' capture of the slower and taller waterfall 
display - over the smaller P3 screen. Additionally, the external monitor 
can be configured to show multiple rows of decoded RTTY (and I think CW) 
text beneath the waterfall. Very cool!

The P3SVGA also has a USB connection that enables you to plug in a 
keyboard or a wireless keyboard receiver for RTTY and PSK. It may work 
for sending CW from the keyboard as well, but I'm not sure about that 
one. (Although I operate about 90% CW, I only use paddles, and don't use 
the CW decoder, so am not up to speed on those options)

The one downside to the P3SVGA  is that a Noise Blanker is not a current 
option for the built-in SDR receivers in the P3/P3SVGA. I frequently 
have to battle power line noise around here until the local power 
company gets around to resolving them, and when the poles are roaring, 
all I see on the P3 display(s) is a noise floor that is elevated to 
around -90 dBm or so, with only the strongest of signals making their 
presence known. The NB on the K3 is so effective that with it engaged 
and properly adjusted, I'd never even know that the powerline noise was 
still there -- however I may as well turn off the P3 because it shows me 
very few of the signals that I can otherwise hear on the K3. Perhaps a 
noise blanker can eventually be implemented into the P3SVGA firmware at 
some point. That would be a huge help.

  I see two primary advantages offered by the LP-PAN/NaP3 combo:
1.  The effective NB functionality built into PowerSDR quiets the bands 
very nicely for most powerline and other impulse noise conditions.

2.  The ability to click-tune the K3 via a mouse, is very nice -- though 
I have gotten pretty good at twisting the K3 knob to get me where I want 
to go in a hurry. One can also use the P3's marker/click-select to do 
the same thing, but it's not as fast as mouse-clicking on a signal on 
the panadapter display.

That said, the LP-PAN remains on the shelf, and my overall preference by 
far is the P3SVGA, though I have been thinking about adding the 
LP-PAN/NaP3 combo back into the mix for those occasions (like now) where 
I'm waiting for the power company to resolve an issue.

73, Dale
WA8SRA



On 2/21/2013 5:51 PM, paul ecker wrote:
> First, I looked in the archives and didn't really find an answer. I have a K3 and P3 and love the combination, but seeing a P3 with a P3SVGA card in action at Orlando Hamcation, I have been considering adding the P3SVGA card to my P3. But have read some articles about the LP-Pan and I am interested in opinions on overall capabilities of P3/P3SVGA combo vs. LP-Pan/NaP3 combo. The individual items are roughly the same price. (I understand that an external sound card will be needed with LP-Pan) So can anyone who has experience with each, give some opinions on  the pluses and minus of each terms of capabilities, and recommendations on which way to go?
>
> 73 Paul
> kc2nyu
> ______________________________________________________________
>