[Elecraft] Just built my new P3

[Jim Brown]

On 4/17/2014 9:29 PM, Slava Baytalskiy wrote:
> Its no LP-Pan/NaP3, i tell you that

The P3 is QUITE powerful once you set up the buttons and learn how to 
use it. As with most gear, RTFM is a great start. :)

First, always use averaging mode, with long averaging times, and set the 
screen so that a large part of the display is the waterfall. Second, set 
the scale and sensitivity. I use 24 dB for everyday operation and 42 dB 
for contests. I set the sensitivity so that the noise level is very 
close to the bottom of the display.  And always use Fixed Tune Mode (the 
limits of the display remain constant as you tune across the band. This 
setup makes weak signals stand out best.

Next, program the buttons. I assign the Fixed Tune Toggle to a button, 
the Peak/Average to another, and use the remaining buttons for display 
widths of 2 kHz, 10 kHz, 20 kHz, 50 kHz, 100 kHz, and 200 kHz. The 10 
kHz width is great for CW pileups, 20 and 50 for SSB. The wider settings 
are useful for monitoring bands for DX openings (160M, 10M, 6M), for 
contesting, and for recognizing various forms of noise.

73, Jim K9YC