[Elecraft] Left field P3 addition?

[Don Wilhelm]

Brian,

Not a goofy idea at all, the P3 can be used in that fashion, as can any 
SDR receiver that covers the frequency range that you want to investigate.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/19/2014 10:27 PM, Brian Alsop wrote:
> It occurred to me that the P3 might be made into a decent 200KHz wide 
> RF spectrum analyzer (note analyzer, not display) with the addition of 
> N trace averaging (n, infinite).
>
> I use my K3 as test gear as well as for operating.  With an elementary 
> sweep generator, K3/ROCKY almost works as an RF spectrum analyzer if 
> it only ROCKY could average sweeps.
>
> SPECTROGRAM/Sweep generator does work fine if you're interested in AF 
> stuff.  SPECTROGRAM has a user settable integration time. Compared to 
> a noise generator, one can pick up another 20db of "skirts" with a 
> clean swept signal.  I've found sweeping in the range of 1-10 seconds 
> over sizable chunks of spectrum quite practical. Integration times of 
> 10-100 seconds could produce quite very useable display.  Substitute 
> SPECTRUM LAB for SPECTROGRAM and things really get interesting.  One 
> can dump of the Fourier Transform bin data in sub-Hz intervals if you 
> want for plot comparisons or math manipulation.
>
> Since the P3's IF can be set to anything between 455KHz to about 30 
> MHz, one wouldn't need the K3.  Just a test jig, sweep generator and 
> P3. Sweep generator signals are way more than adequate to drive the P3.
>
> Goofy idea?
>