[Elecraft] K3 Beta 5r10 and LINK

[Don Wilhelm]

I am not Joe, but I can answer your question.

In diversity mode, the K3 operates just like a single receiver as far as 
the controls are concerned (except for the audio effects attributed to 
diversity).  In other words, if you are operating SPLIT, you would tune 
to the DX station with VFO A and transmit on VFO B.  To listen to the 
pileup (on your TX frequency VFO B) you would hold the REV button to 
listen to the pileup as long as you hold the button, but if you wanted 
to not hold the button and switch to hear the pileup, the A/B button can 
be used to switch VFOs until you wanted to switch back (with the A/B 
button).

Since you have both the mainRX and the subRX, it makes more sense to use 
the subRX in its normal mode where you set SPLIT on and listen to the DX 
on the subRX while transmitting on the mainRX frequency (the subRX 
frequency does not have transmit capability).  There are some ways to 
reverse this, but I will not go into details, this is the 'fundamentals' 
of split operation.

For linked VFOs, imagine you want to work DX operating with a fixed 2 
kHz split while the DX station is changing his TX frequencies while 
maintaining the 2 kHz split - that does not happen very often (maybe never).
You can set SPLIT on and separate the VFOs by 2 kHz then invoke LINK.  
The VFOs will always be 2 kHz apart.

I don't think that situation occurs frequently.  The only remote 
occasion I can foresee is for the QRP Foxhunts, but the Foxes rarely 
will operate SPLIT.

Normally, the DX station stays on the same frequency and you would want 
to leave the RX VFO tuned to his frequency while you would want the TX 
VFO to tune to either the last station worked or a clear frequency 
within the pileup.  The current TX VFO is displayed in the K3 or KX3 
display by an arrow.  Pay attention to that arrow lest the "up cops" 
become irritated with your transmissions.

IMHO, the changes made in 5.10 simplify the use of the SUB button. No 
more short hold of the button to link the VFOs and no long hold to 
enable diversity.
How many times have we seen posts to this reflector saying that the VFOs 
track each other.  This is a result of the difference between a long 
hold and an extra long hold of the SUB button.
Relegating the linked VFOs to a programmable function is a good idea IMHO.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/15/2015 9:15 PM, Tom Blahovici wrote:
> Hi Joe,
> I guess there is some confusion then as to the function of Link.
> Myself,  I thought it was solely there for diversity mode.
> So,  how else would one use the Link function? What is its purpose?
> Thanks
>