[Elecraft] SideKar vs PX3

Thu Jul 30 08:34:15 EDT 2015

It seems this dilemma can be solved by something like a 10" screen 
WINDOWs laptop.  You get display, keyboard, the ability to run FLDIGI.   
They probably run on batteries as long as the rig et al. A few years ago 
I had an ACER aspire 1 (?).   It ran everything I tried including sound 
card stuff.

73 de Brian/K3KO
On 7/30/2015 12:08 PM, steve wrote:
> Brian,
> Thank you for the comments.
> I do use fldigi.
> Yes, PSK31 is difficult to tune and partly because of the lack of AFC 
> in the kX3, as you reminded me (why... KX3 tuning is difficult).
> The PX3 does make it easier to tune provided the sending station isn't 
> drifting.
> RTTY seems easier to tune - I guess because of its wider bandwidth.
> I think because I want portable PSK31/RTTY to be fun (not 
> frustrating), I need to think about using Fldigi portable with a 
> small/mini laptop (solid state "disk").
> I guess I will also think more about how I am going to "do" the little 
> bit of CW as the decoder works well (not great).  I am going to give 
> CW via KX3 decoder a try this weekend with the NAQP.
> Yes, I think even with the HCT/SideKar you need to save the call.   It 
> does have a memory location to allow the call to be sent as part of a 
> macro.
> I don't see anything in the manual about logging using the memory 
> location to fill the log callsign...  I'll ask/look.
>
> thank you for your thought provoking input.  73, steve WB3LGC
>
>
> On 29-Jul-15 6:10 PM, Brian Waterworth wrote:
>> Warning - long response
>>
>> One thing I have found on my quest to have a portable station is a 
>> portable
>> computer, screen, and keyboard.  My premise is that the kx3 may not be
>> ready for a complete psk31 solution with either the px3 or the sidekar.
>> I'll come back to this quest in a moment.
>>
>> At present, it doesn't seem that the kx3 applies afc to incoming digital
>> transmissions, like psk31.  ...  My premise is that unless the kx3 
>> has afc, using the
>> internal psk decoder is for emergency purposes and having some fun.  ...
>
>> ...  Search and pounce is
>> much harder to do when you have to take the time to remember a call sign
>> and type it into another field while the receive window is scrolling.
>> Fldigi and dm780 will allow a quick click of the mouse and the call 
>> sign is
>> ready to be used in any macro that references this field.
>>
>> Now let's turn to the question about the USB port on the px3 and the
>> connection of a keyboard.  I contend that unless the kx3 adds more psk
>> features like those of the mainstream programs found on various 
>> platforms,
>> the addition of a keyboard for psk qso's as decoded by the kx3 may 
>> not be
>> useful.  I actually don't like my premise as I was excited too about the
>> possibility of a keyboard attached to thw px3.  But what would I use it
>> for?  The aforementioned usability concerns and lack of afc in the kx3
>> doesn't provide me with the utility I thought I was going to get from 
>> the
>> kx3/px3 combo.  If there is another use for a keyboard that I have 
>> missed,
>> I would love to hear it.
>>
>> ...
> ...
>
>> *I think even the sidekar may not meet your digital needs. I am sure 
>> the sidekar does more and my apologies to the designers if I have 
>> under represented it's capabilites. I saw the sidekar at Dayton in 
>> 2014 and wondered why I would need it over a px3, especially with the 
>> px3 firmware upgrade that provided two lines of decode text on the 
>> px3 screen. The sidekar is not a general purpose computer and 
>> therefore is limited in its usability. How would you capture a call 
>> sign from the receive window to respond to a cq? Where would you 
>> store this call sign in either the kx3 or the sidekar? Usability and 
>> adaptability during digital qsos is necessary in order to keep up 
>> with those hams that are working in a much more productive environment.*
>>
>> I am sure there are others who have different setups and experiences to
>> mine.  I am interested to hear about them as is Steve.
>>
>> Regards
>> Brian
>> VE3IBW
>>
>
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