[Elecraft] ideas for re-purposing our old K3 synthesizers

[Dauer, Edward]

Postage only for both of mine.

Ted, KN1CBR


>------------------------------
>
>Message: 25
>Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2015 22:18:41 -0400
>From: "inventor61 ." <inventor61 at gmail.com>
>To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: [Elecraft] [K3] ideas for re-purposing our old K3
>	synthesizers
>Message-ID:
>	<CAHmQzT=3YUhFM=aQySg-DvUP_23ueUSOb9cTtwyKGPi=XdqCQw at mail.gmail.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
>I printed out the schematic of the original K3 synthesizer module.  The
>diagram says 'rev. A4' and is dated 8 Jan 2010.  Hope that's close to the
>as-built!  (probably is)
>
>This gizmo appears to have an output range from 8.7 to 46 MHz.  I don't
>know how much sauce it can develop but I have to imagine +10 dBm or so
>into
>50 ohms, I bet it's flat across that range, and it looks like the thing
>would be whistle-clean.
>
>To get that, it needs a tight 49.38 MHz reference oscillator (I found a
>0.5PPM TCXO for ~$30 from mainland China), and several common DC supply
>voltages.
>
>It also needs a small microcontroller or other way of providing the
>correct
>serial peripheral interface command lines and interaction.  That processor
>would also control the output frequency, perhaps with an encoder, or
>whatever human interface might make sense.
>
>But first, I am trying to see if developing a 'host' PCB would even be
>fiscally wise to design and construct.  I mean, who needs a 8.7 to 46 MHz
>VFO?
>
>And, how mad would Eric or Wayne be with me about the ... um ...
>semi-inverse engineering research ... I'd have to do to make this thing
>operate?
>
>On the other hand, I wager there's a thousand-plus of these modules
>sitting
>around the planet looking for something to do.  The capitalist in me is
>intrigued.
>
>So, a bit of market investigation here:
>
>a)  what would you do with such a device if you had one?  bench signal
>generator?  beacon transmitter?  VFO for another radio?
>
>b)  would you pay, say, $100 for a host board to operate your now-surplus
>synthesizer?
>
>c)  if someone *else *needed YOUR spare module for THEIR project, what
>would you be willing to sell it to them for?  Free?  $25?  More?
>
>73 es tnx
>Steve KZ1X/4
><kz1x at  yahoo . com>
>