[Elecraft] KX3 Internal soundcard

[Bill Frantz]

One of the items on my future projects list is a small box which 
would plug into the left side of the KX3 and intercept all the 
plugs there. My desire for such a box comes from my habit of 
switching to a band and looking for signals with the PX3. When I 
see an interesting signal, I switch to the appropriate mode to 
work the station. This habit means I'm switching between SSB, 
CW, Data A, and AFSK A all the time. Saying this switching is a 
lot easier on the K3 than it is on the KX3 is an understatement.

(The remaining problems in the K3 are turning VOX on for data 
and off for SSB and switching between DATA A and AFSK A. I think 
I have solved the data mode switching problem using the per-band 
frequency memories. I have one for CW, one for SSB, one for DATA 
A, and one for AFSK A. Each selects a frequency in the 
appropriate part of the band.)

This box would include connectors for connecting the PX3 and its 
pass thru for a computer, the microphone, an external CW key, 
headphones, and DC power. It would include controls for 
headphone volume so the headphones could be used when tuning 
RTTY signals. I do worry about building the physical plug array 
so all the plugs make a reliable connection.

Thanks fo Ken's message, I'm thinking of including sound card 
functionality and a microcontroller to perform mode switching 
and other functions via the async ascii programming interface.

I don't expect to have time to start this project anytime soon, 
and I would be delighted if Elecraft or someone else picked it 
up and ran with it.

73 Bill AE6JV

On 11/14/15 at 4:58 AM, k.alexander at rogers.com (Ken Alexander) wrote:

>I don't necessarily need an internal sound card.  I'm very 
>happy with the external soundcard I use with my notebook 
>computer. However, I won't ever buy another transceiver that 
>doesn't have a dedicated Data jack, even if it does say 
>Elecraft on the front.  I find it a pain to be constantly 
>unplugging cables and inserting new ones each time I change 
>modes.  I'm afraid of wearing out the 3.5mm jacks on the KX3 
>with all the inserting in and removing of plugs.  I know I can 
>use Y-adapters, but that only adds to the considerable mess 
>hanging off the side of my KX3.

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