[Elecraft] Newbie question re digital modes

[Dubinse at aol.com]

I think I may just be overcome by  an embarrassment of riches. I have  
recently acquired a K3 and  the serial to USB cable to run the utility  program. 
 I would like to try digital -- particularly PSK31 -- which I now  do with 
IC7000 and Signalink TNC. I have been using FLDIGI  satisfactorily.  My 
question is whether (1) I should try to run FLDIGI with  my K3 directly through 
the RS232/USB cable, (2) should I get the cable and  jumper card for K3 for 
the Signalink, (3) should I get the "tridentate"  cable set to connect with 
the K3  using the line-in/line-out/ptt  connections on the back?  
 
An amusing side thing: I had my K3 tuned to 14.070 upper side band and  I 
booted up FLDIGI on my laptop with no physical connection between them. To my 
 amazement, I saw a waterfall display and, when I placed the cursor on a 
nice  strong signal, I saw decoded text. I can only assume that the laptop's  
microphone was open and FLDIGI picked it up from the audio output of my 
radio.  Alternatively, it may have been an occult message to me that I need to 
better  understand the mechanics of digital  :-}
 
TNX for any advice especially if I can understand it.  VY 73 de  W3UEC
 
Stephen Dubin V.M.D., Ph. D.
Guerir quelquefois, soulager  souvent, consoler toujours.