[Elecraft] P3 TX Mon: FEATURE REQUEST - Monitoring of

[Luis V. Romero]

Joe:

 

I fully understand the distinction. However, I see the very same waveform on
receive in the P3 today.  Why can't I see that waveform from my transmitter
on the P3?  Plus, the required RF sample and IF frequency data is being
delivered by the radio to the P3 for tuning right now, isn't it?

 

I had the desired functionality on my Heath station 35 years ago. When I saw
the "probe" hole in the P3 5 years ago I certainly expected similar
capability to what I was accustomed in the analog SB610 to be delivered in
the digital P3. However, expectation and reality of product features are
only my personal opinion and nothing more. 

 

As it is, I waited five years and spent $200 to replace a 17 inch piece of
wire.  I also cleared 12 inches of shelf space at my operating position by
removing the O'scope from it and returning it to the bench.  Theoretically,
I could even reclaim another three and a quarter inches by removing my Autek
WM1 and simply use TX-MON's built in wattmeter feature, sell the Autek and
recover more than half of the cost of TX-MON.  

 

I shouldn't have assumed that the SDR functionality within P3 would have
allowed both time and frequency domain displays of transmitted waveforms,
even though I can see time domain waveforms on receive in both SSB and RTTY
today.  When I want to see my transmitted waveform, I will just rig up a
serial switch to disconnect the serial port to P3 and view them that way at
a reduced level via IF bleed through.  Or just use my WinRadio SDR receiver
as a SA. 

 

Just seems silly to have to do all of that when I have a P3 just sitting
there...  

 

-lu - W4LT

 

PS:  I will just move on now with this thread.  No sense in beating a dead
horse.

 

You Wrote:

The displays generated by K0SM are frequency domain ... TX MON is

strictly a time domain (amplitude) display.  TX Mon uses a amplitude

detector driven by a directional coupler.  To do what you desire would

require an SDR tuned by frequency data (TX frequency) from the K3.

 

The difference between an envelope (diode) detector and a tracking SDR

is a couple of orders of magnitude in both cost and complexity.