[Elecraft] K3 upgrade to K3S question

[Dauer, Edward]

A question about the KXV3B –

I have done the synth upgrades but none of the others, yet.  I am considering doing the KXV3B and the KIO3B.  

At present I have a PR6-10 hanging off the back of the K3.  I have found it very helpful on 10 meters and on 15 and maybe a bit on 20.  I have not done any laboratory-grade measurements, but a simple on-off on 15 is convincing that the preamp is of use there, and 20 is maybe or maybe not.  

The KXV3B Manual is clear that band selection should be done on 12, 10, and 6.  I would be disinclined to doing the upgrade if I lost the preamp advantage I now have on 15.  Does anyone know if the preamp in the KXV3B is identical to the outboard PR6-10 and, if so, whether the K3 with an new KXV3B will accept the preamp ON designation for bands other than 12-10-6?

Thanks,

Ted, KN1CBR

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Message: 1
    Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2017 06:30:10 -0700
    From: Ed Muns <ed at w0yk.com>
    To: frantz at pwpconsult.com
    Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
    Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 upgrade to K3S question
    Message-ID: <mailman.29877.1489373738.7384.elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
    Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
    
    The KIO3B has both RS232 and USB.
    
    All 3 upgrades are easy to do together.? Now takes me less than 30 minutes total for 2 KSYN3As, KXV3A and KIO3B.
    
    73,
    Ed W0YK