[Elecraft] kxpd3 question

[Don Wilhelm]

I do wish the K3/K3S/KX3/KX2 had Ultimatic mode.  I have asked Wayne 
many times if he would implement it.  In fact I bugged him about it for 
the K2 as well.  That way, I could use dual lever paddles.  The way it 
is right now, only Iambic (mode A or B) is available.

For those not familiar with Ultimatic mode, the way it works is that 
there are no alternating dots and dashes.  When you tap the dot paddle, 
a string of dots is sent (nothing different so far), same for the dash 
paddle.
But if you have the dot paddle closed and then close the dash paddle, a 
string of dashes will be sent (not alternating) - same if the dash 
paddle is closed and the dot paddle is then closed.
In other words, the last paddle closed takes precedence.

This allows for symbol insertion, and the paddle operation is just as 
efficient (or more so) than iambic.  I believe this was the mode used by 
one of the older electronic keyers - the W9TO keyer if I recall correctly.

I learned some bad habits using a bug - I used one side of the paddle to 
push off the activation of the other paddle side.  I just cannot seem to 
break that old learned behavior.

The K1EL series of keyers includes Ultimatic, although I now use a 
single lever paddle to achieve the same behavior.  With a single lever 
paddle, it is not possible to close both the dot and dash contacts.

If Wayne would implement Ultimatic mode, I could use the dual lever 
paddles attached to the KX3 and KX2, but as it is, I just send garbage 
because of the alternating dots and dashes.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/9/2017 6:35 PM, Fred Jensen wrote:
> 
The KX3 has an Iambic keyer that can be
> set either mode A or B [or Ultimatic, or bug mode I think]