[Elecraft] K3 port sharing and FT-8

[Andy Durbin]

"No, FT8 does not REQUIRE a com port -- all it does is set and read the 
radio's frequency. All WSJT-X modes will work fine with manual control 
of frequency. In settings, simply choose No Radio on the Radio tab."

Yes, that's true but it doesn't tell the whole story.   WSJT-X cannot be used in "split" mode without CAT control.  Without "split" mode there is no constraint on modulation frequency.  Without constraint on modulation frequency people will work the low end of the waterfall with over-driven transmitters or over-driven audio stages and QRM the rest of us with horrible audio harmonics.  I have an extensive selection of screen shots that I use to illustrate how not to use WSJT-X.  One I captured just a few days ago shows second, third, and fourth harmonics on every transmission that station made.

Some of the worst WSJT-X mode signals I have seen came from very experienced operators using the K3.  Please, if you can't, or won't, use "split" mode, don't TX in the low end of the WSJT-X waterfall (below 1500 Hz) unless you *know* your signal is clean.

73,
Andy, k3wyc