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Reviews For: Win4K3 Suite – Software for the Elecraft K-Line

Category: Ham Software/Apps - Other than logging

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Review Summary For : Win4K3 Suite – Software for the Elecraft K-Line
Reviews: 22MSRP: 50.00
Description:
Win4K3Suite is a windows control program for the Elecraft K3 transceiver supporting all options such as the secondary receiver, antenna tuner, and others, as well as the KPA500 Amplifier, the KAT500 Antenna tuner and the P3 Panadapter. All functions are provided in an easy to use interface that easily allows control of many options hidden in the K3′s menus.
Product is in production
More Info: http://va2fsq.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00224.7
IZ1WIX Rating: 2022-05-06
Great Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Very very good
KD8CGH Rating: 2021-05-15
Great features and easy to use Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm a long time user of DXLab which is a good, multi talented suite of apps. Recent experience with a Hermes Lite 2 SDR transceiver left me hooked on having a spectrum display. I have an original LP-Pan that I had used with my early K3 (#70), but I had found the pain was too high for the gain and hadn't used it in many years. I was unsuccessful in getting the LP-PAN working again with LP Bridge and NAP3 software.

I decided to try Win4K3 and was easily able to get its integrated spectral display working with both the LP-Pan and an RSP1a SDR. I was also able to connect CW Skimmer and WSJT-X. As a bonus WIN43K has a direct interface to DX Keeper, my long term logger without the need to start DX Commander and attache it by a virtual serial port.

In addition, I have an KX3 that WIN4K3 supports well, including an I/Q based spectral display.

Given its features, WIN4K3 is a bargain.

WO6W Rating: 2021-04-12
Excellent software, superb support. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
KX3 home station using Win4K3suite as my primary interface to the rig. Win4K3suite connected to third party applications N1MM+, a logging program and CATSync. com0com and OMNI-Rig are in there as well.

All pieces are playing well together making for a very capable package.

Tom has provided excellent support along the way.

Highly recommended!
VK4TUX Rating: 2020-07-29
Awful & too Expensive Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I found an error message on startup & the price three times what it is worth. Did better with other software products at far better value.
N2SO Rating: 2018-10-19
Features found nowhere else! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have enjoyed using my K3 for nearly 10 years with CAT control of my radio by N1MM for contesting and DXLabs for general logging. I also like to use SKCC Logger for casual as well as special event straight key QSOs. Finally, since I mostly work CW, I have occasionally used CW Skimmer and Band Master as well. Of course, I couldn't use these programs together to control my radio although DXLabs does have the option of adding one additional program through its Secondary CAT control interface. Recently I installed a new PC machine running Windows 10 and it was time to start looking at a new approach since I also wanted to add WSJT-X as an additional logger and CAT control for working the popular new mode JT8. That’s a total of five software programs to control one radio! It was time to test Win4K3 and explore its integration of third-party software. Of course, I was familiar with Virtual Comports having used it with DXLabs/CW Skimmer, but the program is so easy to understand and install a total newbie will have it running in no time. The Win4K3 user manual has excellent and well written instructions. I have installed all my software programs and each of them works perfectly with Win4K3 and my K3. I can have one or more programs running simultaneously and my K3 works just like I was pushing the buttons on the front of the rig. One thing I have noticed is that you should not let your computer go to sleep if you step away while Win4K3 is running since that will freeze the program requiring a re-boot.
But there is more! The programable macros feature offers a total of 20 macro buttons that will control the K3 and the P3 simultaneously. My Elecraft KPod is a great tool with 16 macros, but it cannot send instructions to the P3. For example, my Split/Clear macros will now tell my P3 to offset the center frequency and change the span setting to make it easy to see where the DX is hearing. Although you can set such macros using a Keyboard and the SVGA option, these are much harder and time consuming to program and edit since you are unable to use the simple copy and paste feature available in the Win4K3.
For those of you who like to play with the receive and transmit equalizer settings, there could be nothing simpler than the main screen of Win4K3. Similarly, band selection is a snap with individual buttons for each band. Frequency memories using the K3 Memory Editor is very user friendly. Try it! There are many more features which I have not had a chance to explore in depth yet, and I will leave it to others to comment on the Panadapter, Spectrum Scope and Video for the P3 since I am happy with my P3/SVGA as it for the time being and have not explored these features in Win4K3.
Win4K3 is an excellent program at a most reasonable price and I do not believe you will regret the purchase.
KO7I Rating: 2018-01-19
I really like it! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have had a K3S and an SDRPlay RSP1 that I have been using as a pan adapter for a couple years now. Previously I was using HDSDR. It worked, kinda sort'ta.
After having my fill of that I downloaded a trial version of Win4K3Suite onto my main hamshack computer, a Intel Core I7 based gaming desktop PC with a high end gaming video card (over kill for this application). I worked my way thru the setup instructions for the app and the SDRPlay RSP1 using the 64 bit com-0-com VSP manager. The coaching videos and instructions were great! I was able to get Win4K3Suite running with both N1MM+ and N3FJP ACL with minimal effort - actually it was pretty easy.
My favorite feature of Win4K3Suite is the ability to configure the radio's DSP for 3 specific modes of operation (I chose CW, SSB, & RTTY). Win4K3Suite allows you to take advantage of the radios very nice DSP filtering for the RX audio graphic equalizer adjustments.
Within 5 days of downloading the trial version I purchased a licensed copy from Tom. I have both a K3S and a K3 here so I decided to load the software onto my Intel based Core I5 laptop PC to see if I have enough computing horsepower. At Tom's suggestion I did upgrade it's RAM to 16GB. The Laptop handles Win4K3Suite and my logging programs very nicely.
My point being, you do not have to have a gaming super computer to run this SW app. Core I5 laptops have come down in price to a very reasonable level. I purchased a second RSP1A from HRO so I have full up configurations on both radios and both computers.
I do not see a need for a P3 when you can purchase a $125 SDR to act as a pan adapter driven by a $400 Laptop PC that is running your logging program too.
Overall I am delighted with Win4K3Suite and give it 2 thumbs up. Well done Tom!
KD5FOY Rating: 2017-10-06
Esstential KX3 Software Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
To me, this is essential software for my KX3/KPA100.
It makes changing any parameter child's play. I typically operate remote from one part of the house
to the shack where the radio stuff is located. I can easily change antennas, tune antennas, monitor swr as well a temperature on the KX3/KPA100. The virtual com port emulation feature allows me to use several programs simultaneously on the KX3/KPA100 combo.

All in all, va2fsq's software is rock solid, has excellent support and is easy to use.

I highly recommend it and its purchase.
WT8BZ Rating: 2017-07-10
Best software for the money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I can't overstate the excellent quality of this product. Well worth the $50. I have the complete K3s line and while it is a great system, the Win4K3 software makes it even more enjoyable. I am a big fan of Elecraft's P3 panadapter, but the Win4K3 panadapter (via the LP-Pan 2) is much more versatile and enables QSY with a double mouse click. Product support is excellent as well. Once you work through some of the nuances of the program it becomes hard to operate without it. Best $50 I've ever spent on a software program.
VA3LX Rating: 2017-04-09
Very Pleased Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Like several other reviewers, I had been a long time user of LP-Bridge, NaP3 and HDR for my K3/ LP-Pan based station and struggled with instability issues and incompatibility of LP-Bridge with newer versions of HDR. While WIN4K3 has a bit of a 'learning curve' it has solved both of these problems and offers easy access to K3 menus that is encouraging me to refine my operating skills with the K3. I am also delighted with the flexibility of adjusting the WIN4K3 spectrum scope to my preferences. Like other reviewers, my experience with the author Tom VA2FSQ's customer support has been stellar. LP-Bridge and NaP3 were certainly fantastic tools a few years ago, but now that WIN4K3 is available, it's certainly is time to move on.
K3TEE Rating: 2017-02-12
Terrific! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After buying the SDRplay RSP2, I decided I wanted to use it to create a panadapter capability for my KX2 when using it at home. I downloaded Win4K3 and installed without a hitch. It performed perfectly.

Using Win4K3 and the RSP2 in a panadapter setup described in one of Tom's (VA2FSQ) YouTube videos worked great. I exchanged emails with Tom about the setup and he responded quickly to all my questions and comments - even on weekends.

Tom states that future updates of Win4K3 will be free to those who purchase it - this sweetens the deal even more. (Note: some future add-ons of interest to a limited audience will require a nominal charge from what Tom tells me).

Bottomline: Great product, great support and continuing to get even better.