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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
NG7M Rating: 2016-11-03
Very reliable with excellent support and K3 CAT app sharing Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
As a long time user of NaP3 / LP-Bridge along with an LP-PAN, I was a very tough sell at first when I downloaded the trial. Don't make the same mistake I did and knee jerk a reaction based on your first impression. I wish I would have spent more time with the trial because I walked away from Win4K3Suite at first and web back to my comfort zone with NaP3 and LP-Bridge. Let me be clear, LP-PAN is still an amazing winner and keeper, however with Win4K3Suite you have a super reliable alternative to LP-Bridge and NaP3.

This review is going to focus on the Spectrum display in Win4K3Suite and it's use of com0com for the K3 CAT interface sharing across simultaneous applications that share the K3 CAT interface data.

So first off, install the trial and spend some time with Win4K3Suite and don't jump to conclusions about anything, especially how reliable it is and the fact that there are 32 bit and 64 bit versions. Once you get your head around the basic control features of the K3 line, then you need to understand how Win4K3Suite's CAT interface sharing works so well. In my opinion, the CAT interface sharing is worth the $50 price tag all on its own.

For the CAT interface sharing, you will need to spend some time understanding how com0com works using virtual serial com port pairs. This functionality is where you will replace LP-Bridge, even if you continue to use NaP3. As described in the Win4K3Suite docs, download and install the signed version of com0com if you are running 64 bit windows. Don't get sidetracked with the commercial implementations that are a take off from com0com.

Once you have com0com installed, you will need to create virtual com port pairs for the com ports used by other applications that need K3 CAT control data. I can't get into too many details here, but I created pairs like this: com20<->com10, com21<->com11, com22<->com12 and then in the other hardware tab of the settings in Win4K3Suite, you connect to com20, com21 and com22 in this example. Once you have done that, you can then use com10,11,12 as though they were actual K3 CAT com ports. I.e. in N1MM++ you would setup the Elecraft K3 connection to com10 and some other software like NaP3 (if you want to continue using Nap3) to com11. It's pretty simple once you get the hang of it, but it can be confusing at first.

My experience with com0com and Win4K3Suite has been that it's very reliable... and once you get the Spectrum scope setup and play around with it, you will find that it replaces NaP3 functionality. It may be missing a few NaP3 features, but from my perspective the reliability factor more than makes up for those missing features.

The really thing that got me to try Win4K3Suite again was the new support for SDRPlay SDR / direct spectrum display support. This worked great right out of the box and keeps you from needing a sound card like you would need with LP-PAN. However, if you are super particular about performance, I'm pretty sure LP-PAN with a high quality sound card is going to out perform SDRPlay, however SDRPlay is a very turn-key setup with Win4K3Suite.

On the support side VA2SQ has been super responsive... fixed a bug I found with SDRPlay in a couple of weeks and also focused in on an SDRPlay DC artifact that is showing on the screen. He has a fix for the DC artifact too and I'm waiting for the next release to include this particular update. So at the end of the day, with Win4K3Suite, you are getting a very reliable application that supports very reliable com port CAT sharing with the K3 and you have an active developer that supports the product for $50. Its a small price to pay as all the updates are free.

I highly recommend it... and I highly recommend taking the time to understand how things work and let you integrate the K3 cat control across up to 4 other applications side by side with Win4K3Suite.

73 de Max NG7M
VE3GLA Rating: 2016-08-23
Glad I purchased it! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I downloaded the 30 day trial version and found it so good that I decided to purchase the licensed version after only a week. What I really like is how easily it integrated my K3 with my SDR-Play sdr radio, giving me a suburb panadapter for very little money. It also integrates easily with other software (in my case, Logger32).
WU6X Rating: 2016-07-23
Win4K3 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is about the best radio control software I've tried for my KX3/KXPA-100 combination. It is so simple to setup and use ... no external boxes or computer sound card interface needed (except for using the Rx I/Q for the built-in spectrum display). Lot's of other really nice features including getting to most of the important menu functions in the KX3. If you own a KX3, download the 30-day free trial and you will be very impressed with Tom's work on this interface. He interfaces with popular contest logging programs and still working on others. However, you can save to an ADIF file and simply suck it into whatever logging software you are using. Macros are EASY to program and work well ... Sooooo much easier and simple to use than HRD, DM780, and others I've tried. Dennis - WU6X
N3HU Rating: 2016-07-11
Ultimate Elecraft Software Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This is the best program out there for Elecraft radios. Rich feature set. Tom is continually improving and adding features, the latest being an SDRplay interface for the panadapter and the KX2. The multi-port sharing let's you connect your K3/KX3/KX2 to N1MM, CWskimmer, HRD, etc.

It was great when I bought it almost a year ago. It gets better with every release.
N8CL Rating: 2016-02-17
Excellent product and support Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After upgrading my computer to 64 bit Win7, the Com0Com virtual ports I used with Win4K3 stopped working. Tom spent a lot of time helping debug the driver problem (of a product that was not his) and got my Win4K3 up and running again. This is the best product support I have ever had.
KD8OPI Rating: 2015-04-11
Better than HRD Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been looking for new control software for the K3; I've been dissatisfied with HRD as a paid-for program as it seems to vomit windows onto my 3 monitors that are useless and hard to manage. I like Win4K3 so far. I'm still trialing it out.

On the plus side, it is compact, easy to get to some common features, and integration of P3 (if you have the SVGA card installed), KAT500 and KPA500 add-ons. Its intuitive (more or less) and doesn't waste a lot of screen with useless nonsense.

Some criticisms are : 1) that the control window is one size only 2) Way too much real-estate is devoted to the main receiver/tx equalizer, for most these are one time settings. Its nice but it should be a pop-up window. 3) Oddly, the NB on/off buttons aren't in the same panel as the NB Settings window. 4) There is no NR setting window.

So its not perfect. I think its better than HRD because its compact, and a bit easier on the eyes than those god-awful sliders. For my money, it needs to put more into filter management, creating filter memories, NR display and settings. I'll play around with it some more and update, but for pure control I like it better than HRD and W4PY.
N3DWS Rating: 2015-02-27
Best EVER !!! UPDATE Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
UPDATE... Well the panadapter has been modified and upgraded and now I can say "best ever". It is by far the best software package for the KX3 anyone could have. Nothing else compares or is as seamless as this one. If you have a KX3 you MUST try this package. Great Great GREAT !!!
NA1DX Rating: 2014-12-08
Best K3/KX3 Operating Software Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have been using Win4K3 Suite now for more than a few months with my K3 and KX3 station. I've seen an incredible amount of product advancement and improvement. Tom-VA2FSQ has done an incredible job with the Win4K3/KX3 Suite software (http://va2fsq.com/). A number of updates have occurred the last few weeks, including:

Advanced Panadapter Scope Display - Since version Version 1.708, the significant improvements to the spectrum scope include rework of the downsampling of DSP data for the display. These scope displays many more peaks than previously and even many more than the NAP3 panadapter display. There are a number of user controllable features like defining band edges in the display for you own specific region and license class.

Ergonomic windows for 1920x1080 HD displays used by hams. You can now display the Control Center, CW/PSK/RTTY terminal window, DX Cluster Window, and Band Scope all on one display. I use Ham Radio Deluxe Logger to log contacts. The HRD Logging software communicates with Win4KSuite. You can click on a spot in HRD Logger or Win4K suites DX Window to QSY.

The DX Cluster window also now lets you to connect to a local DX Cluster server like CWSkimmer or WinTelnetX.

Tom has worked hard to accomplish proper multi-threaded 32bit and 64bit releases. I have tested it on Celeron, Intel i5, Intel i7, and AMD Duel Core cpu machines with 4GB Ram. I generally use 2 or 3 monitors. I can run Win4K Suite, HRD Logger, HRD Rotor, CWSkimmer, CWGet, N1MM+, and WinTelenet X on my i5 and better setups. The lower end PC I can everything if I use one monitor or a my workstation with a HD Graphics card. If you spend money on your radio, spend a few $ on a PC, too. I use Windows 7 and 8.1 with no issues.

If you want to maximize the software features of your rig, give Win4K3 Suite a try.

Doug NA1DX
ZS6EA Rating: 2014-11-23
Save on your K-Line knobs Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
If you need to do "deep down" adjustments, without touching your K3/KX3, this is for you. I have used the trail version and found something that bugged me, OM Tom VA2FSQ rectified my problem within hours, at the same time upgrading his software.

Customer care from Tom runs hand in hand with the K-Line products. Program upgrades comes regularly for registered users.

The software integrates the K3/KX3 smoothly with the popular DXLab Suite, WSJT-X and JTAlertX software.

Try the trail, you will save more than $50 on K3/KX3 knobs over time and get all the other functions for free HI
NJ5N Rating: 2014-09-28
Helpful Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have found this software to be very helpful with both my K3 & KX3 radios. It makes some of the adjustments much easier on both rigs and much quicker to use when adjusting audio etc.

I also really like the ability to have a spectrum scope with just a simple iMac USB device when using the KX3.

Give it a try there is a free 30 day trial so you cannot go wrong.

Chris
NJ5N