| K3GM |
Rating:      |
2010-09-28 | |
| If you don't have one, you're flying blind |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| After a couple of years with the Icom 756 ProIII's mediocre band scope, I knew I'd never be without one. The ability to literally see activity the band made operating so much better. Elecraft's P3 panadapter is way ahead in performance and features. Assembly took me a little under one hour and everything went easily together. Firmware updates are done just like the K3, and feed-thru serial ports are provided to connect both pieces of gear to the same port on the PC. Elecraft has provided some tantalizing hints as to what the future holds by way of the back panel of the P3. It appears they are planning a self-contained digital station by providing a USB cutout for a keyboard. Personally, I see a large flatscreen in my future hooked to the future external display output. These and other cutouts are presently covered by a plastic panel unitl the time that they can be utilized. For now, we'll have fun with the high performance panadapter, and dream of the future. One final piece of advice: At this writing, one serial and one BNC cable were included with the kit so it's ready to go following assembly. |
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| K4NVJ |
Rating:      |
2010-09-27 | |
| K3/P3: Perfect combination. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
This is my first panadapter with any rig. I really wasn't sure if I needed one. But being a fan of all things Elecraft I took the plunge. Wow! It really is a great addition to my K3. The display can be adjusted about any way you want it to fit different conditions and the particular operating situation. It adds a whole new dimension to the K3's user interface.
If you are on the fence like I was, take my advice. Go for it!
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| KB1PVW |
Rating:      |
2010-09-25 | |
| Quality equipment |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I have owned the P3 for a month. I have enjoyed the ease of use and accuracy of the display and controls. The kit went together easily (to easy). The components appear to be of high quality. Integrates well with K3, Palstar AT-Auto, and the computer running HRD all sharing the same comm port. I am happy with the purchase. Looking forward to a monitor and mouse interfaces. Also would like to see Elecraft release their SSD amp kit soon. |
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| NV7E |
Rating:      |
2010-09-03 | |
| The panadapter I was hoping for |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I got an Elecraft K3 transceiver early on, about three years ago. At that time various options for the K3 were envisioned, including a panadapter. This was the one I wanted most, but as it turned out the panadapter was the one that was released last. Finally, this year Elecraft introduced the long-awaited P3 panadaptor. Mine arrived this week at my new QTH in Nairobi.
I also own two FlexRadio transceivers. Once you use them with the PowerSDR program and its frequency spectrum display, you have the impression of operating blind with other rigs, because actually you are. For this reason I did not use my K3 for a while in anticipation of the new panadapter. Elecraft’s P3 is the best and final visual display solution for the K3. The K3 is a stand-alone transceiver, and it should be used with a stand-alone display. The computer should be available for other uses, like logging.
The P3 unit is not large, but the display is bright, clear and more than adequate. The size is just right for bringing along on a DXpedition. The controls are easy to use. The only hitch I had in setting it up was that it would not display the transceiver frequency as described in the manual. I figured out that the P3 requires that the K3 have the latest firmware installed. After I loaded the firmware the P3 worked fine.
The refresh rate on the P3’s spectrum display can be set very fast so that it is real time. You don't see real time speed on some other displays installed on rigs. With the P3 you can watch a waterfall under the frequency spectrum display if you want. You can adjust the appearance of the display to your personal preference.
I am very happy with the P3. It is the panadapter I was hoping for. I will be using it frequently with the fantastic K3 transceiver. It fills a long-standing need for a visual display for the K3. It will help keep the Elecraft transceivers on top. Elecraft has cleverly designed the P3 so that it can be used with radios from other manufacturers. I recommend it to people I like.
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| AC0RI |
Rating:      |
2010-09-02 | |
| Makes seeing the spectrum a breeze |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I got my P3 yesterday via UPS, put it together, and had it hooked to the K3 in 40 minutes. Not only does it permit identifying activity on the band a breeze it also makes tuning in a signal about as easy as it can get. The display automatically (when using the RS-232 interface with the K3)shows where to tune the signal based on modulation type. I have extensive experience with signal display units and was able to quickly refresh my ability to identify modulation types just from the information available on the P3 display. I think from a operating standpoint that using the averaging function at a low integration count (2 or 3)provides a nice mix of real time and latency to permit quick identification of new spectrum events. One of the features I would expect in the future is the ability to mark a signal on the P3 and then automatically tune the K3 to that frequency. Another would be to overlay the filters in use to aid in tuning. I have seen these feature on special spectrum analysis systems and I think (more hope) that the K3/P3 combination would offer opportunities for these features in the future. (Now if I could figure out how to get an IF out on the FT-897D.
I need to make a correction to my review posted on Sep 2, 2010 07:14. In referring to the remote tuning of the K3 Transceiver via the P3 I was referring to the frequency vs. time display segment (aka waterfall). In the normal default setup the marker cursor only displays on the frequency - amplitude display which permits you to tune the K3 by placing the Marker A on the signal of interest (SOI) and depressing the SELECT knob. I have been informed I can enable the waterfall markers via the menu (WfallMkrs). I was also urged to ensure the K3 firmware is updated to the latest version since some of the functionality of the P3 is not enabled by earlier versions. |
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| WB5HAK |
Rating:      |
2010-08-17 | |
| Great Addition to a Fine Product Line!! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I got the P3 kit version, s/n 099 and got it together in a couple of hours. Nice build, nice fit of all parts. I have used it, mostly on 40m SSB since, and find it an invaluable addition to the K3. I can't wait for the "holes" in the back to be filled with the remaining features of this already wonderful panadapter (VGA output, USB keyboard, and others). Elecraft continues to maintain its FINE support and care for the amateur community. Very responsive to appropriate suggestions. Highly recommend this to K3 owners!! |
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| DD5FZ |
Rating:      |
2010-08-07 | |
| It's a winner |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I am a field tester for the P3, so I suppose I am biased. The P3 is a really nice addition to the K3 from Elecraft.
My impression of this add-on almost could not be better and I see little sense in repeating what others have said before me, so I will keep this brief.
Just one thing: Due to the wide range of possible IFs the P3 is also for many other radios outside of the Elecraft family. And remote control of many of these radios will be implemented in the coming weeks or months. |
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| VE1RGB |
Rating:      |
2010-08-04 | |
| Contesting with the P3 |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
My Field Test P3 unit was a P3-K. It went together like a Swiss watch and it’s always fun to put together an Elecraft chassis because of the stiffness that results from such a simple process. I used Tom N0SS’s trick of leaving all accessible chassis screws a tad loose, and then tightening them all up at once at the end of the assembly process. Exact fit, first time. The RF board was a tight fit. There is long piece of ribbon cable inside when the job is done but that was, I discovered, deliberate design with the customer in mind.
There is a large amount of empty space inside the completed P3 and there is a tantalizing array of suggested connections on the back. Unfortunately as a field tester I found myself too far from the top in the Elecraft hierarchy to snoop into future plans for that space and those connectors. This is Elecraft. It’s useless to speculate. The chassis is made of steel for the weight but I figure that’s only temporary.
Assembly is about a two-hour job for the careful, and Ron’s (AF7AC) draft assembly instructions were essentially perfect. This kit is a disappointingly small job, I’m afraid.
Connection into the station involves bringing the IF output of the K3 to the IF input of the P3 (three-foot cable supplied). That and an RST-232 cable (3-foot, also supplied) so that the K3 and P3 can exchange information such as band, filter width, and frequency.. Nothing changes so far as interface of the K3/P3 suite to your computer.
As an interesting aside, I immediately used the selectable IF output on the P3 as the source for the LP-PAN system that I already have had, with very good success, for the past two years. This gave me a very nice basis of comparison between what I could see and do with the LP-PAN vice the same things on the P3.
I deliberately ignored the P3 operating mauanl operating instructions upon which someone had worked so hard and discovered that the P3 is entirely intuitive to most anybody and certainly the K3 crowd. I could make it do all the things I wanted it to do without reading the book and later (sometimes too later) I read up on the subtleties of the MENU and Function Buttons and Control buttons.
The display is wonderful. Try this: do a screen capture at random, email to a friend as a bitmap, and then have them zoom in on what you sent. Starts to get a little fuzzy at 450%.
And the P3 is heavy enough. Once the cables were connected and the P3 was slid in place against the K3, mine has not moved.
That’s the P3. Assembled, interconnected and operating productively in a single short day.
Operating with the P3
NOTES!
1. It’s important to understand that my comments are based on the world as viewed through the eyes of a CW-only station op with 100W and single element antennas. I do not operate assisted in any fashion. And I use no rig keying, either. Those conditions necessarily colour my report. The description further below is for an S&P contest run from home using that configuration.
2. More evaluation to come: I will be taking K3 #95 and P3 #? to CY0 at the end of October 2010 with N0TG and crew. The antenna plan allows me a dedicated multiband wire antenna fed with ladder line which will either be operating on Band X or peeking into Band Y or used by other operators to look around if the station is unoccupied. I’m guessing that moving from X to Y back X can be accomplished without the pileup noticing. That is to say, P3s have their place in all kinds of stations. And the P3 is very fast.
I used my K3+P3 combo playing in the IOTA contest, from home, two weekends ago after having had the unit for only a couple of days. It was truly an eye-opening experience for me, having never bothered to play with waterfalls before. Anyone who comes upon the P3 waterfall with little prior experience with such displays is in for a treat.
Suggested Things for CW Ops:
Park the unit on the right hand side of the K3 and, if you are right-handed, move the paddles a little to the left. Your fingers will be exactly positioned to travel between the QSY Knob on the P3, which is the only control you’ll use after a while, and the paddles. I do this a whole lot because I don’t use rig keying. It becomes automatic after one hour. You will not be conscious of it happening.
Within the next hour, you will be tuning the radio exclusively with the P3. In a contest, I mean. With a little practice you can position the QSY marker close enough to what you see on the P3 and push the button to send the new frequency instruction to the radio such that you could immediately transmit without further zero-beating. If you’re fussy, you can touch the QSY up with the K3; your left hand isn’t busy right now, correct? The fact that you don’t automatically get a zero-beat when you QSY with the P3 is a good thing for a contester in S&P because the chances are good that the station you are after is operating with RIT and you being off a little is a good thing to begin with. If Elecraft were to introduce some sort of QSY-to-a-zero-beat feature, which I believe they have suggested, I’d want to be able to turn that feature off. I think.
Setting the waterfall display up is ridiculously simple. Adjust the horizontal panadapter position in the upper half of the display until it is close to the bottom (or for what you think is the prettiest colour of blue?!) on the bottom half of the display.
Here are some things I noticed in the recent IOTA contest.
• Search and Pounce becomes Turn and Push. It’s not only easier that way but with the waterfall, the operator simply does not miss any signals. Ever. If they are there, then they can be seen and, if so-desired, worked in sequence.
• One does not miss the stations that still will pop up behind him no matter how slowly he tunes or how wide the filters are set and how careful he is. The New State multiplier you needed but missed from the guy who only transmitted CQ Test once every four seconds – they no longer get away.
• With practice with the P3 I could discriminate NA signals from EU signals on the basis of signal strength which will be a useful feature for me, my station being positioned on the flight path of the big New England contest stations on their way to EU. In some contests, NA QSOs are worth zero and I don’t want to waste time tuning through them.
• It takes roughly two seconds to change from one band to a different band, assess the situation, and then return home, and for my money, this is what I wanted from the P3. In this last IOTA contest I worked 53 stations and picked up 15 multipliers on a very rapid QSB 15M band. My friend next door on an island and with a beam but no pan adapter, scored zero. It was the ability to inspect bands for openings that made the difference in this contest. But wait! There’s more…
• One thing I didn’t expect from the waterfall was what I could learn from the history it displays. In rapid QSB, some stations I might have wanted disappeared before I could get to them, but they left a trace on the display long enough for me to get a fix with the QSY knob. All I had to do was sit and wait for them to come back. I got real points that way.
• Bands were not overly crowded in IOTA so I used a SPAN of 50 kHz throughout the contest with no desire to change. At that span picking out discrete CW signals on the waterfall was like shooting fish in a barrel. In the larger contests I would probably want a SPAN of 100 kHz but I have yet to try searching on the P3 under those circumstances
• At the moment the centre frequency on the P3 follows the K3 main VFO tuning knob. A Fixed Tuning mode has been advertised in which case the view the operator has selected on the P3 will remain unchanged while the K3 is tuned. Pick the bottom 75 kHz on 20M in a contest and stay there until forced to widen out a little. That may alter the way I use the P3 when its ON/OFF switch is through via a firmware update
• The Firmware Update process is identical to that of the K3 except that it is a separate utility.
Anecdotal information is worth exactly what it is: one person’s experience in one situation under one certain set of conditions. It is not portable nor transferrable. But surely the P3 had to have contributed something, probably quite a lot, to the results of IOTA this year because the final numbers were more than double my personal previous best and the contest conditions were not-so-good. And I think I might have won a piece of paper for NA too.
One final aspect of the P3 which will appeal to some is that, while my field test P3 was good to go right now out of the box even at that stage of the field test project, more advertised features are coming and the user community will now start to come up with their own clever ideas. That will lead to an evolutionary process in which I find it most satisfying to be a participant. This is the stage where Elecraft gets to show itself off at its very best: reacting to customers during the product improvement stage. It’s a fascinating and unique process.
This stage also becomes an opportunity to start developing an understand of the P3 as a piece of electronics and firmware and how data are send back and forth, and what sort of processing is going on here, and the like. The discussions prior to the formal agreement to these changees make for fascinating reading for me.
Every day for the next little while in the life of the P3 will become like Christmas just as it was with the K3. Next thing I do in the shack after checking LoTW will be to look for P3 firmware revision status at the factory to see what treats I have been given that day.
It’s very hard not to like the P3.
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|
| N7MG |
Rating:      |
2010-08-03 | |
| SDR with KNOBS! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
The product goes together like a true Elecraft product. Its looks are clearly right in line next to the K3 and its user interface is consistent. Once you learn how to use one the other becomes a natural extension. I also feel that the user interface is well thought out in that I can after only a few days of use operate the P3 in the dark with no visual indication of what the buttons functions are.
At first I was worried that the displays resolution was a bit low for the task. However when compared to any other pan-adapter on the market it puts things to shame. My LP-PAN and PowerSDR/IF software does a great job as well and I really like the point and click ease but I also feel more like I'm operating a radio when I'm using the K3/P3 combination. I get knobs and dials to play with. I'm also one that doesn't think Windows belongs on and oscilloscope!
I enjoy having all the capability of the LP-PAN while the computer is off and also really dig that the P3 has full resolution data at every span. Unlike the LP-PAN/PowerSDR/IF combination that loses resolution at the narrower spans.
There is a lot of room for expansion and extra hardware to be added into the P3 as well as connectors for some interesting enhancements.
I'm also hoping that the K3 menu can be displayed with the current menu settings can be displayed on the P3 when I enter config on the K3. I considered the big ICOM when I was looking to get my next radio and I sacrificed on the display for radio performance and to be a part of the Elecraft community. I've never regretted that decision and now it looks like I may have not even given up on the display. The P3 really could be a wonderful tightly coupled integrated accessory to the K3 if they allow it to be. Almost to the point where you're not getting the true K3 experience unless there is a P3 sitting next to it.
I also really dig the fact that the P3 can be used with other TXCVR's but honestly hope that doesn't detract from the desire to make it a tightly coupled and integrated K3 accessory.
I can always tell when I bought an Elecraft product because after the last screw is tight and I've powered it up for the first time I start to wonder what it is that my new toy will fully become in the years to come! |
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| W4ZV |
Rating:      |
2010-08-03 | |
| Easy to use, no hassles |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
First a little background. I was a beta tester for LP-PAN in April 2008. I went through the normal pushups (buying an appropriate soundcard, finding and installing the right soundcard drivers, installing LP-Bridge, installing HRD (required for PowerSDR), installing PowerSDR and learning the umpteen different settings, etc, etc. Then I discovered I could run CW Skimmer directly from LP-PAN which completely eliminated the cumbersome HRD and PowerSDR interfaces. The only restriction was CW Skimmer's 24 kHz BW limit in Softrock on IF mode. Since I operate mostly 160, this was not a huge problem.
I immediately ordered the P3 when announced and have used it ~3 weeks as a beta tester. Here are some impressions so far:
1. Kit build was straight-forward and can be done in a few hours. No soldering and you'll be amazed at how much room is left inside the unit. Teaser cutouts on the rear (not yet used) include video out (apparently to drive a large display), sensor and keyboard. What future surprises will we see? Only the shadow knows (Wayne at Elecraft).
2. The physical interface is very simple. Other than a few connecting cables, no soundcard and no computer/software issues to wrestle with. For maximum sensitivity you may need to do the IF OUT mod to the K3 (which is a matter of substituting one resistor).
3. The user interface is very simple and intuitive. I still haven't completely digested the manual but feel competent in using the unit. Because the P3 is a true direct-sampling SDR inside, it's not limited to the 192 kHz maximum BW of PowerSDR and is also not limited to the K3's VFO being at the center of the display. You can separately tune the center to any 200 kHz segment of the band you're on. The present 200 kHz span limit may be increased in future firmware updates. Another advantage is that frequency resolution increases as you decrease the span, which is not true for PowerSDR.
4. The P3 boots instantly...no waiting for Windoze to come to life.
5. The display is small but has high resolution. I was initially skeptical but after doing the Frequency Calibration I was able to jump within ~50 Hz of zero beat on CW signals even when using large spans. BTW a future update may offer video out to a large monitor.
6. There are markers for both VFO A and VFO B. this allows you to S&P using VFO B while running on VFO A on the same band (if you have the KRX3 Sub RX).
7. The P3 Utility makes firmware downloads very easy. It also includes a Screen Capture mode for saving snapshots of the spectrum display.
8. Also remember that the P3 will work with other rigs having an IF OUT from 455 kHz to 21.7 MHz.
Overall I'm very pleased with the P3 but am still keeping my LP-PAN/Skimmer combination (for use in unassisted categories in Blind Mode) until I fully evaluate the P3 and Skimmer together in a contest.
If you want the advantages of an SDR Panadapter without the hassles of computers, drivers and software, then the P3 may be for you. |
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