Jack, There are several soundcard programs available to view spectrum, but this restricts one to the passband of the radio (13-KHz for the K3). P3 accesses wideband RF via the K3-IF. This requires a conversion to IQ which any SDR can do (Soft-rock, LP-Pan, SDR-IQ, etc.), so one is not limited to a "black-box" version of the P3 (though, I can see that it could be desirable).
To have the features of the P3 on a PC will not only require the hardware to produce IQ streams, but the P3 sw in a form that can be run on a PC. Not owning a P3, I am limited in knowledge of the features of the P3 and whether it use a separate mcu and firmware like the K3. My alternative to the P3 was to get the LP-Pan (black-box IQ converter) which I am running Spectravue (free download from RFSpace, who make the SDR-IQ). PowerSDR (from the Flex folks) will run with the LP-Pan. I am endeavoring to run Linrad (originally Linux-Radio) which is complicated to set up but has powerful noise-reduction and weak-signal performance. 73, Ed - KL7UW ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2011 13:36:50 -0600 From: Jack Brabham <k...@att.net> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] P3, what lies ahead? To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Message-ID: <4d695652.5020...@att.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed There was a comment by Wayne on a recent similar thread which intimated that some level of P3 integration with the station PC is being developed, or at least that is what I read into the comment. I expect to purchase a P3 at some point, but am inclined to wait until the product matures a bit and the level of functionality improves. In particular, I'm looking for the ability to port the display to the PC so I can enlarge it enough to be readable with my old eyes and the ability to do point and click tuning. Actually, a no display, PC only version of the P3 would be very interesting, especially if it got a little less expensive in the process of loosing it's local display and knobs. 73 Jack KZ5A K3 #4165 73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45 ====================================== BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com EME: 144-1.4kw, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter? DUBUS Magazine USA Rep dubus...@hotmail.com ====================================== ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
