I use an SDR-IQ and SpectraVue software* to look at the K3 IF output. The software has a K3 interface option built in that knows all of the frequency offsets between modes and tracks the K3 center frequency perfectly and seamlessly. You can tune the K3 with the mouse wheel or point and click. Theoretically it can be used as a second RX, however latency might be disconcerting, at least it is to me. But I don't have a second RX in the K3 either since I have a hard enough job listening to one frequency without trying two :-)

The SDR-IQ has been discontinued but used ones still show up. (~$350-$400) There is a higher priced replacement but I can't speak to that one. The P3 crowd will argue that my approach requires a computer (and a USB port), but who doesn't already use one for logging anyway? I run LP-Bridge to share the USB port with the SDR, K3, logging program, MMTTY, etc.

A secondary benefit is that the SDR-IQ makes a decent (but not stellar) standalone RX and can be used (with care) as a very accurate spectrum analyzer. I used my second one to measure the TX IMD of both my K3 and K3S. My data correlated with Elecraft's to within a dB or less.

* There is other SDR programs out there and I've tried most of them but I'm sorry, the authors of the other packages simply don't think like real people do and I find them simply awful.

Wes  N7WS


On 7/27/2016 8:05 AM, knowk...@verizon.net wrote:
Greetings,

I have yet to be convinced I need a panadapter for HF but its use for weak 
signal 6m use is what has my attention. That said, I have seen the P3 and an 
LP-Pan demonstrated but nothing else. I realize I am probably trying to compare 
apples to oranges but how do these stack up against each other? Can anything  
besides the P3 be used to point and click for QSY? I think the P3 lends itself 
to my rudimentary comfort level with computers but I do have good tech support 
in my wife. That said, fire away....

Tnx,
Jim, W5QM

_

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