Bill wrote: So, this begs this question -- what's the "right" aspect ratios for a desktop rig?
------------------ And that brings us full-circle to where I started this thread long ago (I notice that all one has to do to make a thread live forever is to misspell a word in the subject). "Form follows function". I was talking about a radio with real controls sized for a human being with normal hands. A secondary issue for me is that it doesn't have a lot of multi-purpose controls (buttons that have to be pressed quickly or slowly, knobs that do two or three different things depending upon something else, etc.) So in a rig with what most operators consider the basic necessities, that's a number of controls. Probably at least as many as the K2 now has, and maybe half again more. So we start with a panel big enough for knobs sized for comfortable operation spaced adequately. We end up with something perhaps 10 X 18 inches. Now we build the radio behind it. A transceiver like the K2/100 probably wouldn't require more than an inch or two deep covering an area that large. Put everything on one huge PC board so all the parts are easily accessible for service and general "poking around". Now to put in in a good position for human operation. Hold it up at about a 50 to 80 degree angle to the desk. Use a "foot" at the bottom not unlike flat panel displays. Put the power/antenna/key/mic/computer/etc connectors in the foot so the cables run directly off the desk. Others brought up the idea of an SDR. That's a new game. Now it's just like the power supply, a box under the table. That wasn't what I had in mind though since I have no interest in computer control. Indeed, I'd rather avoid the whole complexity of too much digital to analog conversion and vice versa. I'd rather have knobs that moved wipers on pots and capacitors as needed for most things, Hi! Ron AC7AC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
