POTENTIALLY better NR & NB will have to wait for hard data and independent reviews.
And, this will absolutely determine whether or not I transition from the K3S to the K4 (along with improved sensitivity). 73, John WA1EAZ > On Dec 23, 2019, at 9:43 AM, M. George <m.matthew.geo...@gmail.com> wrote: > > It's not surprising that there many looking for all the information they > can get on the K4 etc.. Here is a YouTube link that lists K3 related > video 'Search > for Elecraft K4 Sorted by Date for Video posted this year' > <https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=elecraft+k4&sp=CAISBAgFEAE%253D> > : > https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=elecraft+k4&sp=CAISBAgFEAE%253D > > Just use the filter option in YouTube in this case to narrow down the > videos to the latest postings based on the search criteria to get the > latest video by date. > > The first video in this list contains a lot of detail at 38 minutes long > (Eric). (ELECRAFT K4 IN DEPTH with WA6HHQ at Waters & Stanton Ltd > Portsmouth UK). Take the time and watch the whole video... there is a lot > of detail in this one. > > For the questions that seem to persist about how the K4 will compare to the > K3... you quickly begin to understand that the receiver specs will be > similar to the K3S, especially once you understand the K4 design approach > with the hyrbird direct sampling approach and superhet addition in the > K4HD. At the same time, I'm not going to underestimate the potential for > some eye popping numbers when the K4HD module is introduced. (think > Third-Order Dynamic Range Narrow Spaced rankings). However if the specs > are similar to the K3S or even a little better, it's becoming more clear to > me that the K4 platform and it's future potential with advances and > refinements in the software are where the real advantages are. Big leaps > here over the K3S. Leaps that the K3S can simply never take do to the > limited processing power. The K3 and K4 are not even in the same league in > this area. > > You also begin to see the much higher potential the K4 has as far as noise > reduction / noise blanking capability due to algorithms having access to a > much wider bandpass with the SDR direct sampling approach. Just my > opinion, but I suspect there will be some big improvements in these areas > as compared to the K3/S line. The speed of the processing power and access > to bandwidth will allow for better noise reduction etc... plus the software > improvements over time and head room for processing power sets up the K4 > for some big performance leaps improvements are made in software (IMHO). > You can glean all of this from the videos (reading between the lines) in my > opinion. i.e. Elecraft potentially adding the capability with diversity > receive to do phase shifting to null out noise, similar to the capability > you get with a NCC-2 box for example. And consider the design approach to > upgrade the ADC processing... the K4 seems to be setup for a long life with > some interesting improvements down the road, not only with the software, > but think hardware processing upgrades too. > > I can't speak for anyone else, but since the K4 has been announced I have > gone through a phase of trying to convince myself that the K4 isn't any > better than my K3S, so why would I consider a K4? ($4K to $6K for a new > rig sure isn't chump change and could be spent on other station > improvements right?) As far as some of the tell-tell specs like dynamic > range blocking with strong signals near your band-pass etc... I think with > the K4HD, the specs will be similar, but overall, what is beginning to > interest me is the amazing potential the K4 design has. We are talking > about two very different animals here. (with the same linage) > > I have also spent a considerable amount of time looking at the direct > sampling competitors and as I start to dig in, I'm really seeing some > lacking features as they relate to a CW operator's rig. I guess I'm biased > as a current Elecraft Fan-Boy / CW operator (I'll admit it), but when I > look at what I would be giving up in regard to CW operating features that > have become second nature to me, I think I would be very disappointed. If > you spend some time in the competitors user groups you will understand what > I'm talking about, but that's just me. Owners in these other groups have > been begging for some common CW features that never seem to materialize. > However competition is good and it's great to have options. You can't go > too wrong with any of the high end rigs these days, including any of the > direct sampling designs that are shipping now. > > So to end this tome of a post... if I had to place an order today for a new > rig, it would be a an order for a K4. Wink / wink, maybe I already did. > ;) And if I did, I'm happy to wait X number of months for the K4 to emerge > only when it is ready for prime time. My trusty K3S at my side as I type > away at the keyboard here will make the wait easy. Take your time Elecraft. > > Max NG7M > > > > -- > M. George > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > Message delivered to jstengrev...@comcast.net ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
