[WT-support] Elecraft K3/K3S slow bandmap

Stefan von Baltz, DL1IAO dl1iao at contesting.com
Wed May 9 02:09:52 CEST 2018


Thanks for the detailed answer, Bob!

I just wanted to rule out a configuration problem. I hope Elecraft will get this right in the future. Maybe this can be fixed with a firmware update.


73,

Stefan DL1IAO, SA3CWW/SM9A


--
Stefan v. Baltz
DL1IAO at contesting.com
http://www.dl1iao.com





> Am 08.05.2018 um 20:32 schrieb Bob Wilson, N6TV <n6tv at arrl.net>:
> 
> The smooth bandmap scrolling that you see with Win-Test and an Icom transceiver is simply not possible with the K3 and other radios.
> 
> Win-Test supports Icom rigs in "CI-V Transceive" mode, with polling OFF, and CI-V Transceive ON in the radio's menu.  In CI-V Transceive mode, instead of constantly polling the radio "QRG?", Win-Test simply waits for messages to arrive from the radio, and they arrive very quickly, as soon as the knob is turned even the slightest bit.  This allows Win-Test to instantly update the bandmap, so the scrolling can be super smooth and very fast.
> 
> The equivalent setting in a K3 is "CONFIG:AUTOINF AUTO 1", but it was implemented quite differently.  If you spin the K3 tuning knob, it doesn't output any messages until the spinning stops, so smooth bandmap scrolling is simply not possible.  Do not use CONFIG:AUTOINF AUTO 1.
> 
> The best Win-Test can do is to poll the radio as fast as it can, and that is exactly what it does when the polling rate is set to AUTO at the bottom Interface Configuration dialog.  If you're using OmniRig for port sharing, the fastest it can poll is about once every 100 ms, but the default is 500 ms.  Neither one of these leads to bandmap scrolling that matches the performance of an Icom in CI-V Transceive mode.
> 
> 73,
> Bob, N6TV
> 
> On Tue, May 8, 2018 at 4:15 AM, Stefan von Baltz, DL1IAO <dl1iao at contesting.com> wrote:
> Here is a question for Elecraft users:
> 
> Compared to ICOM rigs, no matter if older or newer models (tested with IC7400/756Pro3/7600/7851), the bandmap follows quite a bit slower and more unevenly. WT is connected to my K3S via USB and 38400 baud. The behaviour is exactly the same with another PC and K3 which has the original RS232 interface. It is also the same at the SK3W M/M station with their K3s. With the ICOMs the bandmap follows almost instantly when turning the main VFO. I have tried various baud rates but do not see any difference. WT plus radio control work flawlessly otherwise.
> 
> This is not much of an operational issue as most operating is point & click nowadays. But I still wonder if there is a fix.
> 
> 
> 73,
> 
> Stefan DL1IAO, SA3CWW/SM9A



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