Wayne, You didn't ask me, but I'm going to break my rule and respond to this one. The K3 has been a unique radio in a respect that you may be overlooking. It has "evolved" over many years, with some of the "knowledgeable" guys owning low serial numbered rigs, and they don't see what we are faced with as new owners. My K3 is serial number 4076, and my background is more into analog rigs, but I have owned many "DSP" based rigs, from the IC-775/TS-870 era up. I used to do mostly digital (RTTY), but find upon this return to ham radio that RTTY rag chewing is sort of a thing of the past and I am re-learning SSB and hopefully CW in the future.
All that said, the K3 manual, to this old guy, looks more like a reference book for the low serial numbered guys that have helped this fine radio evolve over the years. It doesn't explain button/knob functions like you would for a new user, but is a fine reference for those who have helped determine just what that knob/button would do. I HAVE read through the manual, but it has changed three or four times since I bought my K3 in February of this year, and I haven't taken time to read through them all to see what the differences are. What I think "MIGHT" clear up things somewhat is a Mode section that actually teaches you what default settings are, and what "enhancements" changes might make to your operation, by mode. In the front of the manual where you try to explain what each knob/button does, refer the user to the "advanced page" by mode. In other words, if a control does different things in SSB, CW or DATA, refer the user to the appropriate page by mode for further learning. I think that would take some of the fatigue we are seeing as new users. We haven't been here since the birth of the K3, and anyone can see in a day's read of the reflector that the archives are nearly useless for learning, as each subject gets so convoluted that you can search forever and not find what you want. I am retired, have lots of time, BUT I want to spend my remaining years operating, not reading all the time, hi. When I have asked about things on the reflector, the common answer from the "experts" is RTFM!!! That's lots of help. I hope others will chime in, but the manual needs to become a "new user's guide" as well as a nice reference for the old timers. 73, Don, WB5HAK ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
