Jack, The power level MLDX sees appears to be updated / polled every few seconds. And, it stays the same, regardless of the K3's Power level setting.
A few minutes ago I sent Don an email asking if he had been following the thread. He replied no, but asked for a link to it. I just sent it to him. I do like MLDX - a fine program, indeed. Not only do I use it for my limited contesting, but - I am making an assault on 5BWAS. Being able to quickly key in a station's call and finding out if it is a state I need on that band makes things lots easier. Certainly I could use native QRZ.COM, but with MLDX, if I need the state, everything is already loaded into the proper fields for me. I got into IT back in the late 60's and have "enjoyed" knowing quite a few programming languages - mostly dinosaur-speak by today's standards. But I know what you mean about support hassles! I did write a small Apple Script program that I have been using to key in my past 47 years' worth of paper logs and enter them into MLDX. Now THAT has been quite a chore! Jim / W6JHB On Thursday, Mar 1, 2012, at Thursday, 9:09 AM, Jack Brindle wrote: > Jim; > > Let me ask another question. For logging the power level, what gets logged? > During transmit, the KPA is constantly measuring its output power, making it > available to a computer in response to a serial command query. The > measurement can vary widely, depending on when the measurement is taken with > respect to the transmission. Especially in SSB, this can be anywhere between > zero and the peak output. Just watch the KPA power display to see this action. > > A logging program would periodically poll for the power, and will receive > many readings during a QSO. So the question is, which of these readings would > it log? Perhaps the highest one it received? Or should it keep a running > average? We don't want the complexity of this calculation to get out of hand, > especially when asking a logging program author/vendor to add the feature to > his product. But it is necessary to be able to add the feature. > > I believe the value set in the K3 when you twist the power knob is the peak > power that will be allowed during transmit, but it, too, is not what is > actually transmitted. With the KPA, we only have a measured value, which is > approximately 13db higher than whatever the transmitter feeds it. Note that > we cannot control the output power in the KPA other than shutting off > amplification. > > I sent Don an email asking if he is interested in adding KPA support to MLDX. > I've know him for quite some time, and am quite willing to work with him if > he decides to support the feature. Interestingly, I'm not an MLDX user > (something Don would like to change). The reason is that I am also a Mac > developer, and have my own logging program that I use. It is constantly > changing, and not a commercial product (Been there with MacPacket years ago, > I don't want the support hassles). Besides, the reason it keeps changing is > that I'm not really happy with it yet. And no, it doesn't have KPA support at > present, nor many of the features that MLDX has. It is oriented towards > contesting, something I really enjoy when I can break away from product > development. > > Jack B, W6FB > > > On Feb 29, 2012, at 10:17 PM, Jim Bennett wrote: > >> I use MacLoggerDX (MLDX) for QSO logging, among other tasks. It interfaces >> very nicely between my K3 and the MacBook Air laptop. The K3 passes a lot of >> data (including power output level) to MLDX and it winds up in my log. >> However, when I'm using the KPA500, the K3 only sends the driving power that >> it outputs to the amp. What I wind up with in my log is incorrect. For >> example, if the KPA500 is in OPERATE mode and I log a QSO, it'll get >> reported as a QSO made using 25 watts or power, instead of the 450 - 500 >> that the amp is putting out. Since the K3 and the KPA500 "speak the same >> language" and talk to each other, can the firmware be changed so that the K3 >> sends corrected Power Out level to the output data port when the KPA500 is >> engaged? As it is now, I have to go back into MLDX after every QRO contact >> and change the power field to reflect the actual power and not the K3's >> driving power. >> >> Regards, Jim / W6JHB >> Folsom, CA >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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 > ______________________________________________________________ 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
