I don't understand the need for all that menu access in the first place
for normal operating. I've literally operated complete major contests
(CQWW, ARRL DX, etc) without ever changing anything in the menu, and
that covers dramatic changes in operating conditions (propagation, QRN,
QRM, etc). Yes, I played around with many of the settings when I first
got my K3, but once I settled on what I felt were the optimum settings
for the majority of my operations I haven't touched them since.
Everything I need to change on the fly is already right there on the
front panel.
The fact that there are lots of deep options doesn't mean it makes sense
to have to constantly diddle with them.
Dave AB7E
On 9/26/2017 5:49 PM, Emory Schley wrote:
Ron, AC7AC, wrote, under another subject heading: "I'm not bothered by choosing
between a dozen switches but sorting through half a dozen menu items to change one gives
me a headache."
That pretty much sums up my attitude as well, and I've heard other hams– MANY other hams– complain about menus, but I don't recall ever hearing anyone complain about excess knobs, buttons, dials, etc. Reading Ron's thoughts made me wonder out loud, why can't Elecraft or some third party make a "magic box" that would be completely impotent by itself, but with the capability to mate up to one of these small miniaturized wonders like the KX2 or KX3, and which would contain oodles of manual controls for virtually every function the parent rig is capable of providing?
This would NOT impact the normal functioning of the parent rig, but would act as an accessory for those who eschew menus and such, and who like their rigs bigger, bulkier and in more traditional formats. I envision a box of switches, buttons, knobs, perhaps even gauges that would be cable-fed (or wi-fied) from the little parent rig sitting behind the magic box. Its size would be whatever was necessary to accommodate the design and would resemble a normal-sized base station. You could conceivably have a separate control for each function the parent rig provides, or if logic dictated, then several controls might be multi-purpose.
Then an op could have the best of both worlds. He/she could use his/her KX2/KX3 as a portable rig in the normal way, but when returned to the home station, it could be plugged back into the magic box to power it in a more expansive and convenient manner.
Elecraft seems to always be on the lookout for new products. Here's one they might be able to put on the market, up and running, quickly because most of the engineering has already been worked out for the parent rig.
Emory Schley
N4LP
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