ELECRAFT P3 User manual

ELECRAFTP3
HIGH-PERFORMANCE
PANADAPTER
OWNER’S MANUAL
Revision A1, July 29, 2010
Copyright © 2010, Elecraft, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

2
Contents
NOTE: IF YOU PURCHASED YOUR P3 AS A KIT, GO DIRECTLY TO APPENDIX B,
KIT ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS TO ASSEMBLE YOUR KIT.
Key to Symbols and Text Styles...................... 3
Quick-Start Guide............................................ 4
Introduction...................................................... 7
P3 Features..........................................................7
Specifications......................................................8
Customer Service and Support............................9
Front Panel..................................................... 10
Control Groups..................................................10
Display ..............................................................11
Primary Controls...............................................11
Menu .................................................................12
Programmable Function Keys...........................12
Rear Panel Connectors................................... 13
Basic Operation..............................................14
Advanced Operating Features........................17
Firmware Upgrades........................................18
Configuration.................................................18
Frequency Calibration Procedure ..................19
Menu Functions .............................................20
Troubleshooting.............................................21
Parameter Initialization..................................21
Theory of Operation.......................................22
Appendix A – Parts List………..……………….A1
Appendix B – Kit Assembly Instructions….……B1

3
Key to Symbols and Text Styles
Important – read carefully
Operating tip
-100 Characters displayed on the LCD screen
DISPLAY
AVERAGE
Tap switch function (labeled above a switch)
Hold switch function (labeled below a switch; hold for 1/2 sec. to activate)
SELECT
QSY
UNDO QSY
Rotary control
Tap switch function of rotary control (labeled above the knob)
Hold switch function of rotary control (hold for 1/2 sec.)
MENU:Font Typical menu entry

4
Quick-Start Guide
To get started using your P3 right away, please read this page and the two pages that follow, trying each of the
controls. The text uses braces to refer to numbered elements in the front- and rear-panel illustrations below. For
example, {1} refers to 1, the display. Later sections provide greater detail on all aspects of P3 operation.
The first thing you need to know about the P3 is that most switches have two functions. Tap (press
briefly) to activate the function labeled above a switch. Hold activates the function labeled below the switch. In
the text, tap functions are shown like this: DISPLAY. An example of a hold function is AVERAGE. Additional
typographical conventions are shown on the previous page.

5
IMPORTANT
K3’s built before September 2009 should have the I.F. Buffer Gain Modification installed to work
with the P3. This modification is included on K3 RF boards version H3 and later. It changes a single
resistor to increase the I.F. output from the K3 by about 10 dB. The modification is described on the
Elecraft web site at:
http://www.elecraft.com/K3/mods/IF_Output_Buffer_Gain_Mod_Rev_A.pdf
Connections
Connect a power supply to the DC input jack {18} (see Specifications, pg. 8). When used
with a K3, this power may be taken from the 12VDC OUT jack on the K3 rear panel.
Connect a coaxial cable between the IF IN {15} and the I.F. output of your transceiver.
When used with a K3, connect the cable to the IF OUT on the K3’s rear panel..
When used with a K3, connect a Male-Female DE-9 cable between the P3 XCVR
connector {19} and the K3’s rear-panel RS232 connector.
Connector openings {16}, {17}, {21}, and {22} are provided for future use.
The Basics
Turn on the power supply that is supplying the P3. If power is obtained from the 12VDC
OUT jack of a K3, turn on the K3. If necessary, press POWER {2} to turn on the P3. You
can position a jumper to have the P3 turn on automatically with the K3 (Pg 18).
TAP and HOLD Functions: Tapping briefly activates the function labeled in white above a
switch. Holding for about 1/2 second activates the function labeled in yellow below a
switch. Try tapping MENU {7} to bring up the main menu. Rotate SELECT {8} knob to
scroll through the menu entries. Tapping the knob selects the entry currently displayed.
Tap the knob again to deselect the entry. Tap MENU {7} to exit the menu.
Tap DISPLAY {12} to cycle between spectrum and waterfall display modes (Pg 14).
Activating most functions enables the SELECT {8} knob so you can adjust the
parameter associated with the function. The current parameter value is shown on the screen
{1}. You can exit and save the parameter by tapping the same key a second time, even for
hold functions.
For hold functions, you can also hold the key a second time to exit parameter-entry mode.
In the case of the hold functions associated with the four keys along the
right edge of the front panel {9-12}, holding the key a second time also
de-activates the function itself. For example, holding (CENTER) a second time returns the
display center frequency to the transceiver frequency and holding
(MKR B)a second time turns off marker B.

6
Other
Features
Hold LABELS {7} to toggle on or off the function key labels located at the bottom of the
screen, just above the function keys (Pgs 11 and 12).
Tap MENU {7} and use the SELECT knob {8} to scroll through the list. You can tap or
hold one of the function keys {3-6} to assign the currently-displayed function to the key. If
the function key labels are on, the label for that key will change to show the selected
function (Pg 11).
Tapping the SELECT knob {8} while the menu is active causes the currently-selected
menu function to execute. Select LCD Brt from the menu and tap the knob. The knob now
adjusts the brightness of the LCD display backlight. Tap the knob again to exit the
selection or tap MENU {7} to select a different menu item. Menu items are listed on page
20.
Tap MKR A {9} or hold MKR B {9} to turn on marker A or B. Rotate the SELECT
knob to place the selected marker at a desired frequency on the display. Markers may be
used to measure the frequency of an interesting signal and, if the transceiver is a K3,
tapping the knob will QSY (change the frequency of) the K3 to that frequency. MKR A
controls the K3's VFO A and MKR B controls VFO B. The marker colors match the
corresponding VFO cursors to emphasize the correspondence. Whichever marker is
currently selected is the one that causes the K3 to QSY (Pg 11).
To return from the last QSY ("undo" function), hold the SELECT knob pushbutton. To
turn off marker A, tap MKR A {9} while marker A is selected. To turn off marker B,
hold MKR B {9} while marker B is selected.
Tap SPAN {10} to set the frequency span of the display. The relative start and stop
frequencies are displayed at the top (left and right edge respectively) of the spectrum
window (Pg 11).
Hold CENTER {10} to set the center frequency of the display, which is also displayed at
the top center of the spectrum window (Pg 12).
Tap REF LVL {11} to set the amplitude reference level of the display, both spectrum and
waterfall. The term "reference level" means the signal level that corresponds to the bottom
of the spectrum display (Pg 12).
Hold SCALE {11} to set the scale, or range, of both the spectrum and waterfall displays.
For example,"60 dB" means that the bottom of the display is 60 dB below the top (Pg 12).
Hold AVERAGE {12} to turn on display averaging and allow adjustment of the averaging
time (Pg 12).

7
Introduction
This comprehensive manual covers all the features
and capabilities of the Elecraft P3 panoramic
display. We recommend that you begin with the
Quick-Start Guide (pg. 4). The Front Panel (pg.
10) and Rear Panel (pg. 13) sections are for
general reference. Basic Operation (pg. 14) and
Advanced Operation (pg. 17) fill in the details.
P3 Features
The P3 offers a number of advanced features to
enhance performance and versatility:
Compatible Receivers/Transceivers
May be used with any receiver having an
I.F. output between 455 kHz and 21.7 MHz
(including the Elecraft K2 with suitable
modification). The P3 is usable with
frequencies as low as 300 kHz.
Integrates very closely with the Elecraft K3
with point-and-click QSY and an “undo”
feature with simple control press to return
to the previous frequency.
Easy Set-Up
Only two cables for basic operation (I.F.
and power).
Optional additional connections provided
for transceiver communications, a personal
computer and optional accessories.
No configuration or calibration is required.
Display
Bright, high-resolution, full color display.
Both Spectrum and Waterfall displays.
Fast display update.
Up to 200 kHz span.
Frequency resolution automatically
increases as span is decreased.
Excellent sensitivity and dynamic range.
Ergonomic Design
Uncluttered interface.
No unused controls on the screen.
Field Upgradable
Software defined architecture so many new
features will require only a simple firmware
update using the provided PC utility
program.
Room inside for future hardware updates.
.

8
Specifications
I.F. Frequency Range: 455 kHz to 21.7 MHz (usable with frequencies as low as 300 kHz)
Noise Figure: < 10 dB measured at P3 input typical
Blocking Dynamic Range: > 120 dB (500 Hz bandwidth) typical
Absolute Level Accuracy: ± 3 dB plus display resolution after calibration at S9 (-73 dBm)
Relative Level Accuracy: ± 0.1 dB plus display resolution
Display Update Rate: Selectable 1 Hz to 20 Hz (slower at narrowest spans)
Amplitude Scale: 10 dB minimum, 80 dB maximum
Span: 2 kHz minimum, 200 kHz maximum
Resolution Bandwidth: Span / 450
Power Requirements: 10 to 15 VDC, 0.5 A maximum
Weight: 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg)
Size: Enclosure only, 4.0 x 6.1 x 10.0 in., HWD (10.2 x 15.6 x 25.4 cm). With
projections, 4.4 x 6.1 x 11.8 in. (11.2 x 15.6 x 30.0 cm).

9
Customer Service and Support
Technical Assistance
You can send e-mail to [email protected] and we will respond quickly – typically the same day
Monday through Friday. If you need replacement parts, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Telephone
assistance is available from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Pacific time (weekdays only) at 831-662-8345. Please use e-mail
rather than calling when possible since this gives us a written record of the details of your problem and allows us
to handle a larger number of requests each day.
Repair / Alignment Service
If necessary, you may return your Elecraft product to us for repair or alignment. (Note: We offer unlimited email
and phone support, so please try that route first as we can usually help you find the problem quickly.)
IMPORTANT: You must contact Elecraft before mailing your product to obtain authorization for the
return, what address to ship it to and current information on repair fees and turn around times. (Frequently we
can determine the cause of your problem and save you the trouble of shipping it back to us.) Our repair location
is different from our factory location in Aptos. We will give you the address to ship your kit to at the time of
repair authorization. Packages shipped to Aptos without authorization will incur an additional shipping charge
for reshipment from Aptos to our repair depot.
Elecraft 1-Year Limited Warranty
This warranty is effective as of the date of first consumer purchase (or if shipped from the factory, the date the
product is shipped to the customer). It covers both our kits and fully assembled products. For kits, before requesting
warranty service, you should fully complete the assembly, carefully following all instructions in the manual.
Who is covered: This warranty covers the original owner of the Elecraft product as disclosed to Elecraft at the time
of order. Elecraft products transferred by the purchaser to a third party, either by sale, gift, or other method, who is
not disclosed to Elecraft at the time of original order, are not covered by this warranty. If the Elecraft product is being
bought indirectly for a third party, the third party’s name and address must be provided at time of order to ensure
warranty coverage.
What is covered: During the first year after date of purchase, Elecraft will replace defective or missing parts free of
charge (post-paid). We will also correct any malfunction to kits or assembled units caused by defective parts and
materials. Purchaser pays inbound shipping to us for warranty repair; we pay shipping to return the repaired
equipment to you by UPS ground service or equivalent to the continental USA and Canada. For Alaska, Hawaii, and
other destinations outside the U.S. and Canada, actual return shipping cost is paid by the owner.
What is not covered: This warranty does not cover correction of kit assembly errors. It also does not cover
misalignment; repair of damage caused by misuse, negligence, or builder modifications; or any performance
malfunctions involving non-Elecraft accessory equipment. The use of acid-core solder, water-soluble flux solder, or
any corrosive or conductive flux or solvent will void this warranty in its entirety. Also not covered is reimbursement
for loss of use, inconvenience, customer assembly or alignment time, or cost of unauthorized service.
Limitation of incidental or consequential damages: This warranty does not extend to non-Elecraft equipment or
components used in conjunction with our products. Any such repair or replacement is the responsibility of the
customer. Elecraft will not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages, including but not
limited to any loss of business or profits.

10
Front Panel
This reference section describes all front panel controls and the liquid crystal display (LCD). Operating
instructions are covered in later sections.
Control Groups
Primary controls (pg 11): These keys are hard-
coded with permanent function assignments. They
provide the most important operational features
needed for basic panadapter operation, including
display options, amplitude scaling, frequency
control and markers.
Programmable function keys (pg 12): The
function keys may be assigned to any of the
functions in the MENU list. These include less-
used operational features, test functions, and setup
and calibration routines.

11
Display
The 480x272-pixel, color TFT-LCD display is used
both for the panadapter spectrum and waterfall
graphics as well as for general-purpose information
needed by the operator. All graphics and text are
bit-mapped and so are software-defined. The
backlight brightness and the text size can be
changed via a MENU entry (Pg 20).
Primary Controls
POWER Turns the P3 on or off. The P3 may be
configured to turn on automatically whenever
power is applied, such as when it is powered from a
K3 transceiver, by moving a jumper on the rear-
panel I/O board (see Configuration on page 18 for
details.) Holding the POWER switch for more than
10 seconds places the P3 in boot-load mode, ready
to receive new firmware via the RS-232 PC
connector. If you do this accidentally, simply cycle
the POWER to restore normal operation.
MKR A and MKR B Selecting one of these
functions causes a marker to appear on the display,
using different colors for A and B. The marker
frequency can be adjusted by turning the
SELECT knob. If the transceiver is a K3 and it is
connected to the P3 via RS-232, then tapping the
knob changes the frequency of (QSY) the K3 to that
frequency. MKR A controls the K3's VFO A and
MKR B controls VFO B. The marker colors match
the corresponding VFO cursors to emphasize the
correspondence. Whichever marker is currently
selected is the one that causes the K3 to QSY. To
return from the last QSY ("undo" function), hold
the SELECT knob pushbutton.
To turn off MKR A, tap the key while marker A is
selected. To turn off MKR B, hold the key while
marker B is selected. When a marker is turned back
on after having been turned off, it will come back at
the same frequency unless it is off-screen, in which
case the marker defaults to the center frequency.
When another function that uses the SELECT
knob is activated, the marker(s) stay visible and
when that other function is de-selected the last
active marker automatically becomes active again.
SPAN Sets the frequency span of the display. The
available range is 2 kHz to 200 kHz. The relative
start and stop frequencies are displayed at the top
(left and right edge respectively) of the spectrum
window.

12
CENTER Sets the center frequency of the display,
which is also displayed at the top center of the
spectrum window. If the transceiver is a K3, the
center frequency equals the VFO A frequency of
the K3, but it may be tuned above and below that
value. It will then track any changes in the K3’s
VFO A. To return the center frequency to the K3’s
VFO A frequency, hold the CENTER key a second
time.
REF LVL Sets the amplitude reference level of the
display, both spectrum and waterfall. The term
"reference level" means the signal level that
corresponds to the bottom of the spectrum display
and the minimum signal level (dark blue) of the
waterfall. The amplitude labels along the left edge
of the spectrum display are in units of dBm. If the
transceiver is a K3, the amplitude is that of the
signal at the K3 antenna input, with the state of the
K3's attenuator and preamp taken into account. Tap
any key to de-select the parameter entry.
SCALE Sets the scale, or range, of both the
spectrum and waterfall displays. For example, "60
dB" means that the bottom of the display is 60 dB
below the top. Tap any key to de-select the
parameter entry.
DISPLAY Toggles between the spectrum, and
combination spectrum/waterfall display modes.
AVERAGE Turns on display averaging and allows
adjustment of the averaging time, in units of the
display update period. To de-select parameter entry
and turn off averaging at the same time, hold the
key a second time. To de-select parameter entry
while leaving averaging turned on, tap the key.
Menu
MENU Accesses an alphabetical list of functions
(see Menu Functions, pg. 20). Scroll through the list
with the SELECT knob and tap the knob to
select an item. Tapping the knob a second time un-
selects the item and tapping MENU turns off the
menu.
Programmable Function Keys
Any menu function can be assigned to a function
key by tapping or holding the FN1 – FN4 or FN5 –
FN8 key while the menu item is displayed but not
selected. The label for that function key will then
change to the function name (when labels are turned
on with the LABELS key).
LABELS Toggles the function key labels on and
off. Note that the function keys are still active even
when the labels are turned off.

13
Rear Panel Connectors
I.F. Signals: IF IN is a BNC jack that connects to
the intermediate-frequency output connector of the
transceiver (IF OUT on the K3). This should be a
buffered, low-level, high-bandwidth signal from the
receiver that is tapped off at a point before the high-
selectivity filters.
IF OUT is a BNC jack that may be connected to
any other device that needs the I.F. output signal
from the transceiver. When the IF OUT switch is in
the ON position, the IF IN signal is directed to a 3
dB splitter whose outputs feed both the P3 and the
IF OUT connector.
RS-232: XCVR is a male DE-9 connector that
connects to the RS-232 port on a K3 (if used) using
a standard 9-pin serial extender cable. It should be
a straight-through cable (not a null modem) with a
female connector on one end and male connector on
the other. PC is a female DE-9 that may optionally
be connected to a personal computer that can be
used for downloading new firmware and for
sending and receiving commands to the P3 and K3
(if connected).
Power: 10-15 VDC is a standard 2.1 mm barrel
connector for a 10-15 VDC supply capable of
delivering up to 0.5A.
SENSOR. Keyboard, Ext Display and Aux Data:
Spaces for these connectors provided for future use.

14
Basic Operation
This section covers the fundamentals of P3
operation. Once you're familiar with the P3, please
go on to Advanced Operating Features (pg.17).
Using Tap/Hold Switches
Most P3 switches have two options. Tapping
(pressing for less than 1/2 second) activates the
function labeled in white above the switch.
Holding (pressing for more than 1/2 second)
activates the function labeled in yellow below the
switch.
Initial Power-Up
Connect a power supply, I.F. input and
(optionally) an RS-232 cable (pg 13).
Press POWER to turn the P3 on, if it is not on
already. The display should light and you
should see a spectrum and/or waterfall. If a K3
is connected via RS-232 you should see the
correct frequency at the top center of the
display.
Configuring the Display
Tap DISPLAY to cycle between spectrum,
waterfall and spectrum + waterfall displays.
Hold AVERAGE to turn on averaging and to set the
averaging time constant with the SELECT knob.
You can hold AVERAGE again to turn off
averaging or just tap the same key to clear the
parameter-entry text from the display while leaving
averaging enabled.
Hold LABELS to show or hide the function key
labels.
There are also several MENU functions that
configure the display, such as LCD Brt (display
brightness), Peak hold, Freeze display, Font size
and Waterfall height.
Using the Menu
Typical Display Showing a Menu Selection.
Tap MENU to access the menu.
Turn the SELECT knob to scroll through an
alphabetical list of available menu functions, as
documented in the Menu Functions section
(pg.20).
Tap the SELECT knob to select a function.
Most functions have a parameter which can
then be adjusted with the SELECT knob.
Tap the SELECT knob again to exit the
function.
Tap MENU again to exit the menu.

15
Programmable Functions
Any MENU function that you'd like quick access to
can be assigned to any programmable function key,
FN1 to FN8, by tapping or holding the desired
function key while the function is visible on the
display but not selected by tapping the SELECT
knob. The function name then becomes the function
key label which can be seen if labels are currently
displayed. To un-assign a function key, select
MENU:FN Erase and tap or hold the function key
you wish to erase.
Some menu items are much more useful when
assigned to a function key. Examples are Peak hold
and Freeze display.
PEAK assigned to Function Key FN1.
Adjusting the Amplitude
Tap REF LVL to adjust the reference level, which
is the signal level that corresponds to the bottom of
the spectrum display and the low-signal level of the
waterfall display. Hold SCALE to adjust the
"vertical gain" of the display. For example if the
reference level is set to -100 dBm and the scale to
30 dB, then the top of the spectrum display is at -70
dBm and the bottom at -100 dBm.
The waterfall display is most useful if the reference
level is adjusted to place the noise level near the
bottom of the display and the scale is adjusted so
that the strongest signals of interest are near the top.
Adjusting the Frequencies Displayed
Tap SPAN to adjust the range of frequencies that
can be seen on the display at one time. The start
and stop frequencies (calculated as offsets from the
center frequency) are shown at the top left and right
of the display.
Hold CENTER to adjust the center frequency on
the display. When used with the K3, the actual RF
frequency is shown at the top center of the display.
Hold CENTER again to return the actual frequency
being received to the center of the display.

16
Using Markers
Tap MKR A to turn on marker A and allow you to
change the marker frequency by rotating the
SELECT knob. To determine the frequency of a
signal, move the marker so that it overlays the
carrier and read the frequency from the display. For
singal sideband signals, place the marker where the
carrier would be if it was transmitted, i.e. on the
lower (left) edge of an upper sideband signal and on
the upper (right) edge of an signal upper sideband
signal.
If a K3 is connected, you can QSY (change the
frequency of) the K3's VFO A to the marker A
frequency by tapping the SELECT knob. To
return to the previous frequency, hold the knob. To
turn off marker A, tap MKR A again.
Hold MKR B to turn on marker B and allow you to
change the marker frequency by rotating the
SELECT knob. If a K3 is connected, you can
QSY the K3's VFO B to the marker B frequency by
tapping the SELECT knob. To return to the
previous frequency, hold the knob. To turn off
marker B, hold MKR B again.
To turn off a marker you must first make it active, if
necessary, by tapping MKR A or holding MKR B.
Then tap or hold the key a second time to hide the
marker.
If some other function that uses the SELECT
knob is activated, the marker stays on and
automatically becomes active again (you can adjust
it with the knob) when the other function is
terminated. The tap-to-QSY function affects VFO
A if marker A is active and VFO B if marker B is
active.
Waterfall Markers
Select MENU:WfallMkrs. Turning the
SELECT knob will turn the waterfall markers
on, causing the marker line(s) to travel down into
the waterfall display, or turn the markers off.
Marker A Enabled at 3563 KHz for Both Spectrum
and Waterfall.
Using Cursors
When used with a K3 transceiver, two U-shaped
cursors show the position of the A and B VFOs.
VFO A is indicated by a cyan cursor and VFO B is
indicated by a magenta cursor. The position and
width of each cursor indicates the passband being
received.
Cursor on Lower Sideband of Signal at 3,968 kHz.
The VFO B cursor may be turned off using
MENU:VFO B. Turn the knob to select ON or OFF
as desired.

17
Advanced Operating Features
Use with Other Radios
The P3 can be used with any receiver or transceiver
that has means to output an intermediate-frequency
(I.F.) signal between approximately 455 kHz and
21.7 MHz. Frequencies a little beyond that range
can be used at reduced sensitivity.
The I.F. may be selected via MENU: Xcvr Sel. If
you are not sure what frequency is used by your
receiver, apply a test signal to the receiver antenna
and scroll through the menu list until you see the
signal on the display. Many receivers use an
inverted I.F., meaning that signals tune in the
opposite direction, so many of the selections
include that feature. As you tune the receiver
upwards in frequency the signal should move to the
left on the display.
If the correct I.F. is not in the list, the frequency of
the USER selection may be set manually via
MENU: Xcvr Def.
Xcvr Def Display.
Xcvr Def also allows you to select between inverted
and non-inverted I.F., change the name "USER" to
something else, and select the programming
language (currently either None or K3).
The Xcvr Def function temporarily re-defines the
function (FN) keys with legends across the bottom
of the display as shown above. There are three keys
to set the frequency in 100 kHz, 1 kHz or 1 Hz
steps.
The FN2 and FN3 keys are used for changing the
transceiver name. The one with the horizontal
arrows selects the character position as you rotate
the SELECT knob and the one with the vertical
arrows selects a character from a list by rotating the
knob.
Tap FN4 (EXIT) to return the P3 to normal
operation.
Remote-Control Commands
Many P3 functions may be accessed by remote-
control commands sent via RS-232. These
commands use ordinary ASCII text, so they can be
tested using a terminal emulator or the Command
Tester tab in P3 Utility. When the P3's XCVR RS-
232 port is connected to a K3, then both P3 and K3
commands may be sent and received via the PC RS-
232 port.
To distinguish them from K3 commands, P3
commands begin with the "#" symbol. For
example, "#RVM;" returns the P3 firmware
revision and "RVM;" returns the K3 main firmware
revision. P3 remote-control commands are fully
described in the P3 Programmer's Reference.
P3 Utility Program
In addition to downloading firmware (pg 18) the P3
Utility can perform several other functions. For
example, it can upload a bitmap image of the P3
display which can be saved to a file or pasted into a
graphics program on the computer. Refer to the
Help menu in P3 Utility for more information.

18
Firmware Upgrades
New features and improvements are available to all
P3 owners via firmware upgrades.
Please visit the Elecraft K3 software page
(www.elecraft.com) to obtain our free firmware
download application, P3 Utility. Versions of the
Utility program are provided for PCs, Macs, and
Linux platforms.
Some applications or peripheral devices may
interfere with P3 downloads; check the Help
information in P3 Utility if you have difficulty.
If you don’t have Internet access, you can obtain a
firmware upgrade on CD. If you don't have a
computer, you can send your P3 to Elecraft to be
upgraded. See Customer Service, pg. 9.
Checking your Firmware Revision
Use the MENU entry FW Rev to determine your
firmware revision.
P3 Firmware Self-Test
The P3 checks for firmware errors at turn-on. If an
error occurs, the P3 Boot Loader is started
automatically. Connect the P3 to your computer and
reload firmware.
Forcing a Firmware Download
If you accidentally load an old or incompatible
firmware version and find the P3 unresponsive, do
the following: (1) Disconnect the P3 from the
power supply and wait 5 seconds; (2) connect the
power supply again while holding the P3's POWER
switch in; after about 10 seconds you'll see the Boot
Loader screen; (3) load the correct firmware
version.
Updating K3 Firmware
If you have your P3 XCVR port connected to the
K3 RS232 port, you can update your K3 firmware
without disconnecting the cables from the P3.
Connect the P3 RS232 cable to your computer just
as you would to update the P3 and turn the P3 off
before starting the K3 update.
Configuration
The front panel POWER switch may be bypassed
so the P3 turns on whenever power is applied. This
is useful to turn the P3 on automatically when it is
powered from the auxiliary jack on a transceiver
such as the Elecraft K3 so the P3 turns on with the
transceiver.
To configure the power control, remove the six flat
head screws holding the P3 top cover and lift it off.
A small slot is provided in the cover so you can use
a fingernail to lift it. The I/O board at the back of
the P3 has a jumper at the top corner farthest from
the rear panel above the large ribbon cable
connector (see below).
The jumper may be positioned on the pins as
follows:
Pins 3 & 4: Normal operation of the POWER
switch.
Pins 2 & 3: P3 turns on automatically whenever
power is applied to the rear panel connector. P3
may be turned off and on using the POWER switch
as long as power is applied.
Pins 1 & 2: POWER switch is disabled. P3 turns
on automatically whenever power is applied to the
rear panel connector.
Even if bypassed so power is on all the time, the
POWER switch is still used in the event it is
necessary to put the P3 in Boot Loader mode to
force a firmware download. To cancel Boot Loader
mode, remove power from the P3.

19
Frequency Calibration Procedure
The P3 requires no calibration for normal
panadapter operation. However if additional
frequency accuracy is desired, you can perform the
following calibration procedure.
Frequency Calibration
If the transceiver has a calibration procedure to
correct its frequency errors, perform that
procedure first.
Using a well-calibrated signal generator or an
on-the air carrier signal of known frequency,
tune in the signal on the transceiver. An A.M.
broadcast station can serve as a suitable test
signal.
Adjust the transceiver frequency to the known
frequency of the test signal. Depending upon
the modulation mode of the transceiver, the
signal may not be audible.
Set the P3 for minimum span and adjust the
reference level and scale so you can easily see
the signal.
Select MENU:Ref Cal, tap the SELECT
knob, and adjust the frequency calibration until
the carrier is centered horizontally on the
display. If the required correction is more than
a few kHz, it may be that the I.F. frequency is
set incorrectly. That can be adjusted via
MENU:Xcvr Def.

20
Menu Functions
Tap MENU and then turn the SELECT knob to scroll through the following list of menu functions. Tap the
SELECT knob to select the displayed function.
Entry Default Description
DispTest off
Shows a test pattern with a color bar and the complete character set of each font.
Tap the SELECT knob to exit.
Font 9 x 14 Changes the font size.
FN Erase N/A Resets a function key to its un-programmed state. Tap or hold the function key to
be erased while this menu item is displayed.
Freeze off
Freezes or un-freezes the current spectrum and waterfall display. This function is
most useful when assigned to a function key, which toggles between the frozen
and un-frozen state.
FW Rev N/A Displays the main firmware version number. It is not necessary to tap the
SELECT knob for this function.
LCD Brt 100 Adjusts the display brightness from 0-100.
LCD Test off Set all display pixels to white at full brightness.
Peak off
Toggles peak-hold mode on and off. This function is most useful when assigned
to a function key.
Rate 10
Changes the display update rate in milliseconds. Although values down to zero
may be entered, the minimum display period is actually limited by hardware.
Ref Cal 0 Calibrates the 60 MHz P3 reference clock frequency in Hz (Pg 19).
Reset N/A Resets the P3.
RS-232 38400
Change the baud rate in bits per second of the serial port that connects to a host
computer. During firmware download (via the P3 Utility program), the baud rate
is set automatically to 38400 baud, but it is then restored to the value selected in
this menu entry.
SpanScale REF LVL
only Specifies the way the P3 responds to changes in SPAN. "Off" means do not change REF_LVL or SCALE when SPAN is changed. "REF LVL only" means
change the reference level to keep the noise level approximately constant. "REF
LVL & SCALE" means also change SCALE to keep the level corresponding to
the top of the screen at a constant level as well.
Sw Test off Toggle switch test mode on or off. When on, a special test screen is displayed that
shows the state of each switch and the current encoder count. Tap the SELECT
knob twice to exit.
VFO B on Turns the VFO B cursor on or off.
Waterfall 100
Changes the height of the waterfall window when the display is in waterfall
mode.
WfallMkrs off Enables or disables markers on the waterfall display.
Xcvr Def off This key brings up a menu to define the "User" transceiver in the transceiver
selection menu, Xcvr Sel. You can change the intermediate frequency (IF), the IF
tuning direction (inverted or not), the transceiver's command language, and the
transceiver name.
Xcvr Sel K3 Allows changing among a list of transceivers. For transceivers not listed, it also
allows selecting a user-defined transceiver or simply the IF frequency.