Don’t use serial commands to tell the KPA to go to STBY for tune. Have your controller break the PTT line for this (with a small relay) so that the KPA immediately stops amplifying. Since you want your controller to issue commands to the KX3, you can use a regular Y cable at the KPA500, but be sure that SER POLL = OFF. The KPA has an internal relay that will disconnect its RS-232 drive on the XCVR port for this situation.
I think you will find that having the directional coupler will provide a far better solution. The KX3 will tell you the match going into the KPA500, but not necessarily the one the KPA500 sees. The KPA500 _will_ modify the load the KX3 sees making the SWR info somewhat useless. The FWD and REF power (or SWR) measured by the KPA500 at low power may not give you enough resolution for your needs. Making a directional coupler is rather easy, and the code for handling the data is not too bad either. The thing to watch for is to measure the two values (FWD, REF) as close to each other in time as possible. Sampling them simultaneously is ideal. Sounds like a fun project. Good luck with it! 73, Jack, W6FB > On Jul 30, 2018, at 1:14 PM, Mark Goldberg <marklgoldb...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Thanks. > > There is no automated screwdriver controller. I would make one that drives > the motor and sends serial commands to the KPA500 to go to standby, to the > KX3 to go into tune mode and respond back with the SWR and then I would > adjust the screwdriver antenna and re-enable the amp. All the controllers I > know of have a separate directional coupler, something extra to put in the > line, and don't account for putting the amp in standby for tuning. Basically > looking to fully automate with what is already included in the Elecraft > equipment, under software control. I have build several special purpose > Arduino projects to do similar things. > > There is no tuner except the screwdriver antenna. > > Yes, I know I can buy things to hook together to do what I want, but I am now > retired, with lots of time, a brain to keep occupied and not as much money! > > 73, > > Mark > W7MLG > > > On Mon, Jul 30, 2018 at 1:03 PM, Jack Brindle <jackbrin...@me.com > <mailto:jackbrin...@me.com>> wrote: > Just a quick reminder (for Bob), the KPA500 does not listen to Auxbus traffic > at all. Trying to send it Auxbus traffic thus would be fruitless. > > Bob’s comment about connecting the KX3 and KPA500 using the serial connection > is a very good one. In fact when I was developing the KPA500's communications > code, I used a K3 for testing. As he alludes, sharing this data from the KX3 > with the KAT500 should provide the information you need. You can do this with > one of his S-Boxes, or a simple Y cable should do the trick, with the > transmit data coming from the KAT500 disconnected so that only one device > drives the line. The KPA500 can then poll as required, or you can have the > KX3 auto-send data as Bob describes. > > The KPA500 responds to IF; FA: and FB; messages - it polls for all three when > RADIO = SERIAL and SER POLL = ON. Thus the FA; response going back to the > KAT500 should be just what you want. If the screwdriver controller also > understands FA response (or FB; or IF; for that matter) then you should be > in good shape. > > The proposal to use a small computer (Raspberry PI, etc) will certainly work, > it just needs a little careful coding. > > I would stay away from the Auxbus stuff, though. Unless you really want to > tear your hair out and join the Bruce Willis crowd… > > 73! > Jack, W6FB > > > > On Jul 30, 2018, at 11:52 AM, Bob Wilson, N6TV <n...@arrl.net > > <mailto:n...@arrl.net>> wrote: > > > > If you set MENU:AUTOINF to ANT CTRL, no PC is needed to poll the radio; the > > KX3 can distribute the frequency data to both the KPA500 XCVR port and to > > the antenna controller as "FA ... ;" messages, so you don't need to try to > > make the AUXBUS work. It may work, but in the KX3 documentation, the ACC2 > > PIN GPIO as AUXBUS is only documented for communication with Elecraft's > > transverters, not the KPA500. > > > > Trying to drive the screwdriver controller with AUXBUS data will require > > reverse engineering the AUXBUS protocol, which is not recommended (not > > published, subject to change). > > > > My main point is that the KPA500 can automatically follow the KX3's > > frequency without having to use the AUXBUS. You just set RADIO to SERIAL, > > RS 232 X to the KX3 baud rate, and connect the KPA500's RS232 XCVR port > > (the MALE DE-9 connector, rarely used) to the KX3. The S-BOX can do that > > for you using a standard serial cable plugged into the back and an RCA > > stereo cable plugged into the front, plus it can share the KX3 frequency > > with other serial devices and KEY CW.). > > > > 73, > > Bob, N6TV > > > > On Mon, Jul 30, 2018 at 11:29 AM, Mark Goldberg <marklgoldb...@gmail.com > > <mailto:marklgoldb...@gmail.com>> > > wrote: > > > >> I was trying to find out if the Auxbus works between the KX3 and KPA500. > >> That would be ACC2 IO = TRN CTRL and connect ACC2 tip to the KPA500 Auxbus. > >> The ACC2 Ring is already connected to the KPA500 PTT in and works fine. > >> > >> There is no PC in the picture. My home station is completely PC controlled, > >> but I am looking to simplify things for the mobile and have things as > >> integrated as possible so there is no manual work to do. I also want to > >> tune the screwdriver antenna using the KX3 as the SWR sensor. So, I think > >> only a custom solution will give me all that. Just to make it a little more > >> complicated, I use an Android tablet for vehicle monitoring with an ODB2 > >> Dongle. I may also use that touchscreen to control the Ham Radio stuff, > >> probably via a wifi or bluetooth interface to the ham radio controller, an > >> Arduino or similar. I do have an extra ESP32 lying around. > >> > >> 73, > >> > >> Mark > >> W7MLG > >> > >> On Mon, Jul 30, 2018 at 11:05 AM, Brian Waterworth < > >> brian.waterwo...@gmail.com <mailto:brian.waterwo...@gmail.com>> wrote: > >> > >>> It does. I have used this setup for two field days. Pay attention to > >>> the menu setup of acc2 and ptt on the kx3 if memory serves me correctly. > >>> From my notes on field day setup: > >>> > >>> If using an Elecraft kpa500, setup the kx3 so that the "pa key" is > >>> grounded during ptt. That means lo=ptt on the kx3 menus (ACC2 IO). > >>> > >>> I figured this out by looking at the kpa500 manual. I was borrowing a > >>> fellow hams kpa500 so I can’t help more with testing as I don’t own one. > >>> > >>> P.s. I must have missed your original post because I did not see the > >> post > >>> you indicated you sent to the list. Sometimes I get a bit delete happy > >> :-) > >>> > >>> Regards > >>> Brian > >>> VE3IBW > >>> > >>> On Mon, Jul 30, 2018 at 10:11 AM Mark Goldberg <marklgoldb...@gmail.com > >>> <mailto:marklgoldb...@gmail.com>> > >>> wrote: > >>> > >>>> I have asked if this will work, but did not get any answers. I suppose I > >>>> could wire it up and see if it does. > >>>> > >>>> 73, > >>>> > >>>> Mark > >>>> W7MLG > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> On Mon, Jul 30, 2018 at 6:21 AM, ANDY DURBIN <a.dur...@msn.com > >>>> <mailto:a.dur...@msn.com>> wrote: > >>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> KX3 has the option to output aux bus on ACC2 "TRN CTRL (output; > >>>> XV-series > >>>>> transverter control using Elecraft auxBus prototcol)". Why wouldn't > >> you > >>>>> connect this directly to the aux bus input pin of the KPA500. Isn't > >>>> that > >>>>> what it is for? > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> Not discouraging Arduino projects though as I am going something > >> similar > >>>>> to integrate my TS-590 with KPA500 and KAT500. > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> 73 > >>>>> > >>>>> Andy k3wyc > >>>>> ______________________________________________________________ > >>>>> Elecraft mailing list > >>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >>>>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> > >>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > >>>>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> > >>>>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> > >>>>> > >>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net/> > >>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > >>>>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> > >>>>> Message delivered to marklgoldb...@gmail.com > >>>>> <mailto:marklgoldb...@gmail.com> > >>>>> > >>>> ______________________________________________________________ > >>>> Elecraft mailing list > >>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >>>> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> > >>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> > >>>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> > >>>> > >>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net/> > >>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > >>>> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> > >>>> Message delivered to brian.waterwo...@gmail.com > >>>> <mailto:brian.waterwo...@gmail.com> > >>>> > >>> > >> ______________________________________________________________ > >> Elecraft mailing list > >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> > >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> > >> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> > >> > >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net/> > >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > >> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> > >> Message delivered to n...@arrl.net <mailto:n...@arrl.net> > >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net/> > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> > > Message delivered to jackbrin...@me.com <mailto:jackbrin...@me.com> > > ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
