Hi Dick, thanks for the information. What is the RS232 (XCVR) connection on the KPA500 for? Its why I am some misperceptions about connecting the K3 to the KPA.
At this point I see I can control the KPA via its RS232 port but for some reason I am inclined to use the control pins on the KPA AUX plug, which seems to be the other way to go. Dana On Sun, Jul 24, 2011 at 12:37 PM, Dick Dievendorff <[email protected]> wrote: > Dana: > > There isn't an option to connect the KPA500 to the K3 via RS-232. There's > an option to connect the KPA500 to the K3 via its 15-pin ACC connector. If > you use that cable, the K3 can track band changes initiated by the > amplifier, the amplifier will track K3 band changed without requiring > transmission, and it includes the amp keying line and the ALC voltage. This > connection also includes an AUXBUS connection that the KPA500 can use to > send fault indications to the K3. And the K3 can automatically adjust its > output power based on its knowledge of the amplifier being in "operate". > > The KPA500's "PC" serial port should instead be used for your remote control > program, which could be the KPA Utility, or someone else's remote control > program. > > When you use the KPA500 and don't switch the back panel power rocker switch, > the front panel on/off button (and the equivalent software command) turns > off the high voltage power supply, but leaves the microcontroller running. > The microcontroller runs in its "boot block" code and part of that code > recognizes a software power on command. The KPA500 Utility "Operate" page > uses this technique for its remote control power turn-on. > > If you require the KPA500 to be "really, really off", you should first press > the front panel power button to turn the amp off. Then you can remove all > power by switching the back panel rocker switch or interrupt the KPA500's AC > supply. It's a good idea to let the amplifier close down in a controlled > way (press its front panel power button, physically or via a remote control > program) so that it has a chance to write its current state into EEPROM and > also dump HV filter capacitor energy into the fan. If you don't do this, > you'll see fault table entries (using the KPA500 Utility's Fault Table > display) showing uncontrolled power off events. > > Nice callsign, Dana! > > 73 de Dick, K6KR > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dana Roode > Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 12:15 PM > To: Elecraft Reflector > Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Remote > > Folks - who out there has set up their KPA500 as a part of a remote station? > I'm planning to do so here, and wondering whether others have used the pins > in the AUX cable or plan to use software commands to turn the Amp on and > off, etc. It appears both may be options. > There also appears to be a pin in the Aux cable that indicates a fault > condition, which would be handy to monitor remotely (I have a LP-Remote > board from N8LP). > > I need to make a custom cable between the K3 and the KPA500 to connect some > lines (band indication, auxbus?) and bring out others - the ON pin for the > K3 that I currently use, the toggle ON/OFF pin for the KPA500, etc. > > So, what are others doing? I see there are options to connect the KPA to > the K3 via RS232 not sure what that would buy me. > > Dana, K6NR > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > > ______________________________________________________________ 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
