The K3 aux cable kit includes a Y.
Dick On Jul 24, 2011, at 13:49, Dana Roode <[email protected]> wrote: > Dick, > > Thanks - I went back and read the manual and I see it clearly explains > what the RS232-XCVR jack is for. Sorry, I missed that. > > Ok on the advantages of the RS232 port, I will hook that up. I run my > remote station with an 8 port terminal server, and have one port left > (I control the rig, 3 rotators, LP-Remote, LP-100 watt meter, and > Winkeyer). I have control over the power to the amp to shut it off if > I need a hard reset (via LP-Remote and a relay-power jack). I can't > use the standard Elecraft K3-KPA500 cable as I need to bring out pins > from the K3: ON and FSK are the ones I remember. So, I will build a > cable and bring out the various pins I may use on either side of the > connection. > > dana > > > On Sun, Jul 24, 2011 at 1:25 PM, Dick Dievendorff <[email protected]> wrote: >> The KPA500 XCVR connector is used primarily to support Kenwood rigs that >> communicate their frequency via a serial port. >> >> If you want to control the amplifier remotely, you'll probably need to >> connect its PC-side serial port to some remote control program. The KPA >> Utility (as one example) shows you the amplifier's output power, SWR, PA >> voltage, PA current, temperature, monitors for faults, displays the current >> fault, has a button to clear the current fault, changes bands, switches >> between standby and operate, and turns the amplifier on and off. You can't >> do many of these things from the ACC connector. You can do some of them by >> remote control of the K3 (like change bands). You can pulse an ACC pin to >> simulate pressing the front panel power button. You can change the amp's >> band by controlling the transceiver remotely and transmitting. You can >> observe that some fault has occurred, but you can't read the fault code >> through ACC. There's no pin on ACC to switch the amp between operate and >> standby, or clear a fault. >> >> Dick, K6KR >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Dana Roode [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 1:09 PM >> To: Dick Dievendorff >> Cc: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Remote >> >> 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
