I would agree with Ted in many instances (especially where safety is
paramount), standardization is a necessity (excellent examples are given by
Ted). That said, I would have to disagree with him if we try and apply that
rational across the board. For instance, I do think applying the "if it fits,
it should work" is practical for ALL electronic devices.
Using a fully loaded K3S as an example, there are (not counting the ground lug)
twenty four jacks on the back, and 2 on the front; requiring 13 different
types of connectors (SO-239, BNC, Anderson Power Pole, RCA/Phone, 1/4" mono
jack, 1/4" stereo jack , SMA connector, 1/8" mono jack, 1/8" stereo jack, USB,
RJ45, DB15, and last but not least, an eight pin mic connector).
If you were to apply the "if it fits, it should work" rule to the K3S, it would
now require twenty six different types of connectors (double what we now have).
O yes, even the ANT 1 and ANT 2 need to be different (maybe ANT 2 should be a
N connector). WIth Radio Shack going tits up, it is hard enough finding the 13
types of connectors we need today; can you imagine trying to find twenty six
different types just for the K3? And if you happen to have a VHF/UHF radio,
it should have different connectors than any on the K3 or (for that matter)
power amp; God forbid you inadvertently connect the output of your 1.5 KW amp
to the ANT jack on your VHF radio!!
Anybody who plugs a cable into a socket just because it happens to fit is a
fool; especially amatuer radio operators, we all passed tests on radio theory
and should know what all the inputs and outputs on our radios are for and how
they are used. As for the DB15, it is marked ACC, it is not labeled VGA; why
anyone would think it should be connected to a VGA monitor is beyond me?? Do
you assume all radio manufactures use the same pinouts for their RJ45 or 8 pin
mic connectors, and connect any mic to any radio?
And yes, Bob (K4TAX) said it all; "it is very important to read and understand
the manual before plugging or inserting any connector into any hole on any
radio today".
Dick, K8ZTT
From: "Dauer, Edward" <eda...@law.du.edu>
To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" <elecraft@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2015 7:32 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] If it plugs in, then it should work
Indeed it should work if it plugs in AND if it looks the same, or at least
it shouldn¹t cause any serious harm. In other industries where safety is
at issue that is a firmly enforced rule. Examples, from two industries
with which I have worked: Many lives have been saved since general
aviation airframe manufacturers sized fuel filler ports, or required
retrofit port restrictors, so that turbine fuel physically could not be
loaded into tanks feeding a gasoline engine. Line boys, as they¹re
called, are no more or less cautious than the rest of us, but the theme is
that people make mistakes so the systems in which they work should be
engineered to prevent those mistakes or to prevent them from doing any
harm. Ditto in medicine. Patient safety was significantly advanced when
the oxygen and the anesthetic gas fittings were made different enough that
oxygen couldn¹t come from anything but the oxygen supply (e.g.
noninterchangeable screw threads). Patient safety gurus have also
insisted that wrist bands used in every hospital everywhere not only have
standard language, but also standard colors so that, in a rush, a band
announcing an allergy (red) couldn¹t be confused for a DNR (purple) even
though the words on each are clear. And crash carts should be in exactly
the same place in every hospital ward. Until very recently some surgeons
marked an X on a limb to mean cut this side, while others marked it to
mean don¹t cut this side. You can guess about the injuries which that
lack of a standard system caused. I¹ll wager the same is true in other
industries where the consequences of human error can be significant. I
don¹t know enough about electrical engineering to offer any specific
suggestions; but as a starting point, IMHO: if it fits, it should work.
Ted, KN1CBR
>Message: 6
>Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2015 19:31:44 -0500
>From: Bob McGraw - K4TAX <rmcg...@blomand.net>
>To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 - KPA100 RS232 interface repair
>Message-ID: <55d91470.2070...@blomand.net>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
>
>The K3S has a RJ-45 connector for the RS-232 communications. Now that's
>different! Of course they supply a cable with a RJ-45 on one end and a
>DB-9F on the other. And then to keep everybody happy, there is what
>appears to be a 15 pin VGA connector that is the ACC connector to
>provide band data and such. The manual clearly states "This is not a
>VGA video connector".
>
>Yes it is very important to read and understand the manual before
>plugging or inserting any connector into any hole on any radio today.
>It seems most hams think if it plugs in, then it should work.
>
>73
>Bob, K4TAX
>K3S s/n 10,163
>
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