Jack et al, Thank you for your replies regarding the KRC2. I may have missed it in the discussion, but I don't recall anyone indicating how to control the AUX outputs REMOTELY (using the F-Keys won't help me). My station is located 80 miles away from me, I would need to be able to do this via RS232 commands to the KRC2, or to the K3 that trigger the proper response in the KRC2.
I have a total of 8 antennas; my 80/160 meter vertical has two relays that allow adding series capacitance or inductance; my 40 meter 4 square is steerable in 4 directions via 2 more relays; I have monobanders for 20 and 15, with a tribander I use on 10 and as a second 20/15m antenna. I have this all setup now using an old Kachina product and a multiplexer I built but it is time to retire that approach (http://roodes.com/k6nr/remote/index.html). Probably not quite what the KRC2 is designed for, but I wanted to double check. Dana, K6NR On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 7:38 PM, Jack Brindle <[email protected]> wrote: > The KRC2 in its standard configuration can easily select multiple antennas. > When a new band is indicated by the radio, the KRC2 will select that band. > The user can then select other bands through the F keys, sequentially moving > up or down the antenna selectors. > It is also possible to select alternate antennas using the Acc outputs as > others have pointed out. This is easily done in the standard > personality/configuration, again using the F keys. > > There are other possibilities in the KRC2 design that would allow for > alternate antenna selection. Users have been very innovative in their use of > the various ACC and XVT outputs in combination with the main band outputs to > select antennas. It would also be possible to create alternate personalities > for the device which show other behaviors. The KRC2ACC is an excellent > example of this, providing significantly different behavior compared to the > standard version. If the original poster (K6NR, I believe) is interested in > this, he should give me a shout. > > I would be very interested as to why you think the KRC2 is not a good match > for the K3, and what improvements could be made to improve this. The KRC2 > was originally designed to communicate with the K2 using the AuxBus or > serial port. The K3 was designed to support the AuxBus to enable KRC2 > support. This is the primary method for K3-KRC2 band switching, although it > is also quite possible to use the K3's serial port for gathering band and > other information as well. > As for the AuxBus signals, their definition is not public. Wayne has > elaborated very good reasons for this. AuxBus system requirements are > necessarily very strict, and if not handled properly could lead to rather > severe problems within the K2 system environment. > > We are always interested in suggestions for improvements to Elecraft > products. If anyone has suggestions for the KRC2, please give me a shout. > Many product improvements come from the suggestions of the great customers > Elecraft enjoys. > > On Jan 7, 2009, at 10:39 AM, AD6XY wrote: > > Apart from using the aux outputs, which is probably the best method, you > might also be able to fool the K3 that there are two 40m bands by pretending > there is a transverter with a 40m IF that needs 100W of drive, has a 0MHz LO > and is connected to the main antenna. Then use the KRC2 transverter outputs > to select the relay. > > The KRC2 with the current firmware is not a particularly good match to the > K3. Hopefully we will see new firmware soon but as you are remotely > operating the K3, why not use a PC to select the relay with a USB relay > board. > > If it is a fairly simple configuration the K3 has two logic outputs that > could probably be used, either directly to control two relays. > > I take it you are aware you can also use the KRC2 buttons and its RS232 > port. > > Finally, if you wire up a toggle relay - e.g. via a flip-flop, you could > make the relay alternate between antennas each time you select 40m. > > Does anyone know if the auxbus commands are published ? I believe there > would be a market for 3rd party add-ons if it is. RS232 does not announce > everything, so can't be used passively. > > > > - Jack Brindle, W6FB > > Elecraft Engineering > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [email protected] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
