Elecraft K3 power on problem

[kb2ckn]

Hello -

I am having some problems/confusion with turning on my remote K3/100 with my local K3/0.

As soon as I plug the I/O to ACC cable from the remote RRC to the remote K3/100, the remote K3/100 powers up. (This is before the local RRC has been plugged into anything yet.)

If I try to power down the remote K3/100 from the remote K3/100 front panel power button, the display clears completely but the back-lighting is still on. That is to say, I have a completely blank, orange display.

The only way to completely power down the remote K3/100 at that point is to unplug the I/O to ACC cable. And then the  remote K3/100 powers down.

If I plug the I/O to ACC cable in it powers back up again, immediately. If I unplug the cable when the remote K3/100 is fully powered up, it stays powered up.

When the local RRC and the local K3/0 are added to the setup, behavior is similar. The remote K3/100 powers up as soon as the ACC cable is connected. When I press the POWER button on the local K3/0, the K3/0 powers up and a connection is established and everything seems to be working. When I press the POWER button on the local K3/0 to power down, the local K3/0 shuts off and the remote K3/100 goes to the blank orange display and I again have to disconnect the ACC cable to power it down.

The remote RRC I/O settings are OUT0 mode - connect; OUT1 mode - I/O; OUT2 mode - I/O.

I am not sure what else might be relevant.

(BTW, what is the Elecraft advanced setting on the local RRC  Advanced Settings page?)

It is an RRC-1258 MkII; Version 5; Hdwe 6; Software 2.57. The K3/100 is at firmware 4.48.

I would be glad to provide any other info that might be pertinent. And I hope my explanation makes sense to someone other than myself!

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thank for any help!

Sean

[kb2ckn]

Well, failing any additional input and through experimentation, it seems that the problem/misunderstanding is on the RemoteRig side.

Keep in mind that since I haven't ever seen this work, I am not completly certain what I should be expecting.

Apparently, my Radio - RRC OUT0 stays low, no matter what. So as soon as I plug in the cables between the remote radio and the Radio - RRC, the remote radio powers up.This is without a connection, since the Local - RRC is completely unplugged.

I am unclear what kind of signal I should be getting at OUT0. Contact closure from a relay? Open collector with a pull-up? In any case, since the K3 wants me to ground the pin to power it up, isn't the sense of OUT0 inverted for me? Or is OUT0 high or on mean that it is sinking to ground and low or off means high impedance? (ie. inverted sense)

Is there any other setting in the RRC configuration that would inhibit my seeing any real connect signal on OUT0?

I know (well, assume) that this is working for others, so I am trying to figure out whether I am doing something wrong (probably!) or is something "busted"?

Even if you have no idea what my problem might be, if you have a working K3 - K3/0 pair could you briefly describe how it works for you? I am assuming that when properly wired, configured and functioning, you just press the POWER button on the local K3/0 and it, as well as the remote K3, power on. Press the POWER button on the local K3/0 again and it, and the remote K3, power off (completely). Is that asking too much? 

BTW, I do have general functionality with the entire setup (when it is on!) and it is really sweet. I am going to be forever spoiled!

Thanks for any input.

Sean

[sm2o]

Hi

It works exactly as you expect it, when you press power on on the K3/0 the remote K3 starts and vv.

the only settings needed is that out0 mode is set to "connected" in the Radio-RRC.

the outputs are open collectors, and there are schematics in the users manual describing the IOs.

73 de mike

[kb2ckn]

Thank you Mike. That is reassuring in the sense that I do correctly understand how it is supposed to work.

The schematic also shows a relay with the annotaion option IP. Since I don't know what that is I assume I don't have it. 

Since OUT0 is set to "connect", and since the radio powers up as soon as the cable is connected from K3 ACC to the remote RRC, it would seem that that the indication is that OUT0 is always on and that the RRC is defective.

How do I go about getting it repaired?

Thank you for any guidance that you can provide.

Sean

[sm2o]

The OUT 0 Transistor does not get broken by connecting the cable to the K3. If you can replace it yourself, I can send one to you. If not, you need to send the pcb to us to replace it.

73 de mike

[K5WA]

I am having this exact same problem with my newly purchased K3/0. 

Mike, are you saying there is a defective transistor in the RRC that needs to be replaced?

Thanks for any solutions.

Hardware: 6
Firmware: 2.55

Bob K5WA

[sm2o]

Hi

There is no fault from production the outputs are tested, if the transistor is defective it has been distroyed later. But if you also have the same problem it might be that the K3s are different and the pullup on the K3 Input has to high resistance You can test the output transistor by connecting a 1K resistor between pin 5 and 7 in the I/O connector and measure the voltage between 5  och 8. When the boxes are not connected together you should read 8V and when the are connected together you should read 0V ( transistor active).

73 de mike

[K5WA]

Mike, assuming all is correct in the RRC, what modification is needed in the K3 so that the RemoteRig RRC is able to turn the K3 on and off?

[sm2o]

While I have been in Dayton I got a box from a Swedish guy with the same problem, I tested his RRC and nothing is wrong with it. I will bring a K3 and a K3/0 to the office tomorrow and make some tests.

73 demike

[sm2o]

Hi

Some users which start using older versions of RRC:s to K3 Twin has found out that the remote K3 starts as soon as you connect the ACC cable. It's very easy to solve, just remove D10. It can be done by desoldering it or just cut it apart with a cutter. D10 is removed in production from 2011-03-24.

73 de mike

[K5WA]

Mike,

Thank you very much!  I'll make that modification tonight.  I've also informed Elecraft so they can be aware of this since I'm sure it will come up again.

73,
Bob K5WA

[K5WA]

I decided I could not wait until this evening to try this modification.  I played hookey from work and made the mod.  Everything works perfectly now.

Thanks Mike!

[kb2ckn]

Bob & Mike -

Bingo!! Thanks for chiming in with your problem Bob! That shook loose the needed information. One snip and shake out the few grains of black sand that used to be a diode and now it seems to work as expected!

I purchased my Remoterig from HRO just about a year ago. Upon looking over how best to hook it up, it became obvious to me that I really wanted a front panel to operate. I was just about to pull the trigger on a TS-480 when the first rumors of the K3/0 started to float about, so I waited and I am (finally!) so glad that I held off. I am just too spoiled by my K3.

Hope you are having fun with yours! I am starting to build a switch for the shack K3 to change it from local use to remote use without any plugging and unplugging and I have already added wireless networking to the "local" K3/0. I am anxious to integrate the pieces for transportability. Theres is so much empty space in the K3/0!    And I did not anticipate (silly me!) that I would want/need to remotely switch my antennas. Can you say "dominos"? What fun!

Thanks Mike for the info and photo without which I don't think I could have found D10!    So many subtle combinations to stay on top of. Thanks so much for connecting the dots!

Regards,

Sean KB2CKN