Very Confused on K3 and RRC operation

[k4ha]

I have spent several hours now trying to get a status or anything from the K3 radio and the RRC.  I have managed to upgrade the firmware to 2.86.   I can talk to the RRC on the network but cannot connect using HRD.  The whole com port setup is very confusing.  I am using the Control RRC on HRD, over the network to a radio RRC set up according to the docs.  It will not connect.  Using Microbit manager they both see each other and say the connection is OK, but it is not !!!!

What am I doing wrong..  I am trying to get this working so a friend of mine in a nursing home so he can still play radio and maintain some of his sanity that he has left!

Somebody direct me in the right direction   Is this even going t work ??

Thanks Bob K4HA...Frustrated !!!!

[dj0qn]

Bob,

Here is how you access CAT over the K3 Twin setup:

Note first that in a "Twin" configuration, COM2 is used to "tie" the two ends together and carries the CAT data. In order to access CAT, you need to get to COM2 without touching it. The easiest method is to duplicate COM2 over COM1 using a function in the RRC as follows:

- Change both RRC's COM1 to mode-7. Note that the baud rate does not have to be identical with COM2 to fit a lower bandwidth or software requirement.

- If using a "real" serial cable:
     - connect between the control RRC's COM1 and the PC, but note that the pinout is not the standard straight-through serial port. Use the pinout description in the RemoteRig manual, or just try a null-modem cable which usually works (may need a gender changer).
     - The  serial setting for COM1 "Use USB Com Port as COM1" must be set to NO

- If using USB:
     - make sure that first Microbit Setup Manager is installed first on the control PC to get the drivers.
     - Then change the serial settings for COM1 to change "Use USB Com Port as COM1" to YES
     - connect the USB cable between the RRC and computer and wait for the drivers to finish installing
     - go to the Windows Device Manager and look at which virtual serial port was assigned to COM1 and use that for your software, taking the correct baud rate into account.

Note also that you can pull CAT data in parallel off of the radio RRC to use a PC on that end, or to sync with a remote device (amplifier, SteppIR, etc.)

I hope this answers your question.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[k4ha]

Let me clarify something,  I am running a control box RRC on the PC end using HRD.  On the Radio end (K3) I am using a second RRC to interface with the radio.  Only one K3 is being used..no K3 twins.  I can try what you suggested but thought I would throw this out as well.  Sorry for the confusion.  But from what I see in the documents and read, this is easily workable.... but it has not been.  I have even put both RRC boxes on a completely separate network, and still no joy.  I seem to be missing something basic here

Thanks
Bob K4HA

[dj0qn]

Hi Bob,

You didn't provide some very important information.....I assumed that this was a working Twin
configuration and you just wanted to add CAT. If I understand you now, you don't have it working
at all, correct? Then you need some help with networking setup. If so, drop me a short mail at
dj0qn (at) darc.de and I will send you a networking checklist to walk you through the process.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX