K3/0 Mini and Win4K3 and remote digital operation

[K7UT]

I am posting this message on the Remoterig forum as well as sending it to Elecraft (and anywhere else I can think of) to try to make some headway.

In short: I wish to operate digital modes from my control station to my remote station using K3 Twin mode of Remoterig setup (K3/0 Mini and K3 100). Have been using the setup for eight years using CW and SSB. Want to add Win4K3 to the control side. Want to (continue to) run N1MM+, DXLab Suite and add WSJT software on the control side.

Can this be done?

I also so have a Rigblaster that I can add to the mix. Do I need that or any other hardware or software?

Below is an email sent to Tom at Win4K3 along with his response.



-------- Original message --------
From: Darryl Hazelgren <darryl@hazelgren.net>
Date: 2020-07-15 1:07 p.m. (GMT-05:00)
To: support@va2fsq.com
Subject: Help with K3/0 remote setup

Good morning Tom.

I have been successfully running a remote station using an Elecraft K3 at the remote site and Elecraft K3/0, K3/0 Mini and K3 100 rigs at the control site in my condo, which is about 15 miles away from the remote site, for about eight years. I am using Remoterig RRC 1258 MkII boxes in the twin mode. Software is current.

I run a KPA1500 which I control with the KPA1500 remote software. All antenna switching and rotating of Yagis is done with Green Heron and Array Solutions hardware and software.

I am a DXer and Contester (Phone and CW) using N1MM+ and DXLab Suites.

Now I want to start with the digital modes.

The computers on both sides are Windows 10 with latest updates. I downloaded the latest Com0Com software and created three pairs for use with N1MM+, DXLab and WSJT.

I downloaded the current Win4K3 app and began the setup. I am unable to advance beyond the Settings screen as I cannot get the K3/0 Mini drop down to connect. I have tried the virtual Com ports created by the Remoterig install app. I have connected to the USB port on the K3/0 Mini and verified that I have the latest version of software in the K3/0 Mini and noted the two ports the Mini uses. I have tried to connect via those. No joy.

The last two pages of the instruct me to: "Save the settings and then from the Tools menu on the radio control screen pick "Enable K3 / 0”. I cannot get to the next screen to access the Tools menu.

What am I missing?

I have friends using Win4K3 and they love it. I’m looking forward to joining them...

Answer from Tom, VA2FSQ:

Hi
I do not have a remote rig so I am not sure how this works.
However, before you can go to the other connections, you must have win4k3 working and connected. Win4k3 uses pretty well all k3 commands including some undocumented ones for the k30 and I cannot say for sure of this will work with remote rig. I will say, you cannot connect to the radio with any virtual ports unless it is properly managed by remote rig. All other connections have to be through win4k3.
73

[dj0qn]

Actually, you will find a lot of information on this Forum where this question has been posed several times and there are some tips available if you were to use the search function.

The quick answer is that it is so easy, that you didn't realize it: just connect the audio output of the computer to the MIC/AUX input of the control RRC and the audio input to the computer from the control RRC's SP jack.

Using a sound card interface such as a RigBlaster or Microham is best, because:
- It provides better quality audio than the computer's sound card
- It separates the computer internal sounds from the amateur radio stuff
- It has isolation transformers that are usually missing when connecting directly to the computer
- Often you have a microphone cable available for the interface

I recommend going directly to the RRC and not through the K3/0 mini. Some people have been successful going through the mini (see the Forum), but I think it complicates things more and is not always trivial.

Make sure that you have CAT enabled for your station, since that is the best way to control WJST and contesting programs. I assume you already do, but just wanted to mention it. Use PTT over CAT on WJST if possible.

Someone on the Forum mentioned that some codecs are not as good for digital stuff than others, so you may wish to play with that a bit once you get it working.

So I hope this helps. I personally am not a digital user.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX