Messages

1

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Using the USB or COM1 port on Radio RRC for CAT control by FT8 software

« on: 2018-08-06, 19:05:16 »

GA:

We have a Remote System with one Radio site (in VE3) and two Control sites (includes K3/100 with a KPA500 and running CW, SSB, & RTTY/FSK) fully operational using the RRC1258 in the K3 Twin configuration.  To overcome a latency problem when running FT8 from the Control site in SE Asia, we want to run the FT8 software on a computer at the Radio site (to be accessed and controlled remotely using GoToMyPC) and have the FT8 software provide CAT control of the K3/100.  Primarily we need this additional CAT control to provide PTT for FT8 transmit and frequency control so that the FT8 software can do the Split Operation.

The USB and COM1 ports on the Radio RRC are currently not being used and the question is can we connect a USB port on the FT8 computer at the Radio site to either of these two Radio RRC1258 ports to provide these additional control functions?  What configuration changes might we need to make?

Would appreciate any suggestions.

73,  Doug Joyce  VE3MV

2

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: RRC1258 - Use of transparent Serial channel on COM1

« on: 2015-03-16, 03:58:59 »

Further update following an off-line discussion with Mitch and to summarize the progress to date -

The "real" serial cable approach from the Computer Serial port to the COM1 connector on the Control RRC works fine and allows the KPA500 Remote software (from Elecraft) to fully control the KPA500 at the Remote site.  BTW I'm using Com1 Mode set to "Mode 3" and COM1 baud rate of 38400 in this approach as well as the USB to Serial adapter approach and the USB cable approach as described below.

In order to be able to switch over to a new computer at the Control site which doesn't have real serial ports I have used a USB to Serial adapter cable (when connected it was assigned to Comm port COM15 as indicated in the ports list in Device Mgr).  When I opened the KPA500 Remote software, clicked on "Host" and "Find KPA500", the software automatically cycled through all the available ports at 38400, 19200, 9600 and 4800 baud rate.  A connection was opened on Com15 at 38400 and the software was able to fully control the KPA500.

I now wanted to use COM1 in the USB cable approach as indicated in Mitch's last post.  I know the COMExtra works because Ive been using it for RTTY (FSK) for some time.  With respect to steps taken to get the COM1 to work - I had to delete a number of conflicting legacy virtual com ports but when done the Device Mgr showed "RRC1258 COM1 (COM6) - which I took to understand that I needed to use Com6 when I ran the "Find KPA500" in the KPA500 Remote software.  I also changed the "Use USB Com Port as COM1" from No to Yes.  Unfortunately when I ran the KPA500 Remote software it was not able to find the KPA500 - so I suspect there are one or more configuration settings that I've missed.

So my next question is - when changing over to use the USB cable other than changing the "Use USB Com Port as COM1" from No to Yes  - what other setting changes should I be making??

All suggestions welcome.

73,  Doug  VE3MV
 

3

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: Dumb Question About FSK in a K3/Twin set up

« on: 2015-02-22, 00:29:27 »

My approach is somewhat over-kill but I had two Timewave DSP-9+ available so used a Y connecter at the SP output of the Control RRC - one leg of it goes to my earphones and the other leg goes to the pair of DSP-9+ units one for Main Audio and the other for Sub Rx audio. I then run the Line O/P from the DSP units to the L & R channel inputs of the sound card in an HP desktop.  The line output is relative constant for a range of audio adjustments on the K3/10 so changing the earphone settings doesn't seem to bother the RTTY readout.

73,  Doug  VE3MV

 

4

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Re: RRC1258 - Use of transparent Serial channel on COM1

« on: 2015-02-22, 00:11:36 »

Further update regarding Mitch's suggestion.

Due to other travels, my friend hasn't been able to fully check out Mitch's suggestion - hopefully to be done next week.

I re-checked the COM1 cable at my control site and it is definitely a "normal" serial cable and no null modem adapter is installed between the Control RRC  COM1 and the real serial port on the Dell notebook computer.  (As mentioned in my original post, a null adapter is however installed between the Radio RRC COM1 connector and the RS232 connector on the KPA500 at the Remote site.) 

I didn't want to go the route of using the USB connector on the Control RRC, because I was saving it to use for RTTY (which does work fine).

Rather than using the KPA500 control method outlined by Elecraft in the K3 Remote Manual (Rev D, pg 21) we would prefer to get this approach to work, because the KPA500 Remote software provides much more operational information.

73,  Doug  VE3MV

5

Configuration, RRC 1258 / RRC1258 - Use of transparent Serial channel on COM1

« on: 2015-02-06, 18:48:06 »

GM - We need some help to sort out an operational problem with the use of the transparent serial channel on COM1 of the Control RRC-1258.  My friend and I share the use of a RR system using Elecraft K3s and the K3 twin version of the RRC1258.   Each of us has a control site and is able to access and control the K3/100 at the Remote site - EXCEPT he is unable to access and control the KPA500 at the Remote site.

I have been using this system for about 2 years and originally configured my Control RRC to use the serial channel on COM1 to control the KPA500 first using the Elecraft KPAUtil software and more recently the KPA500 Remote software.  I went this route because it was easy to set up and I didn't need to modify any cables or write macros for the K3.  This approach did require a null modem cable at the Remote site between the Radio RRC COM1 and the KPA500 RS232 connector as well as cable from the Radio RRC I/O connector to the K3/100 ACC connector for ON/OFF control.  At my control site it required a normal serial cable between the computer serial port (a real one) and the Control RRC COM1 connector.

My friend has now finished the setup of his Control station and is able to access and control the K3/100.  However when he tries to use the COM1 Serial channel (with either the KPAUtil or the KPA500 Remote software) he is unable to get the system to recognize / access the KPA500.  We have tried to duplicate serial settings for COM1 between our two Control RRC (as per COM1 serial settings shown on pg 56 of the RRC Manual Rev A32) but so far its not working.

There are a few differences in our two control sites

My site uses a K3/10 for control and a Dell Notebook computer running Win XP SP3 with a real serial port.  The K3/10 has FW 4.86 etc and the Control RRC has FW 2.72

My friend's control site uses a K3/0 and a desktop computer running Win 7.  The K3/0 has FW 4.86  (not sure of the FW on the Control RRC but believe its 2.72 - will confirm tonight).  His computer has no serial ports so he is using a USB to serial adapter (FTDI chipset).  We believe it is working properly because it was used to do a firmware update on the K3/0 recently.

The Equipment at the Remote Station includes
K3/100 using FW 4.86, KPA500 using FW 1.11 and the RRC 1258 using FW 2.72

We have obviously missed something in doing the configuration but so far it eludes us.  Any suggestions on things to check would be greatly appreciated.

73,  Doug Joyce  VE3MV

6

Configuration, RRC 1258 / New default Port assignments ref Manual A32 Advanced settings pg 62

« on: 2015-01-04, 23:08:12 »

I've been successfully using a K3/10 to control a remote K3/100 + KPA500 system for over two years.  It was configured using the settings in Manual A25 (2012 May 29).  In early Dec/14 a problem developed and I could no longer connect - when I pushed the POWER Sw on the K3/10 the following occurred: the K3/10  would switch on; VFO A would come on at the last frequency of use; Rx audio could be heard; the Power-On Banner would start to scroll but would stop partway.  At which point the Rx audio would stop and the banner text would change to read "TERM".   I'm not aware of any changes that were made by the ISP at this time and no one was at the remote site.

I was informed that this condition could be caused by the use of SIP Port 5060 and that there had been changes made in the default settings as described in Manual A32 (2014 Sept 17), Advanced Settings on pgs 62-65 and Portforwarding on pg 227.

A few days ago, a friend and the other user of the station made the changes re the Portfowarding  and yesterday I used the Advanced Setting tab in both the Control and Radio RRCs and changed the ports to the "New" default values.  The changes were accepted by both the Control and Radio RRC units because the Status page of each new reflects the updated port values.

Unfortunately it didn't fix the problem.  When I press the K3/10 Power Sw it still will not connect and "TERM" is displayed in the VFO B position.

I checked all the prior messages for 2014 and could only find one similar report on 18 Jun 2014 by N6NR.  However, his problem seemed to be sufficiently different to warrant a new topic message.

I would appreciate any comments or suggestion on further steps to take to get this resolved.

73,  Doug  VE3MV

 Further to the above, both the K3/10 & the K3/100 are running FW Ver 4.86 and both of the RRC-1258s are running FW Ver 2.72