Remote RRC occasionally crashes during CW transmit

[kl0r]

I am having a problem with the remote-side RRC crashing when sending CW. This occurs occasionally - under constant use, it might occur once in five or ten minutes. I have run a number of tests, and I have eliminated RF as a problem - the crash will occur even when the radio in test TX mode. I also know that it is the remote side, because when the link crashes, I can still access the web configuration interface at the radio side, but the remote side is down until the device reboots. I am sure that this is happening only on transmit, because when the device crashes, it loses CAT with win-test. I can leave the remote link up for many hours with the connection never dropping, as long as I am not transmitting CW

Here is my configuration:
K3/0 mini, with K3S radio. connected through reliable high speed VPN connection.

At the remote side, I am using a Windows 10 computer, running win-test. I am using an external winkey box, connected by USB to the computer and controlled by win-test. The winkey out goes to the KEY input on the back of the K3/0. At the remote RRC, the winkey is enabled, with the default values. At the radio end, winkey is configured to invoke PTT, with a 200ms tail. The radio is set for semi-QSK.

I had an earlier problem that was solved by upgrading the application firmware. I tried reflashing the application, but it did not make a difference.

Another symptom that may or may not be relevant is that when sending, I notice that occasionally the last element of a character will be dropped. For example, when sending a zero, what I hear sent in the internal side tone is ---- .

I am running the external winkey box because I want to send CW with the computer. I know that the RRC has an internal winkey emulator, but in the documentation I don't see where I can address it so that I can send computer-generated CW.

[dj0qn]

Sorry for the delay; I am on vacation and not able to react so quickly right now.

Several things:

- Just as a side on terminology; what you call the "remote-side" is what we call the "control side". Just to prevent future confusion.

- I do not see how your configuration can possibly work. An external Winkeyer should be plugged into the control RRC's I/O jack per
the manual. Please see the RemoteRig manual pages 94,95 & 242 (Appendix B) for details. Then it will key correctly. This may be
what is causing your crashes.

- To use the RRC's built-in Winkeyer emulation, all you do is to change the the RRC's serial setting on COM3 to Winkeyer, then use that
virtual serial port (under Windows Device Manager) in Win-Test as a Winkeyer. Very simple, but sometimes it can be buggy, so you may
prefer to use the first method if you already have an External Winkeyer.

- I am not sure why the control RRC crashes, but it may be caused by the fact that you are doing something it doesn't like as described
above. Otherwise, it may be a power supply problem. If not, get Winkeyer working and we can work on that problem later.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[W1UE]

KL0R, it sounds to me like you have a power supply problem, and let's get the nomenclature correct.  The remote site is where the transmitter is actually transmitting, its where the antennas are, and its where the K3s is located.  The control site is wherever you are and where the K3/0 is located.

Are you feeding the Remote RRC and K3s voltage from the same power supply?  If so, I'd suggest getting a separate power supply for the Remote RRC.  What I think is happening is that occasionally, for no real reason at all, your power supply to the Remote RRC drops too low, the Remote RRC turns "off" due to the voltage being low, then when you finish the code element and the voltage comes back up the RRC says "I just got voltage applied, so I'll start" and restarts.  It would be an intermittent thing, and hard to trace down. 

As for your setup, the Winkey need only be used at the Control site.  Its not necessary to plug the Winkey into the Control RRC; its much easier to plug the Winkey output into the "Key" jack on the back of the K3/0.  I have mine configured like that, and it works great.  Unless you operate using Teamviewer or similar desktop program, there is no need to have a Winkey or similar at the Remote site if you are going to use the Remote Rig system.

Dennis W1UE