Hi Ed, Sorry for the delay getting back to you; I flew to HS over the weekend until the end of the year for vacation, so I was not reading the reflector.
I prefer to always have CAT available on both ends, i.e. on both K3's in this case. Since the serial cable is connected on each end from the K3's serial connector to COM2 of the RRC, this would normally make CAT unavailable without a trick. In this case, I just set the radio side RRC COM1 to "Mode-7, CAT to COM2 (local and remote)", and on the control RRC to "Mode-6, CAT to COM2 (local)". What this does is allows one to connect to the K3 CAT over the radio RRC's COM1 with a serial cable, which in turn passes the CAT data to the control RRC, where you can also connect CAT in parallel by using its COM1 (either serial cable, or USB cable if it is set to "on"). You can then use any logging/contest program you wish on either end, even both simultaneously. I also use this trick on several RemoteRig installations I have made with other rigs to sync up with amplifiers, etc. This of course kills COM1 for other use, but there are other serial servers or other means that one may use for these devices. If you have any further questions, just let me know. 73, Mitch DJ0QN On 09.12.2011 16:38, W0SD Ed Gray wrote: > Hi Mitch, > I certainly have some things to learn. There really is not a lot of > detail on how the "paths" work but Mike from Microbit is very > helpful. What is was trying to say for logging/control with say TRX > Manager is that I can do it two ways. > > First way uses my laptop COM1 and set USB to COM0 to YES. > Second way uses my laptop set to the Virtual port for COM1 and I set > USB to COM1 YES and USB to COM0 and USB to COM2 to NO > > I will have to try what you say in regards to to mode-6 etc. In the > manual mode-6 did not seem to apply to logging/control with say TRX > Manager at all but says such as antenna switching control. Apparently > you are telling me I can do logging/control with say TRX Manager this > way. > > I also heard an exciting thing this morning from Mike at Microbit and > he gave me a download URL. As I understand it with this version I can > use the TWINS or just use remote control with very little changes, ie > just one K3. There are a lot of advantages to this and certainly > increases the flexibility a good deal. It will not be as important > when the Hardware radio panel interface shows up and if it is at a > price that people will want to spend. However I think it will always > be important for flexibility to be able to operate remotely with a > TWIN(eventually a hardware radio panel interface) with the Microbit > Control RCC box or just with the computer and control RCC box and make > changing between them very easily so as you say it just makes it even > more feasible for a number of people to share one fully equipped K3 at > a very good site with good antennas as a relatively low cost per > user. I think a big key to this is to not have to do much > reconfiguring as the control goes from one person to another and they > can use a K3 or a hardware radio panel interface, just a computer with > say TRX Manager, etc. > > Thanks for your continued help Mitch! I think people thinking about > using the K3 remotely can do so with confidence that there is plenty > of help in getting things working and already in just a few days it > has gotten a lot easier. > > Ed W0SD > > On 12/9/2011 6:35 AM, Mitch Wolfson DJØQN wrote: >> Hi Ed, >> >> Thanks for letting us know about your experiences with the Elecraft >> Twin firmware. >> >> As you know, I have been testing this for a couple of months now and >> have been very impressed. There are a couple of bugs on the K3 >> firmware side that I am sure will be resolved soon, but this is not >> top priority.....we are all waiting for the KX3 firmware to be >> completed! ;-) >> >> The details about the cables is actually well documented in the >> RemoteRig manual; there are schematics for all the cables in that >> section. Of course, someone may of course choose to buy a cable set, >> but you can make your own if you wish. The most important custom >> cable is the one that allows powering-on the remote K3 when you >> power-on locally, since the K3 does not allow one to turn it on by >> using a CAT command. >> >> Where I disagree with you is your comment about having to set COM1 to >> USB. I have never experienced a need to do so, and indeed have none >> of my serial ports set to USB mode (although of course I could switch >> COM1 to USB for CAT if I wanted to). >> >> I run COM2 as "logical parallel with COM0" as per the manual, as well >> as COM1 in mode-6 (CAT to COM2). This allows one to use CAT both on >> the remote PC without any wiring change when operating locally, as >> well as CAT over the remote RRC. Of course, then you can't use COM1 >> for rotor or other control, but there are other solutions for that. >> >> The K3/0 will be a killer for high-performance remote >> stations......the current most popular rig with a separate control >> head used by RemoteRig installations is the TS-480. The Elecraft >> solution will allow the same type of flexible (hardware based) >> experience for multiple remote users, by sharing one fully equipped >> K3 at relatively low cost per user, but providing significantly >> better performance than the TS-480 provides. >> >> Anyone that is interested in remote operation using a hardware radio >> panel interface should be very excited about this new offering from >> Elecraft and Microbit. >> >> 73, >> Mitch DJ0QN >> >> On 09.12.2011 05:09, W0SD Ed Gray wrote: >>> I have the Elecraft "TWIN" setup working with the Microbit control and >>> remote boxes. The instructions in the Micorbit RRC-1258 MII manual are >>> pretty good. The URL is www.remoterig.com. The one thing that is not >>> clear IMHO is the last line of the setup for the K3 TWIN: >>> COM2 Mode listed as Logical Parallel with COM0 is not in the radio >>> settings but are in the Serial settings and are for both the control >>> and >>> remote(radio) boxes. >>> >>> It is also not mentioned that USB used as COM0 should be YES under the >>> Control Radio Settings and USB used as COM1 and USB used as COM2 should >>> be NO. >>> >>> One thing I missed without going over things a second time is that the >>> cable between the Control box COM2 and the K3 CAT is a cross over. The >>> cable between the remote box COM2 and the K3 CAT on the remote K3 is a >>> straight cable. >>> >>> The Microbit documentation never talks about the information from >>> Elecraft on getting in and out of the TERM mode. This was necessary for >>> me to get things working. Once it is running then it happens >>> automatically unless you get out of TERM and back to NORM. >>> You need the cables as describe in the Microbit documentation. >>> >>> It is very impressive and works "SUPER" and makes remoting over the >>> Internet or over LAN a breeze once you get by some lack of >>> documentation. >>> >>> For logging/control one can use say COM1 from your computer and a >>> serial >>> cable to COM1 on the Control Microbit box. These settings are discussed >>> under Logging or computer control, RTTY etc. in the Microbit manual but >>> IMHO they are not complete. If you want to use a serial cable between >>> your computer for logging and control and use say COM 1 out of your >>> computer. Set your logging control program to the same in this case >>> COM1 >>> and be sure the baud rate is the same everyplace. You still leave >>> USB to >>> COM0 as YES. Be sure to do what the Micorbit manual says in regards to >>> the mode 7 settings. >>> >>> If you want to use your USB cable to the RCC control unit for >>> logging/control and not have a serial cable then you have to set USB to >>> COM0 to NO and set USB to COM1 to YES and set your logging/control for >>> the virtual COM port that your computer has for COM 1 if that is what >>> you are using. >>> >>> REMEMBER TO APPLY YOUR SETTINGS and not just SUBMIT!!! >>> >>> If you want to control a K3 remotely using the Microbit boxes, ie not >>> use two K3's but just the remote one I have documented that in the >>> Microbit forum and how to control one rotor and do CW. I have RTTY >>> to do >>> yet and control of rotors and antenna switching outside the Microbit >>> boxes. You can do virtually everything with TXR manager in regards to >>> controlling the K3. >>> >>> The "TWIN set up is very nice but you have to spend the money for a >>> second K3. This makes the prospect of a K3 (0)with no RF that Eric >>> mentioned very interesting! It would be nice to have something less >>> valuable and smaller to carry with you and most things are a bit easier >>> to do on the control radio although there are a few things on TRX >>> manager that are IMHO easier than the radio such as band changes. I >>> need to do a lot more before I form much of an opinion on way or the >>> other. Obviously the "TWIN" set us is the easiest! >>> >>> It is possibly I made an error someplace in this information but I have >>> tried to be very careful. Anyway I do have it working all OK and it is >>> impressive so it can be done. It is just a matter of getting the >>> correct >>> settings. What you can do with remoting has got to be a very big deal >>> over the upcoming months as it is rapidly getting a lot easier to >>> do. It >>> is very real solution to problems a lot of hams have with noise of all >>> kinds, RFI, lack of antennas, restrictions, on the road a lot, needing >>> to be at different locations and the list goes on, the hassle of taking >>> a radio various places; especially if there will be a K3 (O) or you can >>> do it without the "TWINS". >>> >>> Ed W0SD >>> >>> >>> >>> On 12/8/2011 10:22 AM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote: >>>> We will also be putting up a K3 Remote page on the Elecraft page >>>> shortly >>>> with app notes, FAQ etc. >>>> >>>> Elecraft will also be offering the Remoterig boxes and matching K3 >>>> cables for sale on our web page shortly, along with a K3/0 control rig >>>> (no RF inside). Stay tuned! >>>> >>>> 73, Eric >>>> >>>> www.elecraft.com >>>> >>>> >>>> On 12/7/2011 11:02 PM, Mitch Wolfson DJØQN wrote: >>>>> Doug, >>>>> >>>>> You and anyone else having specific Elecraft Twin questions should >>>>> post >>>>> your questions directly on the Microbit (RemoteRig) forum at: >>>>> <http://www.remoterig.com/forum/index.php> >>>>> >>>>> to answer question 2: The remote K3 becomes your local K3. You are >>>>> essentially using the local one only as a control panel for the >>>>> remote >>>>> K3, so of course the audio and other settings will be that of the >>>>> remote >>>>> K3. >>>>> >>>>> to answer question 3: You will find the directions on page 167 of the >>>>> latest RemoteRig manual at<http://www.remoterig.com/wp/?page_id=97> >>>>> If you have any further questions, just post a message on their >>>>> forum, >>>>> or drop me a note and I can help you directly. >>>>> >>>>> 73, >>>>> Mitch DJ0QN >>>>> >>>>> On 08.12.2011 00:30, D Joyce wrote: >>>>>> Folks: >>>>>> >>>>>> Following Eric's announcement last Friday, I setup a K3/10 as the >>>>>> "local" and the K3/100 as the "remote" along with a KPA-500, made >>>>>> up the one new E3c keying cable for the "remote / radio" site and >>>>>> have been trying things out since Monday night. Still running >>>>>> things over my local LAN, but for the most part things work very >>>>>> slick. I still have some things to configure properly and a few >>>>>> settings I don't fully understand. Perhaps some of those who >>>>>> were able to work with the pre-Beta versions for a few weeks >>>>>> would explain a couple of things for me. >>>>>> >>>>>> 1. It's not obvious how the KPA-500 fits into this control >>>>>> system. In the previous (non-twin) approach, I used the KPA-500 >>>>>> Utility through the "free" Com1 channel of the RRC-1258 to turn >>>>>> the KPA-500 on / off and to monitor power and other performance >>>>>> parameters. Is it still the intention to use the KPA Utility >>>>>> with this new Program mode "14" approach or is there another >>>>>> way? Would appreciate some further details. >>>>>> >>>>>> 2. It's not clear how the audio and rf gain settings on the two >>>>>> K3s should be set. Seems that the settings on the "remote" K3 >>>>>> override whatever has been set on the "local" K3. So my settings >>>>>> at the moment are to have rf gain set at full CW for both main >>>>>> and sub on both K3s, to have AF gain on the "remote" K3 set at 12 >>>>>> o'clock for both main and sub and then use the audio controls on >>>>>> the "local" K3 for final admjustments. BTW I'm running the two >>>>>> channels of AF output from the "local" RRC to a pair of Timewave >>>>>> DSP-9+ units which feed separate speakers and the line outputs go >>>>>> to an old IBM PIII-600 running XP SP3 with two instances of MMTTY. >>>>>> >>>>>> 3. The Microbit setup Mgr v1.10 ( I couldn't get v1.12 to load - >>>>>> a Windows problem) sets up four virtual Com ports (see pg 75 of >>>>>> the new rev A17 RRC manual) Com 0, 1, 2 and FSK. I have the new >>>>>> ComFSK port working for FSK keying but I'm not sure how to >>>>>> configure for eg DX4Win to make use of Com 0, 1& 2. Further >>>>>> details would be helpful. >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks for your time. >>>>>> >>>>>> 73, Doug VE3MV >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>>>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >>>>>> >>>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Mitch Wolfson >>>>>> DJØQN / K7DX >>>>>> Georg-Kerschensteiner-Str. 42, 81829 Muenchen, Germany >>>>>> Skype: mitchwo - Home:+49 89 32152700 - Mobile:+49 172 8374436 >>>>>> Echolink: 3001 - IRLP: 5378 >>>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >>>>> >>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >>>> >>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>> >>>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Mitch Wolfson >>> DJØQN / K7DX >>> Georg-Kerschensteiner-Str. 42, 81829 Muenchen, Germany >>> Skype: mitchwo - Home:+49 89 32152700 - Mobile:+49 172 8374436 >>> Echolink: 3001 - IRLP: 5378 >> >> > > > -- > Mitch Wolfson > DJØQN / K7DX > Georg-Kerschensteiner-Str. 42, 81829 München > Skype: mitchwo - Home:+49 89 32152700 - Mobile:+49 172 8374436 > Echolink: 3001 - IRLP: 5378 > -- > Mitch Wolfson > DJØQN / K7DX > Georg-Kerschensteiner-Str. 42, 81829 Muenchen, Germany > Skype: mitchwo - Home:+49 89 32152700 - Mobile:+49 172 8374436 > Echolink: 3001 - IRLP: 5378 ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
