Hi Art, If you're using a separate band decoder like K9YC, no problem, just use the 12V outputs of the band decoder to drive the Antenna Genius.
But I assume you want to use the band decoder built in to the Antenna Genius, not a separate box, which means you're setting the dip switches on the Antenna Genius to "BCD" mode rather than "Pin to Port" mode. The K3 band data lines on the ACC port can indeed be used to drive the corresponding Band Data lines on an Antenna Genius set to BCD mode. But there are some issues: 1. Even though they both use the same DE-15 D-SUB connector, Elecraft uses pins 13, 3, 9, and 14, for band data (in that order, "Band 0" to "Band 3"), but the Antenna Genius uses Pins 11, 12, 13, and 14 (for "Band A" to "Band D"). This means you'll have to solder a custom cable, wiring Band 0 to Band A, Band 1 to Band B, etc., plus ground, instead of a stock DE-15 M/M cable. You could also use a pair of Y-BOXs and two stereo patch cables with the 4 RCA connectors wired to the correct Band Data pins at each end, if you don't feel like trying to solder tiny wires to those miserable high-density DE-15 connectors, but that's much more expensive. Time or money, pick your poison. 2. The K3 uses all band data lines low to represent 60m. The Antenna Genius does not recognize 60m at all (perhaps something that could be changed in AG firmware). All the other HF + 6m band decoding works the same as on the K3. 3. Biggest problem: Once you connect the Antenna Genius, no other device that reads the band data lines, such as a KPA500 or KPA1500, will follow the K3 band changes any more. That's because the Antenna Genius draws the voltage of the band data lines down much too low to be recognized by any other band-decoding devices wired in parallel (band data line voltage drops from +5V to about +3V as soon as you connect the AG). To solve issue 3 for Y-BOX customer WD4ASW, I built a custom prototype "Band Data Isolator" circuit that used the 12V output of the K3 to "boost" the BCD lines fed to the Antenna Genius, while isolating the AG's current draw from any other devices wired in parallel to the band data lines of K3 ACC port. I'm thinking about offering a new Y-BOX model that will have this isolator and appropriate pin wiring built in, just for Antenna Genius customers, so I can add you to the interest list, if you're interested. But I don't know how many other K3 owners want to use an Antenna Genius and Elecraft amplifier or other band decoder at the same time. Others should send me a private message, off list, if they want to be added to the "Y-BOX-AG" interest list. Wiring other band decoders like the Top Ten Devices Band Aide or the Elecraft KRC2 in parallel with a KPA500 causes no problems. The Antenna Genius is the only device I know about that needs special handling when wiring it in parallel. 73, Bob, N6TV https://bit.ly/Y-BOX On Fri, Sep 15, 2017 at 8:25 AM, Art via Elecraft <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote: > Anyone have experience using this combination? In particular, I'm trying > to figure if the "Genius" can be controlled directly from the K-3 ACC using > it's band data info. > > > Any help would be appreciated. > > > Thanks and 73, > > > Art KZ5D ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
