Re: [Elecraft] Proposed New KAT500 Option
All I have been running a remote base for over 10 years now, all via a variety of internet tools. If we are redesigning logic, I think we really need to consider moving up the ladder and not making older technology do the heavy lifting. Rather than using RF to manage the switching, or even RS232, we should try to use this new technology called TCP/IP. LOL All joking aside, we really need to move to all IP addressing for antenna switches, rotators, amplifiers and more. Flex is already doing that in so many ways, that I have now gone the Flex route for my remote base. It has reduced my wiring head aches 10 fold and increased my over all reliability at least that much Anything RS232 bases is now converted to RS232 over IP and where possible, using Raw sockets. PSTRotatorAz is the software tool that really helps glue this together. BTW, the devices I am using for RS232 over IP cost about $20 each and work well. I now run a LAN cable to the base of the tower for the Steppir Controller, Antenna Switch and Rotator. I cable run. I could also move the Radio there if I wished and gained several DB just by cutting out problematic RF cables that age over time. Once you start down this path, the ability to scale gets easier. Mike va3mw On Tue, Jun 7, 2016 at 7:24 AM, Larry Gauthier (K8UT) <k...@charter.net> wrote: > Ed, > > Your proposed solution sounds similar to my current configuration, except > that remote antenna switch selection is derived from a connection on the > K3S - not the KAT500. > > I have two main coax cables leaving the shack - one goes to a remote > switch at the top of the tower for selecting bands 6m - 20m; the other to a > second remote switch for selecting among dipoles and loops for 30m - 160m. > The KAT500 automatically determines which coax to use (Ant1 for 6m - 20m > coax or Ant2 for 30m - 160m coax), while a band decoder attached to the K3S > selects which specific antenna on those remote switches gets activated. > > This arrangement exploits the standard features of the KAT500 and the K3S > without any additional hardware or programs. You might be able to > accomplish the same thing using the band select outputs from the rig. > > -larry (K8UT) > -Original Message- From: Ed G > Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2016 7:51 PM > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: [Elecraft] Proposed New KAT500 Option > > Hello, > As part of my work designing and maintaining a remote station, I can > think of several ways to use a tower-mounted RF-actuated programmable coax > switch. So I'm wondering how hard it would be to add an optional external > coax switch for use with the KAT500? This would offer a couple benefits - > ability to tower-mount a coax switch (but maintain control of that switch > via the KAT500 circuitry and utility program), and it would increase the > number of available antenna ports from the current three to perhaps 6. > If this option were available, it could be implemented using a small > RF-sensing control box which would allow the KAT500 to remain as-is. The > KAT500 PC Data line would then run through the external control box to the > user's computer so that the utility program, once updated, would be able to > show coax switch status and allow the utility to program how the > tower-mounted switch responds. The user could hook the external RF-sensing > control box to ANT1 on the KAT500 (so ANT1 would be the position to select > if/when one wanted to use the tower-mounted switch). A switch control line, > and the RF coax would be the two lines running to the tower-mounted switch. > I'm posting here because it seems like the circuitry to sense frequency > and actuate the switching is already designed, and could be mostly > duplicated in the external RF-sensing control box. Would anyone else be > interested in such a "smart RF coax switch" option? I suspect the numbers > may not support this as a new product, but I am curious, as what I would > like to see is frequently out of phase with what others need ;) > --Ed-- > > > > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > https://www.avast.com/antivirus > > __ > 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 k...@charter.net > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mai
Re: [Elecraft] Proposed New KAT500 Option
Ed, Your proposed solution sounds similar to my current configuration, except that remote antenna switch selection is derived from a connection on the K3S - not the KAT500. I have two main coax cables leaving the shack - one goes to a remote switch at the top of the tower for selecting bands 6m - 20m; the other to a second remote switch for selecting among dipoles and loops for 30m - 160m. The KAT500 automatically determines which coax to use (Ant1 for 6m - 20m coax or Ant2 for 30m - 160m coax), while a band decoder attached to the K3S selects which specific antenna on those remote switches gets activated. This arrangement exploits the standard features of the KAT500 and the K3S without any additional hardware or programs. You might be able to accomplish the same thing using the band select outputs from the rig. -larry (K8UT) -Original Message- From: Ed G Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2016 7:51 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Proposed New KAT500 Option Hello, As part of my work designing and maintaining a remote station, I can think of several ways to use a tower-mounted RF-actuated programmable coax switch. So I'm wondering how hard it would be to add an optional external coax switch for use with the KAT500? This would offer a couple benefits - ability to tower-mount a coax switch (but maintain control of that switch via the KAT500 circuitry and utility program), and it would increase the number of available antenna ports from the current three to perhaps 6. If this option were available, it could be implemented using a small RF-sensing control box which would allow the KAT500 to remain as-is. The KAT500 PC Data line would then run through the external control box to the user's computer so that the utility program, once updated, would be able to show coax switch status and allow the utility to program how the tower-mounted switch responds. The user could hook the external RF-sensing control box to ANT1 on the KAT500 (so ANT1 would be the position to select if/when one wanted to use the tower-mounted switch). A switch control line, and the RF coax would be the two lines running to the tower-mounted switch. I'm posting here because it seems like the circuitry to sense frequency and actuate the switching is already designed, and could be mostly duplicated in the external RF-sensing control box. Would anyone else be interested in such a "smart RF coax switch" option? I suspect the numbers may not support this as a new product, but I am curious, as what I would like to see is frequently out of phase with what others need ;) --Ed-- --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus __ 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 k...@charter.net __ 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
[Elecraft] Proposed New KAT500 Option
Hello, As part of my work designing and maintaining a remote station, I can think of several ways to use a tower-mounted RF-actuated programmable coax switch. So I'm wondering how hard it would be to add an optional external coax switch for use with the KAT500? This would offer a couple benefits - ability to tower-mount a coax switch (but maintain control of that switch via the KAT500 circuitry and utility program), and it would increase the number of available antenna ports from the current three to perhaps 6. If this option were available, it could be implemented using a small RF-sensing control box which would allow the KAT500 to remain as-is. The KAT500 PC Data line would then run through the external control box to the user's computer so that the utility program, once updated, would be able to show coax switch status and allow the utility to program how the tower-mounted switch responds. The user could hook the external RF-sensing control box to ANT1 on the KAT500 (so ANT1 would be the position to select if/when one wanted to use the tower-mounted switch). A switch control line, and the RF coax would be the two lines running to the tower-mounted switch. I'm posting here because it seems like the circuitry to sense frequency and actuate the switching is already designed, and could be mostly duplicated in the external RF-sensing control box. Would anyone else be interested in such a "smart RF coax switch" option? I suspect the numbers may not support this as a new product, but I am curious, as what I would like to see is frequently out of phase with what others need ;) --Ed-- --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus __ 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
