K-3 with 4O3A antenna genius

[Elecraft mailing list]

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
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[Jim Brown-10]

On 9/15/2017 8:25 AM, Art via Elecraft 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.

I'm controlling my 8x2 Antenna Genius from the per-band switched 12V
outputs of two 5B4AGN bandpass filter band decoders. The 5B4AGN unit is
driven from the K3 ACC output. The Antenna Genius is pretty flexible in
how it can be controlled. There are dip switches that select the control
logic. The manual is online, but when I was installing my Antenna Genius
a year or two ago, the 8x2 was a brand new product and the manual wasn't
as complete as it should have been, so I had to get pin-outs of the DB
connector from Ranko via email.

The Antenna Genius 8x2 has EXCELLENT RF performance, with greater than
100 dB isolation between outputs for any combination of selected outputs
on all bands, and very low SWR. My measurements were done with a 50 Ohm
VNA and all unused outputs unterminated, which is worst case.

73, Jim K9YC


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[Elecraft mailing list]

Since we finally have the 630 meter band open for amateur use,
(after you file intent of operation with the UTC and wait 30 days),

is there any plan to put this band on the K3/K3S band plan?
Would sure be nice to be able to get to 630 with out going
through the settings to enable/disable etc.
Or publish a macro that could be used with PF1 or PF2 to engage
the band quickly.

73 Merv K9FD/KH6




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[donovanf]

For those that missed the announcement, the PLC database notification
web site is accepting registrations. Registration takes just a minute,
you need to know your latitude and longitude in deg. min. sec. before
you register.


https://utc.org/plc-database-amateur-notification-process 


Is there any possibility that Elecraft will introduce a 100 watt amplifier
for 630 meters?


73
Frank
W3LPL

----- Original Message -----

From: "Merv Schweigert via Elecraft" <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2017 5:41:08 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] 630 meter band open for use

Since we finally have the 630 meter band open for amateur use,
(after you file intent of operation with the UTC and wait 30 days),

is there any plan to put this band on the K3/K3S band plan?
Would sure be nice to be able to get to 630 with out going
through the settings to enable/disable etc.
Or publish a macro that could be used with PF1 or PF2 to engage
the band quickly.

73 Merv K9FD/KH6




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[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

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 <[hidden email]>
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

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