K2: CAT Control Not Working

[Jon Perelstein]

I have a K2/100 and KAT100, and do remote control using the RS-232 port
using a cable I made over a year as per the instructions in the KAT100
manual.  The remote control has been working successfully since June of 2010
(frequency, mode, power, filter, tune, split, and a couple of other things).

I didn't use the rig for about a week and when I did I found that the remote
control is no longer working.  No change in computer.  No change in
software.  No change in radio.  No change in cable.  The shack did get very
hot during that week when we had an especially bad heatwave here in the
Northeast (yeah, yeah, I know, nothing compared with what you folks are
dealing with in the South and Midwest).

I've checked the individual wire runs in the cable with an ohmmeter and
cannot find any problems with it.  The KAT100 is working properly and K2/100
itself seems to be working properly (at any rate, I've had some good QSOs
with it).  I've tried the remote control with the KAT100 disconnected, but
no joy.

I tried the Serial Interface Test described on page 61 of the KPA100 manual.
 The test message from the K2 to the computer ('FA00014020000') came through
just fine.  However, the message from the computer to the K2 did not get a
response ('SW01;').   I tried it with different computers (Vista, XP) and
with different serial-to-usb adapters, but get the same results each time.

Can anyone suggest a next step?

Thanks,

Jon
WB2RYV (ex-KB1QBZ)
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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Jon,

How did you try to do the remote control with the KPA100?  Unless you
had a KIO2 to install, there is no AUX IO port on the base K2.

Do you have an oscilloscope?  If not, do you have a source of -9 to -12
volts and a DMM?  A 9 volt battery and some clip leads will do the job.

Tell me what you have and I can tell you how to set it up to test the
RS-232 to TTL conversion IC.  The fact that it works from the K2 to the
computer is helpful and eliminates half the testing.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 8/1/2011 12:29 PM, Jon Perelstein wrote:

> I have a K2/100 and KAT100, and do remote control using the RS-232 port
> using a cable I made over a year as per the instructions in the KAT100
> manual.  The remote control has been working successfully since June of 2010
> (frequency, mode, power, filter, tune, split, and a couple of other things).
>
>
> I've checked the individual wire runs in the cable with an ohmmeter and
> cannot find any problems with it.  The KAT100 is working properly and K2/100
> itself seems to be working properly (at any rate, I've had some good QSOs
> with it).  I've tried the remote control with the KAT100 disconnected, but
> no joy.
>
>

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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Sorry,  I meant that to be "without the KPA100"

On 8/1/2011 2:25 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Jon,
>
> How did you try to do the remote control with the KPA100?  Unless you
> had a KIO2 to install, there is no AUX IO port on the base K2.
>
> Do you have an oscilloscope?  If not, do you have a source of -9 to -12
> volts and a DMM?  A 9 volt battery and some clip leads will do the job.
>
> Tell me what you have and I can tell you how to set it up to test the
> RS-232 to TTL conversion IC.  The fact that it works from the K2 to the
> computer is helpful and eliminates half the testing.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 8/1/2011 12:29 PM, Jon Perelstein wrote:
>> I have a K2/100 and KAT100, and do remote control using the RS-232 port
>> using a cable I made over a year as per the instructions in the KAT100
>> manual.  The remote control has been working successfully since June of 2010
>> (frequency, mode, power, filter, tune, split, and a couple of other things).
>>
>>
>> I've checked the individual wire runs in the cable with an ohmmeter and
>> cannot find any problems with it.  The KAT100 is working properly and K2/100
>> itself seems to be working properly (at any rate, I've had some good QSOs
>> with it).  I've tried the remote control with the KAT100 disconnected, but
>> no joy.
>>
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

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[TI2/NA7U]

This thread seemed to peter out just when it was getting interesting!

I suddenly have the same problem. CAT was working fine yesterday, today it is not. I checked the path program->serial cable->rig with my TT516 and that still works fine. I did the p61 test in the KPA100 manual and receive the test message just fine, but it looks like nothing is getting through from PC to K2.

What are those next steps?

73,

Casey, TI2/NA7U