K3, LP-Bridge, SteppIR BiggIR antenna

[John Gaynard]

I have the LP-Bridge functioning with the logger.  I now need to get it
working with the SteppIR.  The K3 connects to the computer via the COM1
port.  I have the current  K3 USB serial cable connected to the SteppIR via
COM9 port  using a serial extension cable with DB9 F to DB9F adapter to
match up with the DB9M connector on the K3 USB cable.  The SteppIR is set to
Kenwood command set and 4800bps.  The SteppIR is not responding to frequency
changes on the K3.  I see the USB serial output on the LP-Bridge port
display.

 

John K8WDN

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[Don Wilhelm-4]

  John,

Why not connect the SteppIR "Y" cable between the K3 and your USB to
serial cable.  The SteppIR only monitors the data, and does not send
anything, so the "Y" cable solution should work fine there without
involving LP-Bridge.
Set the K3 and SteppIR data rates to the same value - the faster, the
better for USB to serial adapters.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/10/2011 11:25 PM, John Gaynard wrote:
> I have the LP-Bridge functioning with the logger.  I now need to get it
> working with the SteppIR.  The K3 connects to the computer via the COM1
> port.  I have the current  K3 USB serial cable connected to the SteppIR via
> COM9 port  using a serial extension cable with DB9 F to DB9F adapter to
> match up with the DB9M connector on the K3 USB cable.  The SteppIR is set to
> Kenwood command set and 4800bps.  The SteppIR is not responding to frequency
> changes on the K3.  I see the USB serial output on the LP-Bridge port
> display.
>
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[John Gaynard]

Thanks Don.  Got it working.  Now to get my Flex 3000 working (I have an
early model K3 (S/N 157) and a Flex 3K (S/N 150).  Interfacing the K3 is a
lot simpler than integrating the Flex 3K with all the station peripherals.
I've been so busy with work over the last couple of years that I do not have
the time to work/play with the radio configurations as much as I would like
to.  Things evolve and I have to re-learn everything that was second-nature
a year or more ago.

John K8WDN

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Wilhelm [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 11:34 PM
To: John Gaynard
Cc: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3, LP-Bridge, SteppIR BiggIR antenna

  John,

Why not connect the SteppIR "Y" cable between the K3 and your USB to serial
cable.  The SteppIR only monitors the data, and does not send anything, so
the "Y" cable solution should work fine there without involving LP-Bridge.
Set the K3 and SteppIR data rates to the same value - the faster, the better
for USB to serial adapters.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/10/2011 11:25 PM, John Gaynard wrote:
> I have the LP-Bridge functioning with the logger.  I now need to get it
> working with the SteppIR.  The K3 connects to the computer via the COM1
> port.  I have the current  K3 USB serial cable connected to the SteppIR
via
> COM9 port  using a serial extension cable with DB9 F to DB9F adapter to
> match up with the DB9M connector on the K3 USB cable.  The SteppIR is set
to
> Kenwood command set and 4800bps.  The SteppIR is not responding to
frequency
> changes on the K3.  I see the USB serial output on the LP-Bridge port
> display.
>


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[N8LP]

  Hi John. First, make sure that you are using the top port on the
SteppIR controller. Second, you can't use a standard cable. The SteppIR
requires a special cable which you can make yourself. It needs to be
3-wire null modem (crossover), with pins 7&9 tied together on the
SteppIR side. Here is a rough sketch of how it works...

SteppIR end ...................  PC end
---------------------------------------------
1 --------------------------------- 2
2 --------------------------------- 1
5 --------------------------------- 5
7
I
9

You can also try a Y cable on the K3 side of the USB adapter, but you'll
have to set the baud rate in the SteppIR controller to 38,400 if that's
possible. There are subtle advantages to using the LP-Bridge output, as
long as you always have LP-Bridge running.

73,
Larry N8LP


On 1/11/2011 12:00 PM, [hidden email] wrote:

> Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:25:59 -0500
> From: "John Gaynard"<[hidden email]>
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3, LP-Bridge, SteppIR BiggIR antenna
> To:<[hidden email]>
> Message-ID:<04ae01cbb147$a6087e80$f2197b80$@columbus.rr.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> I have the LP-Bridge functioning with the logger.  I now need to get it
> working with the SteppIR.  The K3 connects to the computer via the COM1
> port.  I have the current  K3 USB serial cable connected to the SteppIR via
> COM9 port  using a serial extension cable with DB9 F to DB9F adapter to
> match up with the DB9M connector on the K3 USB cable.  The SteppIR is set to
> Kenwood command set and 4800bps.  The SteppIR is not responding to frequency
> changes on the K3.  I see the USB serial output on the LP-Bridge port
> display.
>
>
>
> John K8WDN

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[W3ACO]

The steppir controller polls the K3 or the P3 on pin 3 then receives data on pin 2. If a logging program can poll the K3/P3 then the steppir can listen for frequency data.  If there is no polling to the K3/P3 then the steppir will not follow the radio. I found this out from steppir today, March 13.  W3ACO