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K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

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Bill Myers

K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

I use a macro to control my external amp (not a KPA500). One macro reduces power to the drive requirements of the amp, the other increases the power to 85 W when I don't need the amp. When I activate the 85 W macro, I must disable the amp or it gets hit with the 85 W sending it into the protect mode. I want to disable the KEY OUT from the K3. I can use the DIGOUT1 and an external relay to do that, but it would certainly be cleaner to just disable the KEY OUT circuit. I find no command in the Programmers Manual to do that - am I missing something?

Bill K6IFF

Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

> I want to disable the KEY OUT from the K3. I can use the DIGOUT1 and
> an external relay to do that, but it would certainly be cleaner to
> just disable the KEY OUT circuit. I find no command in the
> Programmers Manual to do that - am I missing something?

You *CAN NOT* disable Key Out. It is a hardware output from the T/R
circuit (7R line). Since 7R is high when the receive is on and low
when the receiver is off/muted there is *no way* to selectively disable
Key Out (see page 3 of the current schematic set).

This issue has been beat to death here ... it is a design feature of
the K3.

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 5/31/2011 2:13 PM, Bill Myers wrote:

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Guy, K2AV

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

In reply to this post by Bill Myers

That seems like it has to be firmware. Perhaps an "off" state that goes
away with any key input. Or a command to tune, no key out, which is toggled
off by tapping tune?

On a related topic, what do people do with the XMIT button? I never use it
as an alternate to footswitch or a panel mounted PTT. I only ever use it
with a HOLD to initiate TUNE state, or tap to terminate TUNE. Could the use
of XMIT be optionally changed to tune, no key out?

73, Guy.

On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 2:13 PM, Bill Myers <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I use a macro to control my external amp (not a KPA500). One macro reduces
> power to the drive requirements of the amp, the other increases the power
> to
> 85 W when I don't need the amp. When I activate the 85 W macro, I must
> disable the amp or it gets hit with the 85 W sending it into the protect
> mode. I want to disable the KEY OUT from the K3. I can use the DIGOUT1
> and
> an external relay to do that, but it would certainly be cleaner to just
> disable the KEY OUT circuit. I find no command in the Programmers Manual
> to
> do that - am I missing something?
>
> Bill K6IFF
>
>

Matt Zilmer

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

XMIT is pretty handy if you're using a data mode program that doesn't
have a serial port connection from the computer to the RS232 jack. For
a while, I was using MT63 in DM780 this way. Until I got the serial
VSP's and a lot of USB - Serial mapping cleared up.

It makes a pretty lousy straight key though. Might do better than
nothing in a pinch.

73,
matt W6NIA

On Tue, 31 May 2011 14:42:49 -0400, you wrote:

>That seems like it has to be firmware. Perhaps an "off" state that goes
>away with any key input. Or a command to tune, no key out, which is toggled
>off by tapping tune?
>
>On a related topic, what do people do with the XMIT button? I never use it
>as an alternate to footswitch or a panel mounted PTT. I only ever use it
>with a HOLD to initiate TUNE state, or tap to terminate TUNE. Could the use
>of XMIT be optionally changed to tune, no key out?
>
>73, Guy.
>
>On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 2:13 PM, Bill Myers <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> I use a macro to control my external amp (not a KPA500). One macro reduces
>> power to the drive requirements of the amp, the other increases the power
>> to
>> 85 W when I don't need the amp. When I activate the 85 W macro, I must
>> disable the amp or it gets hit with the 85 W sending it into the protect
>> mode. I want to disable the KEY OUT from the K3. I can use the DIGOUT1
>> and
>> an external relay to do that, but it would certainly be cleaner to just
>> disable the KEY OUT circuit. I find no command in the Programmers Manual
>> to
>> do that - am I missing something?
>>
>> Bill K6IFF
>>
>>
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>
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Mike Reublin

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

In reply to this post by Bill Myers

Bill,

Are you saying when you activate your 85W macro it also keys the rig/amp? Maybe I
misunderstand, but my macros don't key anything. PC053; for when I'm using the amp,
PC100; when I'm not.

73, Mike NF4L

On 5/31/2011 2:13 PM, Bill Myers wrote:

> I use a macro to control my external amp (not a KPA500). One macro reduces
> power to the drive requirements of the amp, the other increases the power to
> 85 W when I don't need the amp. When I activate the 85 W macro, I must
> disable the amp or it gets hit with the 85 W sending it into the protect
> mode. I want to disable the KEY OUT from the K3. I can use the DIGOUT1 and
> an external relay to do that, but it would certainly be cleaner to just
> disable the KEY OUT circuit. I find no command in the Programmers Manual to
> do that - am I missing something?
>
> Bill K6IFF
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-Macro-to-control-KEY-OUT-tp6423931p6423931.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Guy, K2AV

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

In reply to this post by Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Yes, yes, yes.... You're right. I keep forgetting this one. I have some
mental block about it. Sorry all for the blather.

It's one of the few control leads that are not driven by their own state
output from the CPU. It's run off of 7R to add the transition time to the
state change in the amp for QSK. Works very well except for tuning after the
amp, that isn't auto-tuning in the amp.

73, Guy.

On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 2:42 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
> > I want to disable the KEY OUT from the K3. I can use the DIGOUT1 and
> > an external relay to do that, but it would certainly be cleaner to
> > just disable the KEY OUT circuit. I find no command in the
> > Programmers Manual to do that - am I missing something?
>
> You *CAN NOT* disable Key Out. It is a hardware output from the T/R
> circuit (7R line). Since 7R is high when the receive is on and low
> when the receiver is off/muted there is *no way* to selectively disable
> Key Out (see page 3 of the current schematic set).
>
> This issue has been beat to death here ... it is a design feature of
> the K3.
>
> 73,
>
> ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 5/31/2011 2:13 PM, Bill Myers wrote:
> > I use a macro to control my external amp (not a KPA500). One macro
> reduces
> > power to the drive requirements of the amp, the other increases the power
> to
> > 85 W when I don't need the amp. When I activate the 85 W macro, I must
> > disable the amp or it gets hit with the 85 W sending it into the protect
> > mode. I want to disable the KEY OUT from the K3. I can use the DIGOUT1
> and
> > an external relay to do that, but it would certainly be cleaner to just
> > disable the KEY OUT circuit. I find no command in the Programmers Manual
> to
> > do that - am I missing something?
> >
> > Bill K6IFF
> >
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

In reply to this post by Guy, K2AV

Please! Key Out is not independently controlled by the K3 controller!
It is a hardware derivative of the 7R line (effectively Receiver Mute)
in the transceiver, There *is no way* to control the behavior of the
Key Out line separately from 7R. *PERIOD END OF STORY*

Key Out is a feature of the K3 design ... why can't people get it
through their heads (just look at the schematic) that Key Out can not
be changed and stop raising the issue in different way every two
weeks?

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 5/31/2011 2:42 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote:

> That seems like it has to be firmware. Perhaps an "off" state that goes
> away with any key input. Or a command to tune, no key out, which is toggled
> off by tapping tune?
>
> On a related topic, what do people do with the XMIT button? I never use it
> as an alternate to footswitch or a panel mounted PTT. I only ever use it
> with a HOLD to initiate TUNE state, or tap to terminate TUNE. Could the use
> of XMIT be optionally changed to tune, no key out?
>
> 73, Guy.
>
> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 2:13 PM, Bill Myers<[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> I use a macro to control my external amp (not a KPA500). One macro reduces
>> power to the drive requirements of the amp, the other increases the power
>> to
>> 85 W when I don't need the amp. When I activate the 85 W macro, I must
>> disable the amp or it gets hit with the 85 W sending it into the protect
>> mode. I want to disable the KEY OUT from the K3. I can use the DIGOUT1
>> and
>> an external relay to do that, but it would certainly be cleaner to just
>> disable the KEY OUT circuit. I find no command in the Programmers Manual
>> to
>> do that - am I missing something?
>>
>> Bill K6IFF
>>
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Bill Myers

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

In reply to this post by Mike Reublin

Mike,

My macro doesn't key the K3/amp, but if I forget to reach over and take the amp off-line before I do key, the protect circuit will shut the amp down with the 85 W input. I remember ninety-five percent of the time - but sometimes in the heat of things ... (or maybe during just a sr. moment or two!) ...

Bill K6IFF

"Are you saying when you activate your 85W macro it also keys the rig/amp? Mike NF4L"

Mike Reublin

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

Ahhhh....Yeah, mine does too. It's a good reminder.
73, Mike

On 5/31/2011 5:32 PM, Bill Myers wrote:

> Mike,
>
> My macro doesn't key the K3/amp, but if I forget to reach over and take the
> amp off-line before I do key, the protect circuit will shut the amp down
> with the 85 W input. I remember ninety-five percent of the time - but
> sometimes in the heat of things ... (or maybe during just a sr. moment or
> two!) ...
>
> Bill K6IFF
>
> "Are you saying when you activate your 85W macro it also keys the rig/amp?
> Mike NF4L"
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-Macro-to-control-KEY-OUT-tp6423931p6424649.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Vic K2VCO

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

In reply to this post by Bill Myers

I use the DIGOUT1 line to enable my amp, as someone mentioned. It's reliable because you
can turn it on or off and not just change its state, as with some other parameters.

You would be amazed at how much output you can get from a single 3-500Z (for a very short
time!) if you hit it with 110 watts of drive. I found out before implementing DIGOUT1, but
luckily the tube survived.

On 5/31/2011 2:32 PM, Bill Myers wrote:

--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

Vic,

I am going to lobby for an "Amp Inhibit" input in every amplifier that
will accept exactly what your external relay driven by DIGOUT1 signal is
doing. :-)

IT does not have to place the amp in standby, it just opens the Key In
line, and would be easily be done inside the amplifier. When the signal
is present, the amp ignores the Key In line.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/31/2011 6:10 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
> I use the DIGOUT1 line to enable my amp, as someone mentioned. It's reliable because you
> can turn it on or off and not just change its state, as with some other parameters.
>
> You would be amazed at how much output you can get from a single 3-500Z (for a very short
> time!) if you hit it with 110 watts of drive. I found out before implementing DIGOUT1, but
> luckily the tube survived.
>
______________________________________________________________
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Vic K2VCO

Re: K3 Macro to control KEY OUT

That is exactly what I built into my homebrew amplifier and my SB-1000. It is an input
that disables the key line if it doesn't see +12v. I use DIGOUT1 to turn on a transistor
switch that applies the 12v to the amp.

On 5/31/2011 3:25 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Vic,
>
> I am going to lobby for an "Amp Inhibit" input in every amplifier that will accept exactly
> what your external relay driven by DIGOUT1 signal is doing. :-)
>
> IT does not have to place the amp in standby, it just opens the Key In line, and would be
> easily be done inside the amplifier. When the signal is present, the amp ignores the Key
> In line.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>
> On 5/31/2011 6:10 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
>> I use the DIGOUT1 line to enable my amp, as someone mentioned. It's reliable because you
>> can turn it on or off and not just change its state, as with some other parameters.
>>
>> You would be amazed at how much output you can get from a single 3-500Z (for a very short
>> time!) if you hit it with 110 watts of drive. I found out before implementing DIGOUT1, but
>> luckily the tube survived.
>>