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K3 - Steppir interfacing

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Ray Albers-2

K3 - Steppir interfacing

So a couple of days ago I posted tale of woe, trying to get my newly
acquired K3 to work with MixW - well, thanks to a few off line e-mails and
some stumbling around, I got that working. Ditto, got N1MM+ working great.

Next - how to get the K3 to play with my SteppIR vertical antenna
controller. Worked fine with my ICOM 746PRO, where I had both MixW and
SteppIR autotracking working fine with the radio.

So: My computer is a Windows XP thing that I bought specifically because
it has an actual RS232 (9 pin) serial interface, so no need to struggle
with a serial to USB adapter. I made up a Y cable to interconnect K3,
SteppIR controller and computer. Lots of Googling told me that the
connections to SteppIR controller should be only DTR and Gnd, so I made
sure that was how it was wired. Other posts point out that the CONFIG
AutoInf should be set to Auto1 (one post said it should be set to Norm, so
I tried it both ways). I even tried setting K3, SteppIR and computer to a
slower data rate (9600) in case the 38k rate was too fast. No joy. Did the
obvious newbie stuff like turning things on and off, plugging and
unplugging cables - still NG.

As I said, my logging program and N1MM are working just fine (one at a
time, of course), and I could live without having the SteppIR do
autotracking as I change bands/frequencies, but dagnabbit!!! it's the
principle of the thing! I ought to be able to have everything working.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

73
Ray K2HYD
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Bill K9YEQ

Re: K3 - Steppir interfacing

Does SteppIR support your outdated OS? Talk to them to determine if there's an OS issue?

Bill
920-421-1172

________________________________
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> on behalf of Ray Albers <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2019 7:47:10 PM
To: [hidden email] <[hidden email]>
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 - Steppir interfacing

So a couple of days ago I posted tale of woe, trying to get my newly
acquired K3 to work with MixW - well, thanks to a few off line e-mails and
some stumbling around, I got that working. Ditto, got N1MM+ working great.

Next - how to get the K3 to play with my SteppIR vertical antenna
controller. Worked fine with my ICOM 746PRO, where I had both MixW and
SteppIR autotracking working fine with the radio.

So: My computer is a Windows XP thing that I bought specifically because
it has an actual RS232 (9 pin) serial interface, so no need to struggle
with a serial to USB adapter. I made up a Y cable to interconnect K3,
SteppIR controller and computer. Lots of Googling told me that the
connections to SteppIR controller should be only DTR and Gnd, so I made
sure that was how it was wired. Other posts point out that the CONFIG
AutoInf should be set to Auto1 (one post said it should be set to Norm, so
I tried it both ways). I even tried setting K3, SteppIR and computer to a
slower data rate (9600) in case the 38k rate was too fast. No joy. Did the
obvious newbie stuff like turning things on and off, plugging and
unplugging cables - still NG.

As I said, my logging program and N1MM are working just fine (one at a
time, of course), and I could live without having the SteppIR do
autotracking as I change bands/frequencies, but dagnabbit!!! it's the
principle of the thing! I ought to be able to have everything working.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

73
Ray K2HYD
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Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: K3 - Steppir interfacing

In reply to this post by Ray Albers-2

> I made up a Y cable to interconnect K3, SteppIR controller and
> computer. Lots of Googling told me that the connections to SteppIR
> controller should be only DTR and Gnd, so I made sure that was how it
> was wired.
Your Google "sources" are nonsense. The direct version of this e-mail
includes the schematic for the *STEPPIR* Y cable.

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 2019-08-14 8:47 PM, Ray Albers wrote:

> So a couple of days ago I posted tale of woe, trying to get my newly
> acquired K3 to work with MixW - well, thanks to a few off line e-mails and
> some stumbling around, I got that working. Ditto, got N1MM+ working great.
>
> Next - how to get the K3 to play with my SteppIR vertical antenna
> controller. Worked fine with my ICOM 746PRO, where I had both MixW and
> SteppIR autotracking working fine with the radio.
>
> So: My computer is a Windows XP thing that I bought specifically because
> it has an actual RS232 (9 pin) serial interface, so no need to struggle
> with a serial to USB adapter. I made up a Y cable to interconnect K3,
> SteppIR controller and computer. Lots of Googling told me that the
> connections to SteppIR controller should be only DTR and Gnd, so I made
> sure that was how it was wired. Other posts point out that the CONFIG
> AutoInf should be set to Auto1 (one post said it should be set to Norm, so
> I tried it both ways). I even tried setting K3, SteppIR and computer to a
> slower data rate (9600) in case the 38k rate was too fast. No joy. Did the
> obvious newbie stuff like turning things on and off, plugging and
> unplugging cables - still NG.
>
> As I said, my logging program and N1MM are working just fine (one at a
> time, of course), and I could live without having the SteppIR do
> autotracking as I change bands/frequencies, but dagnabbit!!! it's the
> principle of the thing! I ought to be able to have everything working.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> 73
> Ray K2HYD

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Dr. William J. Schmidt, II

Re: K3 - Steppir interfacing

Actually, the preferred method is to use a regular "Y" cable and a cable for the SteppIR's "S26" cable schematic intended specifically for the K3. It can be found in the Steppir groups.IO file section, or I can send it to you.

Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ

Owner - Operator
Big Signal Ranch – K9ZC
Staunton, Illinois

Owner – Operator
Villa Grand Piton – J68HZ
Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.
Rent it: www.VillaGrandPiton.com
Like us on Facebook!

Moderator – North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.

email: [hidden email]

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Joe Subich, W4TV
Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2019 9:44 PM
To: [hidden email]; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 - Steppir interfacing

> I made up a Y cable to interconnect K3, SteppIR controller and
> computer. Lots of Googling told me that the connections to SteppIR
> controller should be only DTR and Gnd, so I made sure that was how it
> was wired.
Your Google "sources" are nonsense. The direct version of this e-mail includes the schematic for the *STEPPIR* Y cable.

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 2019-08-14 8:47 PM, Ray Albers wrote:

> So a couple of days ago I posted tale of woe, trying to get my newly
> acquired K3 to work with MixW - well, thanks to a few off line e-mails
> and some stumbling around, I got that working. Ditto, got N1MM+ working great.
>
> Next - how to get the K3 to play with my SteppIR vertical antenna
> controller. Worked fine with my ICOM 746PRO, where I had both MixW and
> SteppIR autotracking working fine with the radio.
>
> So: My computer is a Windows XP thing that I bought specifically
> because it has an actual RS232 (9 pin) serial interface, so no need to
> struggle with a serial to USB adapter. I made up a Y cable to
> interconnect K3, SteppIR controller and computer. Lots of Googling
> told me that the connections to SteppIR controller should be only DTR
> and Gnd, so I made sure that was how it was wired. Other posts point
> out that the CONFIG AutoInf should be set to Auto1 (one post said it
> should be set to Norm, so I tried it both ways). I even tried setting
> K3, SteppIR and computer to a slower data rate (9600) in case the 38k
> rate was too fast. No joy. Did the obvious newbie stuff like turning
> things on and off, plugging and unplugging cables - still NG.
>
> As I said, my logging program and N1MM are working just fine (one at a
> time, of course), and I could live without having the SteppIR do
> autotracking as I change bands/frequencies, but dagnabbit!!! it's the
> principle of the thing! I ought to be able to have everything working.
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> 73
> Ray K2HYD

---
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Bill Frantz

Re: K3 - Steppir interfacing

In reply to this post by Ray Albers-2

The StepIR controller learns the frequency the radio is using by
reading the RS-232 interface between the computer and the radio.
It does not need to send data on that interface, so don't
connect the transmit data line to protect the devices. RS-232
interfaces can have only one device capable of transmitting. Two
devices transmitting can damage the devices.

My StepIR controller won't work with the 38.4K data rate so I
run my computer, the K3, and the P3 at 19.2K. Since I have the
upgraded card in my K3 that supports CAT and sound over the same
USB interface, I have to set the speed on the P3, the computer,
and the StepIR controller to 19.2K.

You will also need a program running on your computer which
regularly polls the radio for frequency information. Most
logging programs will do this, but you can set the K3 to
automatically send that information at regular intervals if such
a program isn't running. The manual warns that some programs
can't handle the frequency information if they didn't ask for
it, but none of the Mac programs I run have that problem.

I use the N6TV Serial Box to connect all the pieces together,
but a Y cable which doesn't connect out output data line from
the StepIR controller should also work. Joe, W4TV sent you a
diagram for such a cable.

73 Bill AE6JV

On 8/14/19 at 5:47 PM, [hidden email] (Ray Albers) wrote:

>...
>
>Next - how to get the K3 to play with my SteppIR vertical antenna
>controller. Worked fine with my ICOM 746PRO, where I had both MixW and
>SteppIR autotracking working fine with the radio.
>
>So: My computer is a Windows XP thing that I bought specifically because
>it has an actual RS232 (9 pin) serial interface, so no need to struggle
>with a serial to USB adapter. I made up a Y cable to interconnect K3,
>SteppIR controller and computer. Lots of Googling told me that the
>connections to SteppIR controller should be only DTR and Gnd, so I made
>sure that was how it was wired. Other posts point out that the CONFIG
>AutoInf should be set to Auto1 (one post said it should be set to Norm, so
>I tried it both ways). I even tried setting K3, SteppIR and computer to a
>slower data rate (9600) in case the 38k rate was too fast. No joy. Did the
>obvious newbie stuff like turning things on and off, plugging and
>unplugging cables - still NG.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Frantz | Re: Computer reliability, performance, and security:
408-356-8506 | The guy who *is* wearing a parachute is
*not* the
www.pwpconsult.com | first to reach the ground. - Terence Kelly

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Ray Albers-2

Re: K3 - Steppir interfacing

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

Joe, you're right of course - and thank you. I have no clue why I typed
DTR! Google sources did indeed say RXD (received data, pin 2) and that is
in fact how I wired the cable. I guess I was looking at my hand drawn
schematic notes and my eyes got a little dyslexic.

Also, thanks to you and others for mentioning that pins 7 and 9 need to be
shorted (as shown in the schematic you sent). I did that, and - voila!

Everything's working now - SteppIR, MixW, N1MM+. (the latter programs one
at a time, or course).

Thanks, everyone.

73
Ray K2HYD

On Wed, Aug 14, 2019 at 10:44 PM Joe Subich, W4TV <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
> > I made up a Y cable to interconnect K3, SteppIR controller and
> > computer. Lots of Googling told me that the connections to SteppIR
> > controller should be only DTR and Gnd, so I made sure that was how it
> > was wired.
> Your Google "sources" are nonsense. The direct version of this e-mail
> includes the schematic for the *STEPPIR* Y cable.
>
>
> 73,
>
> ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 2019-08-14 8:47 PM, Ray Albers wrote:
> > So a couple of days ago I posted tale of woe, trying to get my newly
> > acquired K3 to work with MixW - well, thanks to a few off line e-mails
> and
> > some stumbling around, I got that working. Ditto, got N1MM+ working
> great.
> >
> > Next - how to get the K3 to play with my SteppIR vertical antenna
> > controller. Worked fine with my ICOM 746PRO, where I had both MixW and
> > SteppIR autotracking working fine with the radio.
> >
> > So: My computer is a Windows XP thing that I bought specifically because
> > it has an actual RS232 (9 pin) serial interface, so no need to struggle
> > with a serial to USB adapter. I made up a Y cable to interconnect K3,
> > SteppIR controller and computer. Lots of Googling told me that the
> > connections to SteppIR controller should be only DTR and Gnd, so I made
> > sure that was how it was wired. Other posts point out that the CONFIG
> > AutoInf should be set to Auto1 (one post said it should be set to Norm,
> so
> > I tried it both ways). I even tried setting K3, SteppIR and computer to a
> > slower data rate (9600) in case the 38k rate was too fast. No joy. Did
> the
> > obvious newbie stuff like turning things on and off, plugging and
> > unplugging cables - still NG.
> >
> > As I said, my logging program and N1MM are working just fine (one at a
> > time, of course), and I could live without having the SteppIR do
> > autotracking as I change bands/frequencies, but dagnabbit!!! it's the
> > principle of the thing! I ought to be able to have everything working.
> >
> > Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> >
> > 73
> > Ray K2HYD
>
>

Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: K3 - Steppir interfacing

In reply to this post by Dr. William J. Schmidt, II

On 2019-08-14 11:11 PM, Dr. William J. Schmidt wrote:
> Actually, the preferred method is to use a regular "Y" cable and a
> cable for the SteppIR's "S26" cable schematic intended specifically
> for the K3.
The SteppIR "S26" cable will result in a doubly loaded "serial in"
line (two drivers connected to the K2/K3/K3S RxD line resulting in
no data to the K2/K3/K3s) when used with a standard "all 9" DB9 Y
cable.

The schematic for the SteppIR "Y" cable that I provided to K2HYD is
also available in the SteppIR groups.io files section and works
directly with SteppIR controllers and the K2, K3, K3S without any
other cables.

BTW, your "FT947" cable is labeled incorrectly - it is FT847.

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 2019-08-14 11:11 PM, Dr. William J. Schmidt wrote:

> Actually, the preferred method is to use a regular "Y" cable and a cable for the SteppIR's "S26" cable schematic intended specifically for the K3. It can be found in the Steppir groups.IO file section, or I can send it to you.
>
>
> Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ
>
> Owner - Operator
> Big Signal Ranch – K9ZC
> Staunton, Illinois
>
> Owner – Operator
> Villa Grand Piton – J68HZ
> Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.
> Rent it: www.VillaGrandPiton.com
> Like us on Facebook!
>
> Moderator – North American QRO Group at Groups.IO.
>
> email: [hidden email]
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Joe Subich, W4TV
> Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2019 9:44 PM
> To: [hidden email]; [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 - Steppir interfacing
>
>
>> I made up a Y cable to interconnect K3, SteppIR controller and
>> computer. Lots of Googling told me that the connections to SteppIR
>> controller should be only DTR and Gnd, so I made sure that was how it
>> was wired.
> Your Google "sources" are nonsense. The direct version of this e-mail includes the schematic for the *STEPPIR* Y cable.
>
>
> 73,
>
> ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 2019-08-14 8:47 PM, Ray Albers wrote:
>> So a couple of days ago I posted tale of woe, trying to get my newly
>> acquired K3 to work with MixW - well, thanks to a few off line e-mails
>> and some stumbling around, I got that working. Ditto, got N1MM+ working great.
>>
>> Next - how to get the K3 to play with my SteppIR vertical antenna
>> controller. Worked fine with my ICOM 746PRO, where I had both MixW and
>> SteppIR autotracking working fine with the radio.
>>
>> So: My computer is a Windows XP thing that I bought specifically
>> because it has an actual RS232 (9 pin) serial interface, so no need to
>> struggle with a serial to USB adapter. I made up a Y cable to
>> interconnect K3, SteppIR controller and computer. Lots of Googling
>> told me that the connections to SteppIR controller should be only DTR
>> and Gnd, so I made sure that was how it was wired. Other posts point
>> out that the CONFIG AutoInf should be set to Auto1 (one post said it
>> should be set to Norm, so I tried it both ways). I even tried setting
>> K3, SteppIR and computer to a slower data rate (9600) in case the 38k
>> rate was too fast. No joy. Did the obvious newbie stuff like turning
>> things on and off, plugging and unplugging cables - still NG.
>>
>> As I said, my logging program and N1MM are working just fine (one at a
>> time, of course), and I could live without having the SteppIR do
>> autotracking as I change bands/frequencies, but dagnabbit!!! it's the
>> principle of the thing! I ought to be able to have everything working.
>>
>> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>>
>> 73
>> Ray K2HYD
>