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K3 - Using MiC Key (PTT) to Transmit (activate) VOX (NOT Computer)

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K3 - Using MiC Key (PTT) to Transmit (activate) VOX (NOT Computer)

I wish to manually key the transmitter with VOX, and while transmitting have
the VOX activate to LISTEN between words so that I can hear if I double.

I don't want VOX on all the time to key the transmitter when I sneeze,
someone talks to me, I murmur, phone rings, wife pours hot soup in my lap,
etc.

WHY?
1>To avoid accidently transmitting while listening; I want to control
transmit (VOX) by pushing my foot pedal turn VOX on.

A net control/relay has to do 2+ things already, read the list, flip pages,
mark response, record traffic by destination and call sign, etc.

Or to type on a keyboard (I'm a 2 handed typist).

Pushing the VOX button on/off each time with my little toe is very awkward.

2>While transmitting (as net control) I wish the VOX to be active so that I
can take advantage of VOX {to listen between words}.
VOX when talking switches to listen during the brief pause between words,
and as you breath the amp switches in milliseconds.

You can hear very easily any station that you double with.

I prefer software or K3 Config, but would buy something that would work as
well as the built in VOX in the K3

I do appreciate your ideas, that doesn't require wiring the foot pedal into
the panel switch.

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Mike Reublin

Re: K3 - Using MiC Key (PTT) to Transmit (activate) VOX (NOT Computer)

Is it possible you have confused PTT and VOX? I can't imagine VOX being controlled by a foot switch.

73, Mike NF4L

On Aug 15, 2014, at 12:40 PM, KB7WVB <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I wish to manually key the transmitter with VOX, and while transmitting have
> the VOX activate to LISTEN between words so that I can hear if I double.
>
> I don't want VOX on all the time to key the transmitter when I sneeze,
> someone talks to me, I murmur, phone rings, wife pours hot soup in my lap,
> etc.
>
> WHY?
> 1>To avoid accidently transmitting while listening; I want to control
> transmit (VOX) by pushing my foot pedal turn VOX on.
>
> A net control/relay has to do 2+ things already, read the list, flip pages,
> mark response, record traffic by destination and call sign, etc.
>
> Or to type on a keyboard (I'm a 2 handed typist).
>
> Pushing the VOX button on/off each time with my little toe is very awkward.
>
>
> 2>While transmitting (as net control) I wish the VOX to be active so that I
> can take advantage of VOX {to listen between words}.
> VOX when talking switches to listen during the brief pause between words,
> and as you breath the amp switches in milliseconds.
>
> You can hear very easily any station that you double with.
>
>
> I prefer software or K3 Config, but would buy something that would work as
> well as the built in VOX in the K3
>
>
>
> I do appreciate your ideas, that doesn't require wiring the foot pedal into
> the panel switch.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Grant Youngman

Re: K3 - Using MiC Key (PTT) to Transmit (activate) VOX (NOT Computer)

I think the point is to have VOX inactive until PTT is keyed. In this mode, PTT wouldn’t key the radio, it would simply activate VOX. If PTT was not keyed, the radio would not respond to audio and key the transmitter, even with VOX turned on.

Another way to do this of course, would be a switch in the audio path of the mic (the reverse of a broadcaster’s “cough” switch).

Interestingly (to some perhaps), my CE-100V works this way with its D-104. With PTT not pressed, no DC is applied to the FET preamp in the mic. So I leave the radio in VOX mode, but still have to invoke PTT on the mic for the VOX to actually work. It is actually quite handy — when you’re not going to talk for a bit, you can cough, sneeze, yell at the dog, whatever, and the radio won’t respond.

Grant NQ5T

On Aug 15, 2014, at 11:52 AM, Mike Reublin <[hidden email]> wrote:

Iain MacDonnell - N6ML-2

Re: K3 - Using MiC Key (PTT) to Transmit (activate) VOX (NOT Computer)

In reply to this post by Mike Reublin

I think it's an interesting idea. It seems it should be feasible to
implement in firmware, but maybe non-trivial.

Thinking outside the box; what if you route the mic signal through the
footswitch instead of PTT? Or maybe through a relay that the
footswitch triggers... and keep VOX on all the time.

73,

~iain / N6ML

On Fri, Aug 15, 2014 at 9:52 AM, Mike Reublin <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Is it possible you have confused PTT and VOX? I can't imagine VOX being controlled by a foot switch.
>
> 73, Mike NF4L
>
> On Aug 15, 2014, at 12:40 PM, KB7WVB <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> I wish to manually key the transmitter with VOX, and while transmitting have
>> the VOX activate to LISTEN between words so that I can hear if I double.
>>
>> I don't want VOX on all the time to key the transmitter when I sneeze,
>> someone talks to me, I murmur, phone rings, wife pours hot soup in my lap,
>> etc.
>>
>> WHY?
>> 1>To avoid accidently transmitting while listening; I want to control
>> transmit (VOX) by pushing my foot pedal turn VOX on.
>>
>> A net control/relay has to do 2+ things already, read the list, flip pages,
>> mark response, record traffic by destination and call sign, etc.
>>
>> Or to type on a keyboard (I'm a 2 handed typist).
>>
>> Pushing the VOX button on/off each time with my little toe is very awkward.
>>
>>
>> 2>While transmitting (as net control) I wish the VOX to be active so that I
>> can take advantage of VOX {to listen between words}.
>> VOX when talking switches to listen during the brief pause between words,
>> and as you breath the amp switches in milliseconds.
>>
>> You can hear very easily any station that you double with.
>>
>>
>> I prefer software or K3 Config, but would buy something that would work as
>> well as the built in VOX in the K3
>>
>>
>>
>> I do appreciate your ideas, that doesn't require wiring the foot pedal into
>> the panel switch.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Don Wilhelm-4

Re: K3 - Using MiC Key (PTT) to Transmit (activate) VOX (NOT Computer)

An alternative if one is using an electret microphone is *not* to apply
bias from the K3, but to bias the microphone from a 10k resistor fed
from mic jack pin 6 (to mic jack pin 1). Put a relay in series with the
resistor and operate that relay from the foot switch.
The microphone will not respond until the relay closes.
The footswitch would *not* connect to the K3 PTT IN.

This is not normal operation, and the original poster is asking for a
new function from Elecraft. I don't think many hams would take
advantage of a function like that (at least I would not), so the most
expedient way to implement it is by use of some external device (you can
have the function now rather than waiting for Elecraft to develop it).

Some microphones already have a section of the internal PTT switch wired
in series with the mic element, and those could be easily modified by
disconnecting the PTT function connection to mic plug pin 2 and running
the K3 in VOX. In other words, the mic PTT switch closes the AF line
between the mic element and the plug, so VOX will only work when the PTT
switch is closed.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 8/15/2014 1:33 PM, iain macdonnell - N6ML wrote:
> I think it's an interesting idea. It seems it should be feasible to
> implement in firmware, but maybe non-trivial.
>
> Thinking outside the box; what if you route the mic signal through the
> footswitch instead of PTT? Or maybe through a relay that the
> footswitch triggers... and keep VOX on all the time.
>
>

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Richard Ferch

Re: K3 - Using MiC Key (PTT) to Transmit (activate) VOX (NOT Computer)

In reply to this post by JJ

It occurs to me that another option might be to connect the footswitch,
with a pullup resistor to 5VDC, to pin 7 of the ACC connector, and set
CONFIG:TX INH to HI=INH. This should prevent the K3 from transmitting
except when the footswitch was pressed. You might want to wire an SPST
switch in parallel with the footswitch so you could disable the inhibit
function in other modes.

73,
Rich VE3KI

On 8/15/2014 1:33 PM, iain macdonnell - N6ML wrote:
> I think it's an interesting idea. It seems it should be feasible to
> implement in firmware, but maybe non-trivial.
>
> Thinking outside the box; what if you route the mic signal through the
> footswitch instead of PTT? Or maybe through a relay that the
> footswitch triggers... and keep VOX on all the time.
>
>

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Re: K3 - Using MiC Key (PTT) to Transmit (activate) VOX (NOT Computer)

In reply to this post by JJ

I appreciate all of your thoughts.

And the "thinking" questions, helped to understand what I was trying to do
better.

I believe your understanding the "problem" better than I do. I'm Good.

VOX terrifies me, it can really mess up a net if left on accidently and the
phone rings, we had to move the whole net once when someone's "mom" called.

I believe a software fix would make this for reaily available, and VOX a
safer feature.

I have been working on this for a year, I already have all kinds of "gizmos"
connected to the K3.

With the help of Elecraft support (Keith) and other suggestions also.

The Plan is:

Jumper ACC Pin 7 TX INH through a SPDT switch to Pin 4 PTT IN (common with
RCA PTT IN) already connected to Pedal.

Switching ACC Pin 7 to Ground will "undo" the TX INH.

Set Configure TX INH = HI

I'm going to work through an E980190 Extra DB15 Y- Cable ($9.95) (August
2014)
See page; http://www.elecraft.com/elecraft_prod_list.htm#kpa500

I need to continue to use the Band Output Data for the Switch

It just seems such an easy software fix would ad a useful feature.

This works also.

You are all great, I hope this idea, fix, work around is easy to find in the
email reflector archive for the next guy.

Thank you. JJ

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