K3 - should data via the RS232 cable work?

[Dave, G4AON]

The current firmware allows for PSK31 and RTTY to be decoded to the LCD
display and encoded via Morse paddle input, I've even had a couple of
RTTY QSOs via that awkward route!

I've not seen details of anyone operating data with a K3 via the serial
cable, a feature that may not yet be available. The programmers
reference manual mentions it, as does G4ILO's KCommunicate, but the
latter doesn't currently seem to work on a K3.

Any updates or ideas appreciated.

73 Dave, G4AON
K3/100 #80
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[Dick Dievendorff]

Hi, Dave!

I'm starting to work on it.

In the short term, the K3 Utility's "Command Tester" tab can get you part of
the way there.  Enter "tt1;" into the input edit window, put the K3 into a
data mode and turn on the decoding functions.

TT is the "Text to Terminal" mode setting that sends decoded data to the PC.


The newest version of the K3 Utility (1.0.12.9 or later) will handle this
sort of unsolicited input. Earlier versions of the K3 Utility were not
equipped to handle K3 to PC data that was not in immediate response to a
command.

Turn off text to terminal mode (TT0;) before you try to load firmware again
(I'll do that for you in a newer revision).

I hope to add a more natural data terminal page that doesn't require you to
have a Programmer's Reference manual open when you make data mode QSOs.  But
I'm going to stop well short of competing with MTTY or any of the other
data-mode programs that decode with a sound card.   I have vacation plans,
so this work won't happen until early next year.

73 de Dick, K6KR (ex G0MFO)

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Dave G4AON
Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2007 2:20 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 - should data via the RS232 cable work?

The current firmware allows for PSK31 and RTTY to be decoded to the LCD
display and encoded via Morse paddle input, I've even had a couple of
RTTY QSOs via that awkward route!

I've not seen details of anyone operating data with a K3 via the serial
cable, a feature that may not yet be available. The programmers
reference manual mentions it, as does G4ILO's KCommunicate, but the
latter doesn't currently seem to work on a K3.

Any updates or ideas appreciated.

73 Dave, G4AON
K3/100 #80
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[rkayakr]

Dave
  The FSK data mode works with KY commands but not the PSK data mode. I
have used FSK with command macros in Ham Radio Deluxe.
  The DM780 digital modes program, also from Simon Brown, now also
supports keyboard CW on the K3. Maybe with a little lobbying Simon will
support keyboard RTTY and PSK for the K3.
     Bob
       KD8CGH

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[Simon (HB9DRV)]

Hi Bob,

There would be some disadvantages to sending the RTTY / PSK via the KY
command, I honestly think that an external program such as DigiPan,
WinWarbler etc. would be a better option. Displaying the text decoded by K3
is another matter.

FWIW I don't really have time to add this now, I am trying to get some new
analogue SSTV code working before Christmas. If I can send and receive SSTV
then I know that January and most of February will be taken up with the
supporting software for SSTV such as picture archives, QSL card templates,
fancy drawing software and the like.

Maybe next year I'll have a better idea for getting the K3 to send RTTY /
PSK, but I'll need to be convinced :-)

Simon Brown, HB9DRV

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Benedict" <[hidden email]>

>  The FSK data mode works with KY commands but not the PSK data mode. I
> have used FSK with command macros in Ham Radio Deluxe.
>  The DM780 digital modes program, also from Simon Brown, now also supports
> keyboard CW on the K3. Maybe with a little lobbying Simon will support
> keyboard RTTY and PSK for the K3.

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[rkayakr]

Simon

  Fair enough. I'm trying to use your program to ease some on the
kinderkrankheiten of the K3 software. I've been trying to find a way to
use the Dual PB filter for RTTY. I have tried three approaches:

1. Mode: Data, Data Mode: A
You can transmit anywhere in the waterfall. Invoking Dual PB results in
no receive signal - waterfall goes blank.

2. Mode rev Data, Data Mode: AFSK
There is a strange Line In INPUT filter centered at 1000Hz. If you set
the PITCH to 915 in the K3 and your digital software, you can get a
signal out UNTIL you invoke Dual PB, then no RF out (although you have
receive!).

BTW - Both modes are fragile. If you leave CWT on from a previous CW
mode they also doesn't produce RF. I have seen very inconsistent results
which I think are due to unexpected interactions like this.

3. Data Mode: FSK
Dual PB works on receive and on send with KY command. Appears to be robust.

Since I use a laptop with my rig I have no parallel or RS232 port lines
to trigger FSK, hence my request for a RTTY keyboard capability as the
only way I see to use Dual PB.

    Bob
       KD8CGH






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[rkayakr]

Leigh

Thanks for the response.

you wrote:
> I have found a number of confusing issues with the DATA A filters. I
> report them to k3support, and eventually they will get fixed. (Some
> have already.) If you have reproduceable cases, you can write down the
> details and send them in.
I turned these in and the "Line In" problem. Elecraft acknowledged
digital problems. Communication seems difficult on these issues. The
"Line In" got fixed but the rest are waiting for attention. The "CWT
kills digital TX" is the only new factoid.
> In the lates release, it seems you can avoid the 1KHz Fc in DATA A by
> using low/hi instead of center/width.
I don't have any problems with Data Mode A, except that Dual PB stops
all receive signals. The 1 KHz problem I see is on INPUT to the line in
in AFSK mode. It appears that the mode only accepts audio in at around 1
KHz.
> On the laptop trigger mode, you might try setting VOX. With RTTY done
> as AFSK, the duty cycle is 100% and I would think that VOX, if they
> allow it, would work fine. I have heard incidental reports that VOX
> works in PSK mode which has a 50% duty cycle for its idle tone, and
> higher for data.
The problem is not in triggering, but in sending FSK RTTY mark and
space. FSK D mode seems to be the only mode that can use Dual PB. That
mode does not accept audio in. You must either send text with the KY
command, key morse code or connect a PC’s I/O line to the “FSK IN” line
on the K3’s AUX I/O connector. (If this signal originates from an RS232
port, it will require RS232-to-TTL level conversion.)

I was hoping that Simon would add keyboard RTTY in addition to keyboard
CW to DM780.

Bob
KD8CGH
KX1, K2, K3 and counting



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[Simon (HB9DRV)]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Benedict" <[hidden email]>
>
> Since I use a laptop with my rig I have no parallel or RS232 port lines to
> trigger FSK, hence my request for a RTTY keyboard capability as the only
> way I see to use Dual PB.
>

I recommend a SignaLink USB or the more expensive but excellent Navigator
from USInterface.com. You can drive the SignaLink USB so that it keys a
radio using VOX, also the SignaLink's soundcard will probably be much better
than the soundcard in your laptop.

At the moment I am not in a position to add the features you want - as you
have a laptop I am sure that you will prefer to use a proper software
solution. I used the built-in RTTY in my IC-7800 for about 5 minutes -
software programs were much easier to use and offer more modes such as
PSK63F, Olivia, MFSK and SSTV.

Simon HB9DRV

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[Julian, G4ILO]

Dick Dievendorff wrote

I hope to add a more natural data terminal page that doesn't require you to
have a Programmer's Reference manual open when you make data mode QSOs.  But
I'm going to stop well short of competing with MTTY or any of the other
data-mode programs that decode with a sound card.   I have vacation plans,
so this work won't happen until early next year.

My program KCommunicate is intended to take advantage of the K3's built in encoding and decoding. Since it can send CW from the keyboard using KY commands there is no reason why it could not also send RTTY or PSK using these commands, though obviously the software would need some changes such as allowing a larger character set to be sent.

However there is little advantage in transmitting data via serial port commands if you still need to use the computer sound card to decode it. The current TT1 implementation of sending raw decoded text back to the serial port is unusable by software that also wants frequency, mode, S-meter readings and other information from the radio. Users who have installed the second receiver option may also want software capable of independently displaying two separate decoded data streams.

Dave, G4AON, commented that KCommunicate does not seem to work with a K3. That is hardly surprising, as I have not got a K3 to test it with yet. But even if I did, I suspect I still will not be able to get this to work until there is further refinement of the firmware in this area.

[dave.wilburn]

What cables / interfaces are needed for the KCommunicate solution?  
-  

David Wilburn
[hidden email]
K4DGW
K2 S/N 5982


On Mon, 2007-12-17 at 03:53 -0800, G4ILO wrote:
> KCommunicate

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