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K3s feature request: deadman timer

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Jim AB3CV

K3s feature request: deadman timer

In reviewing what I need to do to remote my K-Line a good solution to a
hung transmitter has remained elusive. The only sure way to kill the
transmitter is by pulling the plug, potentially scrambling the firmware.
Note that sending commands from an attached PC is not a solution since it
may have been the culprit in the hang in the first place. Likewise internet
access may have been disrupted making remote reset impossible.

I believe the solution is best solved by putting a deadman timer option in
the K3 firmware.

I envision this as having an adjustable period (0-99) of minutes, zero
would be the default and make the deadman timer off.

The deadman timer would be reset each Key out went inactive.

I'm not sure what the K3 should do other than cease transmitting. It may be
best to do a full orderly shutdown. That way external logic could sense via
the Aux connector Pin8 (Power On) or the RCA 12v DC out jack that the K3 is
off and take station specific action.

Thanks for your consideration

73

Jim ab3cv
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briancom

Re: K3s feature request: deadman timer

Observation:
My K3 stops transmitting after 30 seconds of dashes already.
(Makes it tough curing an RFI issue single handed...)

So it appears to have a "stuck key" deadman of sorts.

Haven't checked whether it does that in other transmit conditions.
Obviously, it doesn't in JT65, PSK, SSTV.

73 de Brian/K3KO

On 6/4/2017 20:55 PM, Jim Miller wrote:

> In reviewing what I need to do to remote my K-Line a good solution to a
> hung transmitter has remained elusive. The only sure way to kill the
> transmitter is by pulling the plug, potentially scrambling the firmware.
> Note that sending commands from an attached PC is not a solution since it
> may have been the culprit in the hang in the first place. Likewise internet
> access may have been disrupted making remote reset impossible.
>
> I believe the solution is best solved by putting a deadman timer option in
> the K3 firmware.
>
> I envision this as having an adjustable period (0-99) of minutes, zero
> would be the default and make the deadman timer off.
>
> The deadman timer would be reset each Key out went inactive.
>
> I'm not sure what the K3 should do other than cease transmitting. It may be
> best to do a full orderly shutdown. That way external logic could sense via
> the Aux connector Pin8 (Power On) or the RCA 12v DC out jack that the K3 is
> off and take station specific action.
>
> Thanks for your consideration
>
> 73
>
> Jim ab3cv
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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k6dgw

Re: K3s feature request: deadman timer

In reply to this post by Jim AB3CV

My early K3 with late FW quits after 30 seconds of continuous dits or
dahs[kitten on the paddle problem]. The radio works fine on JT<mumble>
and RTTY modes, so it's really a "semi-deadman" based inside the device
which may be stuck in transmit. That wouldn't meet the requirements you
originally described or the FCC's. One of the Elecraft wattmeteror P3
sensor elements and a little bit of circuitry external to the
transmitter would meet your requirements.

73,

Fred ("Skip") K6DGW
Sparks NV USA
Washoe County DM09dn

On 6/4/2017 1:55 PM, Jim Miller wrote:

Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: K3s feature request: deadman timer

> One of the Elecraft wattmeteror P3 sensor elements and a little bit
> of circuitry external to the transmitter would meet your
> requirements.
Would not even take that ... an NE555, some resistors, capacitors, maybe
a couple NAND or NOR gates is all it takes. Set up an "N" minute timer
triggered from Key Out (or Key Out LP) that is retriggered (reset when
Key Out is released). Use the output of the timer to drive the Inhibit
input and lock out RF if the timer ever expires.

There are probably more elegant timer than the NE555 but it's cheap
and easy to work with <G>. These days, one could probably do all of
it with a simple PIC (one IC).

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 6/5/2017 4:26 PM, Fred Jensen wrote:

> My early K3 with late FW quits after 30 seconds of continuous dits or
> dahs[kitten on the paddle problem]. The radio works fine on JT<mumble>
> and RTTY modes, so it's really a "semi-deadman" based inside the device
> which may be stuck in transmit. That wouldn't meet the requirements you
> originally described or the FCC's. One of the Elecraft wattmeteror P3
> sensor elements and a little bit of circuitry external to the
> transmitter would meet your requirements.
>
> 73,
>
> Fred ("Skip") K6DGW
> Sparks NV USA
> Washoe County DM09dn
>
> On 6/4/2017 1:55 PM, Jim Miller wrote:
>> In reviewing what I need to do to remote my K-Line a good solution to a
>> hung transmitter has remained elusive. The only sure way to kill the
>> transmitter is by pulling the plug, potentially scrambling the firmware.
>> Note that sending commands from an attached PC is not a solution since it
>> may have been the culprit in the hang in the first place. Likewise
>> internet
>> access may have been disrupted making remote reset impossible.
>>
>> I believe the solution is best solved by putting a deadman timer
>> option in
>> the K3 firmware.
>>
>> I envision this as having an adjustable period (0-99) of minutes, zero
>> would be the default and make the deadman timer off.
>>
>> The deadman timer would be reset each Key out went inactive.
>>
>> I'm not sure what the K3 should do other than cease transmitting. It
>> may be
>> best to do a full orderly shutdown. That way external logic could
>> sense via
>> the Aux connector Pin8 (Power On) or the RCA 12v DC out jack that the
>> K3 is
>> off and take station specific action.
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
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>

wayne burdick

Re: K3s feature request: deadman timer

Administrator

In reply to this post by Jim AB3CV

Jim,

This is on the firmware list. I’ll move it up.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

> On Jun 4, 2017, at 1:55 PM, Jim Miller <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> In reviewing what I need to do to remote my K-Line a good solution to a hung transmitter has remained elusive. The only sure way to kill the transmitter is by pulling the plug, potentially scrambling the firmware. Note that sending commands from an attached PC is not a solution since it may have been the culprit in the hang in the first place. Likewise internet access may have been disrupted making remote reset impossible.
>
> I believe the solution is best solved by putting a deadman timer option in the K3 firmware.
>
> I envision this as having an adjustable period (0-99) of minutes, zero would be the default and make the deadman timer off.
>
> The deadman timer would be reset each Key out went inactive.
>
> I'm not sure what the K3 should do other than cease transmitting. It may be best to do a full orderly shutdown. That way external logic could sense via the Aux connector Pin8 (Power On) or the RCA 12v DC out jack that the K3 is off and take station specific action.
>
> Thanks for your consideration
>
> 73
>
> Jim ab3cv
>
>
>
>