KIO2 and serial keying

[Cloud Runner-3]

I use N1MM contest logging program.  At present, I communicate between the PC and the K2 with its KIO2 using a serial cable, and I key the K2 using a parallel cable with Tom's (N0SS) keyer built into the parallel cable housing.  With parallel ports absent from many laptops, and in the interest of fewer cables...

My question(s):  

The KIO2 uses pin 2 and pin 3 for RXD and TXD communication with the radio, and pin 5 for the ground connection.

1) Can I use pin 7, on the KIO2 labeled RF but appears that nothing is connected to it, to drive transistor keying of the radio instead of the parallel port?  

2) Will N1MM recognize the same com port for keying that it is using to talk to the radio?

73,  Fred - kt5x
K2 # 0700
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[Don Wilhelm-3]

Fred,

BE9 pin 7 connects (through the internal cable) to the microprocessor
VRFDET signal for use in detection of the power output level.

As a result it is not available for other uses.  You will have to find
another path.

73,
Don W3FPR

cloud runner wrote:
> I use N1MM contest logging program.  At present, I communicate between the PC and the K2 with its KIO2 using a serial cable, and I key the K2 using a parallel cable with Tom's (N0SS) keyer built into the parallel cable housing.  With parallel ports absent from many laptops, and in the interest of fewer cables...
>
> My question(s):  
>
> The KIO2 uses pin 2 and pin 3 for RXD and TXD communication with the radio, and pin 5 for the ground connection.
>
> 1) Can I use pin 7, on the KIO2 labeled RF but appears that nothing is connected to it, to drive transistor keying of the radio instead of the parallel port?  
>
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[Gary Hembree]

Fred - kt5x wrote:
"The KIO2 uses pin 2 and pin 3 for RXD and TXD communication with the radio,
and pin 5 for the ground connection.

1) Can I use pin 7, on the KIO2 labeled RF but appears that nothing is
connected to it, to drive transistor keying of the radio instead of the
parallel port?  

2) Will N1MM recognize the same com port for keying that it is using to talk
to the radio?"

I've done what you're talking about with CT but not N1MM.  

I just checked the configuration menu in N1MM and found that you can only use
pin 4 for CW, but you can use either pin 4 or 7 for PTT.  From the config menu
it appears that you can use the same serial port for communication with the
radio and keying/PTT.  Try it out and see what happens.

73
Gary, N7IR
K2 1078, 2154, 3463
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[Jack Brindle]

Think several times before doing this. Pin 7 on the IO connector, labelled RF, is indeed connected to the main MCU. Imposing RS-232 voltages on it will probably cause very bad things to happen in your K2, as others have discovered.

If you want to break out pin 7 of the cable from the computer before it reaches the KIO2 connector, you can do that - it can provide the PTT (or CW) signal you need. You will also need the signal ground off pin 5 of that same connector (from the computer).

In any case, ALL pins of the KIO2 IO connector are used, and imposing RS-232 voltages on any except the two communications pins (TxD and RxD) WILL cause failures in your K2. Thus you want to be very careful about what you let near your K2...

-----Original Message-----

>From: cloud runner <[hidden email]>
>Sent: Apr 26, 2007 9:20 AM
>To: [hidden email]
>Subject: [Elecraft] KIO2 and serial keying
>
>I use N1MM contest logging program.  At present, I communicate between the PC and the K2 with its KIO2 using a serial cable, and I key the K2 using a parallel cable with Tom's (N0SS) keyer built into the parallel cable housing.  With parallel ports absent from many laptops, and in the interest of fewer cables...
>
>My question(s):  
>
>The KIO2 uses pin 2 and pin 3 for RXD and TXD communication with the radio, and pin 5 for the ground connection.
>
>1) Can I use pin 7, on the KIO2 labeled RF but appears that nothing is connected to it, to drive transistor keying of the radio instead of the parallel port?  
>
>2) Will N1MM recognize the same com port for keying that it is using to talk to the radio?
>
>73,  Fred - kt5x
>K2 # 0700
>_______________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Post to: [hidden email]
>You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
>Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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[Jim Brown-10]

On Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:03:35 -0400 (EDT), Jack Brindle
wrote:

>If you want to break out pin 7

Yes. I use Writelog as a contest logger and have always set
it up to send CW on pin 4 of the computer's serial port. I
break it out of the serial cable, make an inverter/level
shifter for it (a transistor and a resistor), and use that
to key the K2 (and othe rigs). It works VERY well on every
radio I've ever hooked it up to, including my K2's, TS850,
and OmniV. With the K2, of course, I feed it through the
two isolation diodes so that I can also use the paddle.

The transistor inverter/level shifter is the one that
Writelog shows for the parallel port. Collector to the key,
emitter to key return, base thru resistor to the keying
line from the computer.

All this works MUCH better if you rebuild the serial cable
using twisted pairs for the computer to radio part, one
pair for each signal circuit. No changes to the wiring
between a KPA100 and a K2. Details on my website for the
serial connection.

http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf

73,
Jim Brown K9YC





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