[KPA500] Serial Port Connections on KPA500

[Dan Atchison]

Team:

Now that I have completed my KPA500 (S/N 196) I have a question
regarding serial port connections.  I have the current, complete K-Line
(K3, P3, KPA500).

1. Do I need to put the KPA500 in the serial port chain?  After all, it
does have a serial port goes-inna and goes-outta.
2. Is it really necessary?
3. If there are benefits, in what order should they be chained.
4. Then, what are the benefits?

Reason I ask, I just did the following chain things are not working
correctly.  Serial port - P3 - KPA500 - K3.

Obviously, I am missing something.

Thanks,
Dan

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[Bruce Beford-2]

The KPA500 -cannot- be "daisy chained" into the K3/P3 combo.
 
The function of the RS232 ports on the KPA500 is different. The RS232 (PC)
is for connection to the PC for firmware updates, and other remote control
apps (in development). The RS232 (XCVR) is for use when connecting to a
Kenwood transceiver only. This is for receiving band switching info from the
Kenwood.
 
Bruce, N1RX
 
 
 
 
> Team:
 
> Now that I have completed my KPA500 (S/N 196) I have a question
> regarding serial port connections.  I have the current, complete K-Line
> (K3, P3, KPA500).
 
> 1. Do I need to put the KPA500 in the serial port chain?  After all, it
does have a serial port goes-inna and goes-outta.
> 2. Is it really necessary?
> 3. If there are benefits, in what order should they be chained.
> 4. Then, what are the benefits?
 
> Reason I ask, I just did the following chain things are not working
> correctly.  Serial port - P3 - KPA500 - K3.
 
> Obviously, I am missing something.
 
> Thanks,
> Dan

 

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[Dan Atchison]

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[Dick Dievendorff]

Thanks, Bruce.

The KPA Utility (which also provides firmware load functions) currently
offers remote control capability on its "Operate" page.

You can effectively press the KPA500 front panel on/off button, switch
between tune & operate, change bands, and monitor the current PA voltage,
current, temperature, output power, and SWR.

The KPA Utility monitors continuously for fault data, displays the most
recent current fault should it occur, and provides a way to clear the
current fault. Other pages on the KPA Utility provide access to historic
fault data, decoded from binary values to "engineer English".

Remote use requires a PC and serial port connected directly to the KPA500,
typically an internet connection to the PC near the KPA500, and some sort of
"remote desktop" software that allows you to operate one computer from
another.

I've used Microsoft's Remote Desktop built into modern versions of Windows
for this, and there are other remote desktop offerings such as PC Anywhere,
GoToMyPC,  PCNow, Laplink's Everywhere and I'm sure many more.

There certainly may be other KPA500 remote control applications in
development that I'm not aware of.

73 de Dick, K6KR


-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Bruce Beford
Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2011 7:41 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [KPA500] Serial Port Connections on KPA500

The KPA500 -cannot- be "daisy chained" into the K3/P3 combo.
 
The function of the RS232 ports on the KPA500 is different. The RS232 (PC)
is for connection to the PC for firmware updates, and other remote control
apps (in development). The RS232 (XCVR) is for use when connecting to a
Kenwood transceiver only. This is for receiving band switching info from the
Kenwood.
 
Bruce, N1RX
 
 
 
 
> Team:
 
> Now that I have completed my KPA500 (S/N 196) I have a question
> regarding serial port connections.  I have the current, complete
> K-Line (K3, P3, KPA500).
 
> 1. Do I need to put the KPA500 in the serial port chain?  After all,
> it
does have a serial port goes-inna and goes-outta.
> 2. Is it really necessary?
> 3. If there are benefits, in what order should they be chained.
> 4. Then, what are the benefits?
 
> Reason I ask, I just did the following chain things are not working
> correctly.  Serial port - P3 - KPA500 - K3.
 
> Obviously, I am missing something.
 
> Thanks,
> Dan

 

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[Dick Dievendorff]

Dan:

The PC-P3-K3 connection is used because the P3 gets frequency, IF bandwidth,
RIT offset and other data from the K3 very frequently.  Logging programs
also require a PC connection to the K3. Hence the need for the "daisy
chain".  The  P3 passes command / response data through from one serial port
to another, adding its own command / response stream to the P3 to K3 part of
the "chain".

The KPA500 gets band data from the K3 via the band change lines on 15-pin
ACC connector.  The KPA500 communicates its band switching preference to the
K3 via the AUXBUS line of the 15-pin ACC connector, so that the K3 changes
bands when you press band buttons on the KPA500 front panel.

None of the K3/KPA500 integration uses serial ports.  There's no need or
advantage to daisy chain the serial port.  The KPA500 does not "pass thru"
commands and responses between the two serial port connectors, as you have
discovered experimentally.

The KPA500 uses its XCVR serial connector for firmware load, configuration
save/restore, fault analysis and remote control of the amplifier; these are
functions of the KPA Utility. A serial port command set has been published
that permits others to write KPA500 remote control software as well.

As N1RX correctly stated, the KPA500's XCVR serial connector is for radios
that provide frequency information via a serial port, primarily Kenwood.

Band change information from the K3 isn't needed for the KPA500 if you don't
mind that the first dit or "ahh" (or "hola") on the new band is shortened.
When my prototype KPA500 didn't yet have band change via the parallel port,
I'd just tune the radio to the new band, tap the paddle, and the amp was
ready to go on the new band. My K3 to KPA500 connection consisted of the RF
cable and an RCA connection between the K3's Key Out and the KPA500 PA Key
connectors. I didn't connect ALC. This still works today.

The ACC line connection between K3 and KPA500 does offer one additional
operational advantage:  The K3 retains two different power levels for each
band, one for use when the KPA500 is in operation, and another when it's
off.  So I can set the K3 power level to transmit at 100 watts when the
amplifier is switched off and about 30-35 watts from the K3 to the KPA500
when the amplifier is in Operate, and I don't have to remember to change the
K3 power each time I turn the amplifier on. The K3 learns that the KPA500 is
or isn't operating via AUXBUS communication over the 15-pin ACC cable.

The amplifier keying connection and ALC line also go through the 15-pin ACC
connection, which makes for a straightforward installation requiring just
two cables between radio and amplifier, the 15-pin ACC cable and the RF
output of the transceiver.  I haven't played with ALC, I just keep the K3's
power where it belongs. But the ALC connection is there.

Some antenna tuners and SWR monitor devices offer a relay to interrupt the
amplifier key line when SWR exceeds a threshold. If you want to use this
capability, use an RCA connector keying line daisy chain from radio to SWR
bridge/ATU to KPA500.  The KPAK3AUX cable kit includes a small "key line
interrupter" that looks like an DB-9 "gender changer" with a pin removed so
that the key line from K3 to KPA500 through the ACC cable is "interrupted".

The KPAK3AUX  accessory connector cable option kit also includes an
all-15-pins-connected Y cable so that you can concurrently connect
additional devices to the K3's ACC connector. Some cables and Y connectors
sold for VGA monitor applications do not have all pins connected "straight
thru".

I use a 4-port 9-pin serial "ABCD" switch box connected to an Elecraft KUSB
USB-to-Serial Adapter connected to my development computer as "common", and
the four serial port outputs from this ABCD switch go to one of two K3s, a
KPA500, and a 3.5mm serial data cable that I plug into a W2, XG3, or K144XV,
depending on what I'm doing. I may in the future add another layer of
switching so that 3.5mm data cables can be connected to a W2, other products
in development, and a free cable for use with the XG3 or K144XV.

I use a KUSB rather than a multi-port serial PCI card because I need to very
frequently test the various utilities through the USB to Serial adapters
that Elecraft sells, and I use relatively long and convoluted RS-232 paths
so that I develop and test with a less than ideal short direct connection.
Absent this requirement, I'd use a 4- or 8-port PCI serial card like a
"Rocket Port" and use USB to Serial adapters only when I had no other
choice.
 
73 de Dick, K6KR

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Dan Atchison
Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2011 7:13 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] [KPA500] Serial Port Connections on KPA500

Team:

Now that I have completed my KPA500 (S/N 196) I have a question regarding
serial port connections.  I have the current, complete K-Line (K3, P3,
KPA500).

1. Do I need to put the KPA500 in the serial port chain?  After all, it does
have a serial port goes-inna and goes-outta.
2. Is it really necessary?
3. If there are benefits, in what order should they be chained.
4. Then, what are the benefits?

Reason I ask, I just did the following chain things are not working
correctly.  Serial port - P3 - KPA500 - K3.

Obviously, I am missing something.

Thanks,
Dan

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[Dan Atchison]

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[ke9uw]

So...in a nutshell...the PC serial port is connected to the P3 which is connected to the K3. This allows both to be updated from the PC utility programs, remote, etc.
The KPA500 PC DB9  is connected to another different PC serial port for PC updating, remote, etc.

The KPA500 XCVR DB9 can be connected to a transceiver (like a Kenwood with serial band data) for band data, etc.
The KPA500 AUX (VGA type 15 pin connector) can be connected to the K3 for band data, etc.

Thanks.
Chuck, KE9UW