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KX3 PHONES Jack for Digital Programs

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Ed G

KX3 PHONES Jack for Digital Programs

Hello,
Just checking on this...I am using an interface cable to my computer's
sound card with a stereo plug on one end. I am plugging this in to the
PHONES jack on my KX3. The cable is only using the tip for audio to the
sound card, so essentially the ring (half of the KX3's audio output) is
open. Is this ok for the KX3's audio output circuitry?
Also, Frank Cady's KX3 book tells me it is ok to use a mono plug to
connect to the PHONES jack. I have not chosen to do this, but wouldn't that
short half of the KX3 output to ground (I suspect there is internal
protection for this)?
My connections seem to be working fine, but I want to make sure I am
not overstressing something.
--Ed--

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Don Wilhelm

Re: KX3 PHONES Jack for Digital Programs

Ed,

That should not be a problem.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 12/17/2016 8:26 AM, Ed G wrote:
>
> Hello,
> Just checking on this...I am using an interface cable to my computer's
> sound card with a stereo plug on one end. I am plugging this in to the
> PHONES jack on my KX3. The cable is only using the tip for audio to the
> sound card, so essentially the ring (half of the KX3's audio output) is
> open. Is this ok for the KX3's audio output circuitry?
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Kidder, George

KAT500 without KPA500

I am considering purchase of the KAT500 to use with my K3 and an old
AL-80A, with a view to future expansion to the KPA500. Is there any
reason why an Auxbus cable direct from the K3 to the KAT500 would not
provide the necessary band and frequency information?

George, W3HBM
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Cady, Fred-2

Re: KAT500 without KPA500

Hi George,

There are a couple of pdf files on my website that will help you understand how the KPA and KAT operate. Click on the pdf links at the bottom of the page.

http://www.ke7x.com/home/k-line-introduction-and-set-up-guide

Cheers and 73,

Fred KE7X

________________________________
From: Elecraft <[hidden email]> on behalf of George Kidder <[hidden email]>
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2016 9:09 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] KAT500 without KPA500

I am considering purchase of the KAT500 to use with my K3 and an old
AL-80A, with a view to future expansion to the KPA500. Is there any
reason why an Auxbus cable direct from the K3 to the KAT500 would not
provide the necessary band and frequency information?

George, W3HBM
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Nr4c

Re: KX3 PHONES Jack for Digital Programs

In reply to this post by Ed G

I too would use a TRS plug for this. But note that most digital software only looks at the tip of the plug.

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill

> On Dec 17, 2016, at 8:26 AM, Ed G <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>
> Hello,
> Just checking on this...I am using an interface cable to my computer's
> sound card with a stereo plug on one end. I am plugging this in to the
> PHONES jack on my KX3. The cable is only using the tip for audio to the
> sound card, so essentially the ring (half of the KX3's audio output) is
> open. Is this ok for the KX3's audio output circuitry?
> Also, Frank Cady's KX3 book tells me it is ok to use a mono plug to
> connect to the PHONES jack. I have not chosen to do this, but wouldn't that
> short half of the KX3 output to ground (I suspect there is internal
> protection for this)?
> My connections seem to be working fine, but I want to make sure I am
> not overstressing something.
> --Ed--
>
>
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
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> ______________________________________________________________
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Erlend Grimseid

Re: KX3 PHONES Jack for Digital Programs

In reply to this post by Ed G

I use the ring output to drive external speakers for monitoring.

73 La4tta Erlend

17. des. 2016 14:27 skrev "Ed G" <[hidden email]>:

>
> Hello,
> Just checking on this...I am using an interface cable to my computer's
> sound card with a stereo plug on one end. I am plugging this in to the
> PHONES jack on my KX3. The cable is only using the tip for audio to the
> sound card, so essentially the ring (half of the KX3's audio output) is
> open. Is this ok for the KX3's audio output circuitry?
> Also, Frank Cady's KX3 book tells me it is ok to use a mono plug to
> connect to the PHONES jack. I have not chosen to do this, but wouldn't that
> short half of the KX3 output to ground (I suspect there is internal
> protection for this)?
> My connections seem to be working fine, but I want to make sure I am
> not overstressing something.
> --Ed--
>
>
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
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>

Dick Dievendorff-4

Re: KAT500 without KPA500

In reply to this post by Kidder, George

Should be fine.

Use a cable with RCA plugs to connect the K3's KEY OUT connector to one of
the KAT500's PTT RELAY connectors, and another RCA cable the other KAT500
PTT RELAY connector to the amplifier KEY IN. This allows the KAT500 to
interrupt the PA key line during tuning.

When you move to a KPA500, add an additional 15-pin ACC cable from KAT500 to
amp, and don't use the RCA cables, as the key lines are incorporated in the
15-pin cables.

73 de Dick, K6KR

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of George
Kidder
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2016 08:09
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] KAT500 without KPA500

I am considering purchase of the KAT500 to use with my K3 and an old AL-80A,
with a view to future expansion to the KPA500. Is there any reason why an
Auxbus cable direct from the K3 to the KAT500 would not provide the
necessary band and frequency information?

George, W3HBM
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Ed G

Re: KX3 PHONES Jack for Digital Programs

In reply to this post by Erlend Grimseid

That's a great idea; thanks.

--Ed-

_____

From: Erlend Grimseid [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2016 12:40 PM
To: Ed G
Cc: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 PHONES Jack for Digital Programs

I use the ring output to drive external speakers for monitoring.

73 La4tta Erlend

17. des. 2016 14:27 skrev "Ed G" <[hidden email]>:

Hello,
Just checking on this...I am using an interface cable to my computer's
sound card with a stereo plug on one end. I am plugging this in to the
PHONES jack on my KX3. The cable is only using the tip for audio to the
sound card, so essentially the ring (half of the KX3's audio output) is
open. Is this ok for the KX3's audio output circuitry?
Also, Frank Cady's KX3 book tells me it is ok to use a mono plug to
connect to the PHONES jack. I have not chosen to do this, but wouldn't that
short half of the KX3 output to ground (I suspect there is internal
protection for this)?
My connections seem to be working fine, but I want to make sure I am
not overstressing something.
--Ed--

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
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Kidder, George

Re: KAT500 without KPA500

In reply to this post by Dick Dievendorff-4

I seem not to have made myself very clear. Let's leave the amp (both
the AL-80A and the KPS500 out of consideration - I can deal with those
later. My question is - can one use a _E850463 Aux cable_ to transfer
band, frequency etc. information directly from the K3 to the KAT500,
with no amplifier involved? I know one can make use of the RCA cables
to control the keying, and the amplifier will detect frequency,
presumably from anything down to a Heath AT-1 (if anyone remembers what
that was.) This is not the question. When controlled through the Aux
cable, there are a number of useful functions available (along with
keying control) which I would expect might be available if the Aux cable
connected the K3 and the KAT3 directly.

The KAT500 manual pussy-foots around this issue - there are hints that
it might work, but no definitive statement.

Has anyone tried this method? With what results? Dick's response seems
to indicate that it won't work.

George, W3HBM

On 12/17/2016) 1:20 PM, Dick Dievendorff wrote:

> Should be fine.
>
> Use a cable with RCA plugs to connect the K3's KEY OUT connector to one of
> the KAT500's PTT RELAY connectors, and another RCA cable the other KAT500
> PTT RELAY connector to the amplifier KEY IN. This allows the KAT500 to
> interrupt the PA key line during tuning.
>
> When you move to a KPA500, add an additional 15-pin ACC cable from KAT500 to
> amp, and don't use the RCA cables, as the key lines are incorporated in the
> 15-pin cables.
>
> 73 de Dick, K6KR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Elecraft [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of George
> Kidder
> Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2016 08:09
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] KAT500 without KPA500
>
> I am considering purchase of the KAT500 to use with my K3 and an old AL-80A,
> with a view to future expansion to the KPA500. Is there any reason why an
> Auxbus cable direct from the K3 to the KAT500 would not provide the
> necessary band and frequency information?
>
> George, W3HBM
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
>

k6mrmagnet

Re: KAT500 without KPA500

In a word, yes. It works fine.

I switch my amplifier between two K3s, but have two KAT500s. Each KAT500 is connected to a K3 all the time. When the K3 without the amp is tuned, the KAT500 follows the frequency changes. I leave mine in manual mode (for those bands that need the tuner) and can hear the relays click as I move into a new segment. AFAIK the frequency data is on the aux bus, so with the stock cable it will work fine. I built my own cables because my amps/tuners are in a closet 25 feet away.

Ken K6MR

From: George Kidder<mailto:[hidden email]>
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2016 4:44 PM
To: Dick Dievendorff<mailto:[hidden email]>; [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 without KPA500

I seem not to have made myself very clear. Let's leave the amp (both
the AL-80A and the KPS500 out of consideration - I can deal with those
later. My question is - can one use a _E850463 Aux cable_ to transfer
band, frequency etc. information directly from the K3 to the KAT500,
with no amplifier involved? I know one can make use of the RCA cables
to control the keying, and the amplifier will detect frequency,
presumably from anything down to a Heath AT-1 (if anyone remembers what
that was.) This is not the question. When controlled through the Aux
cable, there are a number of useful functions available (along with
keying control) which I would expect might be available if the Aux cable
connected the K3 and the KAT3 directly.

The KAT500 manual pussy-foots around this issue - there are hints that
it might work, but no definitive statement.

Has anyone tried this method? With what results? Dick's response seems
to indicate that it won't work.

George, W3HBM

On 12/17/2016) 1:20 PM, Dick Dievendorff wrote:

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k6dgw

Re: KAT500 without KPA500

In reply to this post by Kidder, George

You were quite clear, at least to me. The answer is YES. The normal
setup is the K3 AUX goes to the XCVR jack on the KAT500. It gets
frequency info. *If* you have a KPA500, another such cable connects
from the KAT500 to it. If you don't have a KPA500, that connector is
empty. Does that answer your original question?

I don't know about the pussyfooting. [:-)

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Sparks NV DM09dn

- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the Cal QSO Party 7-8 Oct 2017
- www.cqp.org

On 12/17/2016 4:43 PM, George Kidder wrote:

> I seem not to have made myself very clear. Let's leave the amp (both
> the AL-80A and the KPS500 out of consideration - I can deal with those
> later. My question is - can one use a _E850463 Aux cable_ to transfer
> band, frequency etc. information directly from the K3 to the KAT500,
> with no amplifier involved? I know one can make use of the RCA cables
> to control the keying, and the amplifier will detect frequency,
> presumably from anything down to a Heath AT-1 (if anyone remembers what
> that was.) This is not the question. When controlled through the Aux
> cable, there are a number of useful functions available (along with
> keying control) which I would expect might be available if the Aux cable
> connected the K3 and the KAT3 directly.
>
> The KAT500 manual pussy-foots around this issue - there are hints that
> it might work, but no definitive statement.
>
> Has anyone tried this method? With what results? Dick's response seems
> to indicate that it won't work.
>
> George, W3HBM