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KX3 PTT Issue

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James Bennett

KX3 PTT Issue

Need a little help on this one. I have an inexpensive mic/headset that has a three connector plug (TRS). If I plug it into the Mic jack on the KX3, it works fine, although I have to use VOX, which, having an 18 month old in the house, is not a good choice! I've only made a few SSB QSO's (I'm primarily a CW op), but audio reports I get lead me to believe this mic is acceptable.

OK, while on CW I don't always like using QSK. So I built a small PTT switch that has a momentary button and an on/off toggle switch. I plug this into the mic jack. It has a four connector plug - TRRS. My switches short ring 1 and ring 2 together. Works great.

When I decided to try some occasional SSB, I had the problem of only ONE mic jack. So, I purchased an "octopus" connector. It has one TRRS male plug and three female TRRS jacks. I plug my headset mic into one jack and my homebrew PTT switch into another. When I'm on CW, all works fine - I press the PTT, the KX3 goes into transmit and I send CW with my paddle. But on SSB, things no longer work. If I put the KX3 into VOX, that works. If I put the KX3 into PTT mode and press my PTT switch, the radio goes into transmit, but speaking into the mic produces no audio!

I put my VOM on the octopus leads. They are all as they should be - straight through on each connector - nothing cross connected. I've tried it with MIC BTN set to OFF and PTT. Neither makes it work.

What do I have set wrong that's causing this strange behavior?

Jim Bennett / W6JHB
Folsom, CA
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wayne burdick

Re: KX3 PTT Issue

Administrator

Jim,

The KX3's mic jack has some special wiring to work with the MH3. As alternative, you can use the ACC2 jack (2.5 mm) to wire in a PTT switch. This is discussed in the KX3 owner's manual -- see the ACC2 IO menu entry. This would allow you to use the mic jack with your headset/mic.

Also note that the "XMIT" switch functions exactly like PTT, and is conveniently located close to the mic jack.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

On Nov 12, 2014, at 6:15 PM, James Bennett <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Need a little help on this one. I have an inexpensive mic/headset that has a three connector plug (TRS). If I plug it into the Mic jack on the KX3, it works fine, although I have to use VOX, which, having an 18 month old in the house, is not a good choice! I've only made a few SSB QSO's (I'm primarily a CW op), but audio reports I get lead me to believe this mic is acceptable.
>
> OK, while on CW I don't always like using QSK. So I built a small PTT switch that has a momentary button and an on/off toggle switch. I plug this into the mic jack. It has a four connector plug - TRRS. My switches short ring 1 and ring 2 together. Works great.
>
> When I decided to try some occasional SSB, I had the problem of only ONE mic jack. So, I purchased an "octopus" connector. It has one TRRS male plug and three female TRRS jacks. I plug my headset mic into one jack and my homebrew PTT switch into another. When I'm on CW, all works fine - I press the PTT, the KX3 goes into transmit and I send CW with my paddle. But on SSB, things no longer work. If I put the KX3 into VOX, that works. If I put the KX3 into PTT mode and press my PTT switch, the radio goes into transmit, but speaking into the mic produces no audio!
>
> I put my VOM on the octopus leads. They are all as they should be - straight through on each connector - nothing cross connected. I've tried it with MIC BTN set to OFF and PTT. Neither makes it work.
>
> What do I have set wrong that's causing this strange behavior?
>
> Jim Bennett / W6JHB
> Folsom, CA
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]

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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: KX3 PTT Issue

In reply to this post by James Bennett

Jim,

I assume the microphone is a computer type, and that means it has an
electret element.
That mic need bias voltage. Did you turn on bias in the Mic Select menu?

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/12/2014 9:15 PM, James Bennett wrote:

James Bennett

Re: KX3 PTT Issue

In reply to this post by wayne burdick

Thanks Wayne - you are correct - that XMIT button does it, although my installation makes it cumbersome to use that method. I will look into the ACC2 option in the morning. I do see that my KX3 has a “splitter” plugged into the ACC2 jack and I labelled it “PTT: KPA500”. I have my station set up so I can run the KPA500 behind the KX3 is desired. So I’m figuring I got that connector cable from Elecraft for this purpose. It has a single male TRS plug and two jacks: one RCA and the other is teensy, looks like 2.5mm. More investigation needed here….(I can hardly remember what I had for dinner, tonight let alone what that cable was gotten for!)

Thanks, Jim

> On Wednesday, Nov 12, 2014, at Wednesday, 6:20 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Jim,
>
> The KX3's mic jack has some special wiring to work with the MH3. As alternative, you can use the ACC2 jack (2.5 mm) to wire in a PTT switch. This is discussed in the KX3 owner's manual -- see the ACC2 IO menu entry. This would allow you to use the mic jack with your headset/mic.
>
> Also note that the "XMIT" switch functions exactly like PTT, and is conveniently located close to the mic jack.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
> On Nov 12, 2014, at 6:15 PM, James Bennett <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Need a little help on this one. I have an inexpensive mic/headset that has a three connector plug (TRS). If I plug it into the Mic jack on the KX3, it works fine, although I have to use VOX, which, having an 18 month old in the house, is not a good choice! I've only made a few SSB QSO's (I'm primarily a CW op), but audio reports I get lead me to believe this mic is acceptable.
>>
>> OK, while on CW I don't always like using QSK. So I built a small PTT switch that has a momentary button and an on/off toggle switch. I plug this into the mic jack. It has a four connector plug - TRRS. My switches short ring 1 and ring 2 together. Works great.
>>
>> When I decided to try some occasional SSB, I had the problem of only ONE mic jack. So, I purchased an "octopus" connector. It has one TRRS male plug and three female TRRS jacks. I plug my headset mic into one jack and my homebrew PTT switch into another. When I'm on CW, all works fine - I press the PTT, the KX3 goes into transmit and I send CW with my paddle. But on SSB, things no longer work. If I put the KX3 into VOX, that works. If I put the KX3 into PTT mode and press my PTT switch, the radio goes into transmit, but speaking into the mic produces no audio!
>>
>> I put my VOM on the octopus leads. They are all as they should be - straight through on each connector - nothing cross connected. I've tried it with MIC BTN set to OFF and PTT. Neither makes it work.
>>
>> What do I have set wrong that's causing this strange behavior?
>>
>> Jim Bennett / W6JHB
>> Folsom, CA
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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]
>

James Bennett

Re: KX3 PTT Issue

OK - got it resolved. Doing it the “old” way (using the MIC jack) worked OK, but not on SSB - only CW. So, after getting some sleep and morning coffee, I re-read Wayne’s note and the light bulb went on. I do have the Elecraft ACC2 Module (part number E980232) plugged into my ACC2 jack and the RCA connector runs over to my KAT500/KPA500. I swapped out the TRRS plug on my PTT switch with a mono plug, inserted it onto the 3.5mm jack on the ACC2 Module, and…. bingo - I have the desired PTT operation on both CW and SSB. And for anyone interested, I have the KX3 menu ACC2 IO set to LO=Ptt.

Thanks for the help guys!

Oh, one last thing - first barefoot QSO after getting this going: W1AW/1 in RI on 12 meter SSB; answered me on the first call with a big pileup underneath! Followed by S57DX (Slovenia) on 17 meter SSB, also 10 watts. Very cool!!!

73, Jim

> On Wednesday, Nov 12, 2014, at Wednesday, 6:35 PM, James Bennett <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Thanks Wayne - you are correct - that XMIT button does it, although my installation makes it cumbersome to use that method. I will look into the ACC2 option in the morning. I do see that my KX3 has a “splitter” plugged into the ACC2 jack and I labelled it “PTT: KPA500”. I have my station set up so I can run the KPA500 behind the KX3 is desired. So I’m figuring I got that connector cable from Elecraft for this purpose. It has a single male TRS plug and two jacks: one RCA and the other is teensy, looks like 2.5mm. More investigation needed here….(I can hardly remember what I had for dinner, tonight let alone what that cable was gotten for!)
>
> Thanks, Jim
>

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