KX3 and JS8CALL

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KX3 and JS8CALL

Elecraft mailing list
I would like to use JS8CALL on my Raspberry Pi 3B+ , so do I need to use my SignaLink as well?  Has anyone on this group used a Pi3 with JS8CALL connected to their KX3? Getting the KX3 connected to the Pi seems problematic; I have all the connectors from Elecraft, the program is loaded on the Pi and seems to operate properly, but doesn't seem to work with the KX3. I will need to get a GPS HAT for the Pi and I'm considering the PI HAT from North West Radio that includes a built in GPS with antenna. Thank you in advance for any input ...
de AD7VV 

Michael Heit
North Pole, Alaska
AD7VV
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Re: KX3 and JS8CALL

Michael Arnold
Michael,

I have good luck using my KX3 with a Raspberry Pi 3B+ and also the new Raspberry Pi 4 for both JS8Call and WSJT-X. I use an inexpensive USB audio adapter/sound card and standard stereo 1/8" (3.5mm) male to male cables connected between the MIC and PHONES jacks on the KX3 and the sound card. To listen to the receive audio and monitor transmit audio, I split the PHONES output using an 1/8-inch "Y cable" and feed one side to the sound card and the other side to a powered speaker. For CAT control and PTT via CAT I use the standard Elecraft USB serial cable from the ACC1 jack to a Raspberry Pi USB port.

In Settings on the Radio tab, under CAT Control, I choose the K3/KX3 or KX3 as the rig and /dev/ttyUSB0 as the serial port. You'll also want to match the radio serial port settings, typically, 38400, 8, 1 and none. On the Audio tab, under Soundcard, I select Default:CARD=device for both Input and Output.

This method may result in some low-level 60 and 120 Hz audible ground loop hum when AC powered, particularly with the powered speaker connected, but the transmit signal, at least in my case, is clean. You can certainly use a SignaLink or equivalent unit for better isolation and level control, but I've found that the little USB audio adapter/sound card works fine and is a really compact solution for portable operation!

Audio Adapter:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N905VOY
Audio Splitter:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07431YDWM

73,
     Mike W8NWA

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> On Behalf Of michaelheit--- via Elecraft
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2019 5:10 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] KX3 and JS8CALL

I would like to use JS8CALL on my Raspberry Pi 3B+ , so do I need to use my SignaLink as well?  Has anyone on this group used a Pi3 with JS8CALL connected to their KX3? Getting the KX3 connected to the Pi seems problematic; I have all the connectors from Elecraft, the program is loaded on the Pi and seems to operate properly, but doesn't seem to work with the KX3. I will need to get a GPS HAT for the Pi and I'm considering the PI HAT from North West Radio that includes a built in GPS with antenna. Thank you in advance for any input ...
de AD7VV 

Michael Heit
North Pole, Alaska
AD7VV
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Re: KX3 and JS8CALL

Michael Arnold
In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
Michael,

I have had no issues using the Raspberry Pi without a GPS time reference. As long as you have an internet connection when the RPi is powered up, the internal clock should be close enough to use for hours. In the field I use my iPhone as a WiFi hotspot for an internet connection to the RPi.

73,
     Mike, W8NWA

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> On Behalf Of michaelheit--- via Elecraft
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2019 5:10 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] KX3 and JS8CALL

I would like to use JS8CALL on my Raspberry Pi 3B+ , so do I need to use my SignaLink as well?  Has anyone on this group used a Pi3 with JS8CALL connected to their KX3? Getting the KX3 connected to the Pi seems problematic; I have all the connectors from Elecraft, the program is loaded on the Pi and seems to operate properly, but doesn't seem to work with the KX3. I will need to get a GPS HAT for the Pi and I'm considering the PI HAT from North West Radio that includes a built in GPS with antenna. Thank you in advance for any input ...
de AD7VV 

Michael Heit
North Pole, Alaska
AD7VV
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Re: KX3 and JS8CALL

Jim Brown-10
In reply to this post by Michael Arnold
On 8/7/2019 11:02 AM, Michael Arnold wrote:
> This method may result in some low-level 60 and 120 Hz audible ground loop hum when AC powered, particularly with the powered speaker connected,

Power line hum and buzz can be prevented by 1) getting power for all
interconnected equipment from the same AC outlet, or from outlets whose
Green Wires are bonded together, AND 2) bonding from chassis to chassis
of all interconnected equipment, AND 3) proper bonding of all grounds in
the home, including ground from that interconnected equipment in the
shack. All three are necessary. There's a tutorial on this at
k9yc.com/publish.htm

73, Jim K9YC


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Re: KX3 and JS8CALL

Michael Arnold
Jim,

Excellent and comprehensive info on your website! Everyone should take a look at it.

In my setup, the power supplies for the KX3, Raspberry Pi and powered speakers are the typical 2-wire, no ground, switching supply in a plastic case, so ground potential is established through the audio interconnect. The rig and computer connect only through the USB ports for the USB serial adapter and the USB audio interface. After a little experimentation, I realized The “hum” I was hearing was RF getting into the powered speakers on transmit with the antenna I close proximity to the KX3. Moving the antenna away from the rig resolved the issue.

This is a little off-topic, but may be of interest to the audio geeks on the list...
I worked in TV engineering here in Nashville for many years, and we dealt with a lot of music recorded in big studios, and thus long cable runs and a lot of channels of audio. It was all analog in the early days and several audio engineering luminaries helped me immensely. One was Allen Burdick of Benchmark Media Systems. His “Clean Audio Installation Guide” is still indispensable:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0321/7609/files/caig.pdf

Deane Jensen of Jensen Transformers fame and his protégé, Bill Whitlock, were two others:
https://www.jhbrandt.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Design_of_High-Performance_Balanced_Audio_Interfaces.pdf

And a local genius, Dave Harrison, who designed an built the legendary Harrison Consoles that we used extensively:
https://harrisonconsoles.com/site/history.html

73,
     Mike, W8NWA
________________________________
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> on behalf of Jim Brown <[hidden email]>
Sent: Thursday, August 8, 2019 2:35 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 and JS8CALL

On 8/7/2019 11:02 AM, Michael Arnold wrote:
> This method may result in some low-level 60 and 120 Hz audible ground loop hum when AC powered, particularly with the powered speaker connected,

Power line hum and buzz can be prevented by 1) getting power for all
interconnected equipment from the same AC outlet, or from outlets whose
Green Wires are bonded together, AND 2) bonding from chassis to chassis
of all interconnected equipment, AND 3) proper bonding of all grounds in
the home, including ground from that interconnected equipment in the
shack. All three are necessary. There's a tutorial on this at
k9yc.com/publish.htm

73, Jim K9YC

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Re: KX3 and JS8CALL

Jim Brown-10
Thanks. I knew Allen Burdick, who died quite a few years ago. Bill
Whitlock and I still serve on the AES Standards Committee, and are
principal authors of AES Standards on EMC, and I've been Vice-Chair of
the EMC Working Group for about 15 years. The first draft of four of
those Standards started out with Neil Muncy and me around my kitchen
table. Bill and I have taught EMC workshops together. Bill is far more
than Deane's protege -- a fine engineer in own right. Deane was a fine
engineer, and published some important work before he died.  Bill, Neil
Muncy, and I were elected Fellows of the AES, partly on the basis of our
EMC work.

I retired about ten years ago from a career that started in broadcasting
and ended in pro audio. When Neil Muncy died, I was asked to take over
the EMC workshops that he had taught for many years at conventions for
sound contractors, and continued that until about four years ago. Slides
and a White Paper are on the pro audio section of that publications page.

73, Jim K9YC

On 8/8/2019 9:31 AM, Michael Arnold wrote:

> Jim,
>
> Excellent and comprehensive info on your website! Everyone should take
> a look at it.
>
> In my setup, the power supplies for the KX3, Raspberry Pi and powered
> speakers are the typical 2-wire, no ground, switching supply in a
> plastic case, so ground potential is established through the audio
> interconnect. The rig and computer connect only through the USB ports
> for the USB serial adapter and the USB audio interface. After a little
> experimentation, I realized The “hum” I was hearing was RF getting
> into the powered speakers on transmit with the antenna I close
> proximity to the KX3. Moving the antenna away from the rig resolved
> the issue.
>
> This is a little off-topic, but may be of interest to the audio geeks
> on the list...
> I worked in TV engineering here in Nashville for many years, and we
> dealt with a lot of music recorded in big studios, and thus long cable
> runs and a lot of channels of audio. It was all analog in the early
> days and several audio engineering luminaries helped me immensely. One
> was Allen Burdick of Benchmark Media Systems. His “Clean Audio
> Installation Guide” is still indispensable:
> https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0321/7609/files/caig.pdf
>
> Deane Jensen of Jensen Transformers fame and his protégé, Bill
> Whitlock, were two others:
> https://www.jhbrandt.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Design_of_High-Performance_Balanced_Audio_Interfaces.pdf
>
> And a local genius, Dave Harrison, who designed an built the legendary
> Harrison Consoles that we used extensively:
> https://harrisonconsoles.com/site/history.html

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Re: KX3 and JS8CALL

Stephen Shearer
In reply to this post by Michael Arnold
I use KX3 for wsjt-x and JS8Call.  I just connect the KX3 audio
(headphone jack) to the USB sound card.  I use the waterfall to "hear"
what is going on and I like the quiet.  I have not noticed hum.  I have
a few snap on toroids on the audio lines in case.  I use 12" audio
cables from the KX3 to the sound card and a 3' USB cable to the RPi.  I
run 80 watts, often...

I use USB Sound card    -
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Sabrent+USB+External+Stereo+Sound+Adapter&qid=1584190492&s=electronics&sr=1-3

not much different..

73, steve WB3LGC

On 8/7/19 2:02 PM, Michael Arnold wrote:

> Michael,
>
> I have good luck using my KX3 with a Raspberry Pi 3B+ and also the new Raspberry Pi 4 for both JS8Call and WSJT-X. I use an inexpensive USB audio adapter/sound card and standard stereo 1/8" (3.5mm) male to male cables connected between the MIC and PHONES jacks on the KX3 and the sound card. To listen to the receive audio and monitor transmit audio, I split the PHONES output using an 1/8-inch "Y cable" and feed one side to the sound card and the other side to a powered speaker. For CAT control and PTT via CAT I use the standard Elecraft USB serial cable from the ACC1 jack to a Raspberry Pi USB port.
>
> In Settings on the Radio tab, under CAT Control, I choose the K3/KX3 or KX3 as the rig and /dev/ttyUSB0 as the serial port. You'll also want to match the radio serial port settings, typically, 38400, 8, 1 and none. On the Audio tab, under Soundcard, I select Default:CARD=device for both Input and Output.
>
> This method may result in some low-level 60 and 120 Hz audible ground loop hum when AC powered, particularly with the powered speaker connected, but the transmit signal, at least in my case, is clean. You can certainly use a SignaLink or equivalent unit for better isolation and level control, but I've found that the little USB audio adapter/sound card works fine and is a really compact solution for portable operation!
>
> Audio Adapter:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N905VOY
> Audio Splitter:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07431YDWM
>
> 73,
>       Mike W8NWA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> On Behalf Of michaelheit--- via Elecraft
> Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2019 5:10 PM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] KX3 and JS8CALL
>
> I would like to use JS8CALL on my Raspberry Pi 3B+ , so do I need to use my SignaLink as well?  Has anyone on this group used a Pi3 with JS8CALL connected to their KX3? Getting the KX3 connected to the Pi seems problematic; I have all the connectors from Elecraft, the program is loaded on the Pi and seems to operate properly, but doesn't seem to work with the KX3. I will need to get a GPS HAT for the Pi and I'm considering the PI HAT from North West Radio that includes a built in GPS with antenna. Thank you in advance for any input ...
> de AD7VV
>
> Michael Heit
> North Pole, Alaska
> AD7VV
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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