Elecraft

Re: K2 is break-in only on CW?? Part II

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Jerry Summerall

Re: K2 is break-in only on CW?? Part II

Hi Jay

It's been a while since we have had a VHF contact. Maybe 6M will open for us
soon.

I found that the delay on the K2 is not long enough to hold the sequencers
in CW mode. SSB works just fine even running WSJT and ect.

What I did was wire the sequencers with a foot switch to activate. If you
hit the key (I am running 1watt into a attenuator) you are not going to hurt
anything. I also have separate TR lines. As an added measure of insurance I
am running a small 12v relay on the key lines that is powered by the
sequencer power switch and deactivated by the last sequenced relay. As far
as disabling the Mic I am not sure what you are after. I have the amp key
line out of the K2 also connected to the sequencers and never had a problem.

I am saving for the band decoder so that it will power one of the 4
sequencers and related equipment when I switch bands.

Hope this helps a bit

Jerry K7YVZ

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay Kesterson" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Saturday, June 05, 2004 11:01 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 is break-in only on CW?? Part II

> Thanks for all for the replies to my question. My concern is using the
> K2 with V/UHF transverters, amps and preamps (some mast mounted). These
> are usually controlled with a sequencer that hard keys the radio last.
> In certain setups accidentally bumping the paddle and having the rig
> xmit could damage equipment down stream. I can use the PTT line from the
> sequencer, that would normally be used for hard keying the rig, to key a
> relay that doesn't allow CW to get to the K2 till all the up stream
> equipment is ready. However I use a foot switch and headset, that gets
> switched to three different rigs, on SSB. The footswitch is used to turn
> on the sequencers during both SSB and CW operation.. On weak signal VHF
> we often switch between SSB and CW. If I use PTT, from the sequencer, on
> SSB I haven't figured out a way to easily (automatically) disable the
> SSB PTT line on the K2 when I switch to CW. Any ideas, beside unplugging
> the mic connector or otherwise manually disabling the mic PTT line?? Is
> there some signal point inside the K2 that is active or grounded only
> during CW that could be used to possible drive a relay to disconnect the
> SSB PPT line while in CW?? Or better ideas??
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
> 73, Jay K0GU DN70mq
>
>
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Jerry Summerall

Re: K2 is break-in only on CW?? Part II

The 8R line delay is not long enough to hold the last one or two relays on
my DEMI sequencers especially when running 15-20 WPM CW. I don't believe it
is hurting anything but I hate to hear the relays clicking continuously
while operating. At the same time, after using QSK CW, going to semi break
in is sort of annoying.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
To: "Jay Kesterson" <[hidden email]>; <[hidden email]>
Sent: Saturday, June 05, 2004 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 is break-in only on CW?? Part II

> Jay and all,
>
> There certainly IS a line in the K2 that can be used for sequencing
> switching of transverters and other external devices. The 8R line becomes
> active about 20 ms before RF is presented at the antenna jack, and the
> drop-out time can be adjusted via the K2 menu - so to my way of thinking,
> the needed sequencer is already built into the K2.
>
> The KPA100 amplifier keying output follows the state of this 8R line, and
> the signal is used in the K2 to Elecraft transverter connection (KIO2) to
> switch the Elecraft transverters. For those who are driving non-Elecraft
> devices with the base K2 (QRP), I suggest you look carefully at the 'K2
> External Power Amplifier Keying Circuit' shown on the Elecraft website -
> Builder Resources area, then select Application Notes, Eric originally
> designed it for use with an external amplifier, but can do the same job

with
> external transverter equipment.
>
> I believe that easy-to-build keying circuit will do the external switching
> job you need - OTOH, if your external devices need more than 15 to 20 ms
to
> become properly active, you may still be in trouble, but that IS a
> relatively long time period, even for relay operation and you may have to
do
> some work on the transverter end to make it switch faster.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> "Life is what happens when you are making other plans"
> (John Lennon wrote it in a book, Mike Cross used it in a song - I don't
know

> who was first)
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> > Thanks for all for the replies to my question. My concern is using the
> > K2 with V/UHF transverters, amps and preamps (some mast mounted). These
> > are usually controlled with a sequencer that hard keys the radio last.
> > In certain setups accidentally bumping the paddle and having the rig
> > xmit could damage equipment down stream. I can use the PTT line from the
> > sequencer, that would normally be used for hard keying the rig, to key a
> > relay that doesn't allow CW to get to the K2 till all the up stream
> > equipment is ready. However I use a foot switch and headset, that gets
> > switched to three different rigs, on SSB. The footswitch is used to turn
> > on the sequencers during both SSB and CW operation.. On weak signal VHF
> > we often switch between SSB and CW. If I use PTT, from the sequencer, on
> > SSB I haven't figured out a way to easily (automatically) disable the
> > SSB PTT line on the K2 when I switch to CW. Any ideas, beside unplugging
> > the mic connector or otherwise manually disabling the mic PTT line?? Is
> > there some signal point inside the K2 that is active or grounded only
> > during CW that could be used to possible drive a relay to disconnect the
> > SSB PPT line while in CW?? Or better ideas??
> >
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> You must subscribe to post.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc):

Don Wilhelm-2

Re: K2 is break-in only on CW?? Part II

Jay,

If you need to extend the dropout time to keep the relays held in longer, a
simple delay extender circuit can be added to the K2 amplifier keying line -
a 2 2N2222 darlington coupled transistors with 2 or 3 resistors, a large
capacitor and a diode will do the job nicely.

73,
Don W3FPR

"Life is what happens when you are making other plans"
(John Lennon wrote it in a book, Mike Cross used it in a song - I don't know
who was first)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry Summerall" <[hidden email]>
To: "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>; "Jay Kesterson" <[hidden email]>;
<[hidden email]>
Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2004 9:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 is break-in only on CW?? Part II

> The 8R line delay is not long enough to hold the last one or two relays on
> my DEMI sequencers especially when running 15-20 WPM CW. I don't believe
it

> is hurting anything but I hate to hear the relays clicking continuously
> while operating. At the same time, after using QSK CW, going to semi break
> in is sort of annoying.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
> To: "Jay Kesterson" <[hidden email]>; <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Saturday, June 05, 2004 4:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 is break-in only on CW?? Part II
>
>
> > Jay and all,
> >
> > There certainly IS a line in the K2 that can be used for sequencing
> > switching of transverters and other external devices. The 8R line

becomes
> > active about 20 ms before RF is presented at the antenna jack, and the
> > drop-out time can be adjusted via the K2 menu - so to my way of
thinking,
> > the needed sequencer is already built into the K2.
> >
> > The KPA100 amplifier keying output follows the state of this 8R line,
and
> > the signal is used in the K2 to Elecraft transverter connection (KIO2)
to
> > switch the Elecraft transverters. For those who are driving
non-Elecraft
> > devices with the base K2 (QRP), I suggest you look carefully at the 'K2
> > External Power Amplifier Keying Circuit' shown on the Elecraft website -
> > Builder Resources area, then select Application Notes, Eric originally
> > designed it for use with an external amplifier, but can do the same job
> with
> > external transverter equipment.
> >
> > I believe that easy-to-build keying circuit will do the external
switching
> > job you need - OTOH, if your external devices need more than 15 to 20 ms
> to
> > become properly active, you may still be in trouble, but that IS a
> > relatively long time period, even for relay operation and you may have
to

> do
> > some work on the transverter end to make it switch faster.
> >
> > 73,
> > Don W3FPR
> >
> > "Life is what happens when you are making other plans"
> > (John Lennon wrote it in a book, Mike Cross used it in a song - I don't
> know
> > who was first)
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> >
> > > Thanks for all for the replies to my question. My concern is using

the
> > > K2 with V/UHF transverters, amps and preamps (some mast mounted).
These
> > > are usually controlled with a sequencer that hard keys the radio last.
> > > In certain setups accidentally bumping the paddle and having the rig
> > > xmit could damage equipment down stream. I can use the PTT line from
the
> > > sequencer, that would normally be used for hard keying the rig, to key
a
> > > relay that doesn't allow CW to get to the K2 till all the up stream
> > > equipment is ready. However I use a foot switch and headset, that gets
> > > switched to three different rigs, on SSB. The footswitch is used to
turn
> > > on the sequencers during both SSB and CW operation.. On weak signal
VHF
> > > we often switch between SSB and CW. If I use PTT, from the sequencer,
on
> > > SSB I haven't figured out a way to easily (automatically) disable the
> > > SSB PTT line on the K2 when I switch to CW. Any ideas, beside
unplugging
> > > the mic connector or otherwise manually disabling the mic PTT line??
Is
> > > there some signal point inside the K2 that is active or grounded only
> > > during CW that could be used to possible drive a relay to disconnect
the

> > > SSB PPT line while in CW?? Or better ideas??
> > >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Post to: [hidden email]
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > You must subscribe to post.
> > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc):
> http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> > Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
> >
>
>
>

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