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Terrible Tragedy

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Timothy Gordish

Terrible Tragedy

Yesterday, my shack went up in smoke. Included in the rigs that became
charred and melted piles of scrap was K1 #00569. May it RIP. (moment
of silence)

Anyways, everything was insured for replacement, but I given the
opportunity to design a station from the ground up I am considering my
options. High on the list of option is purchasing a K2 as the main
rig, and a KX1 for portable us. One of the important features on my
new station is its flexibility on all the old and new digital modes. I
am interested in knowing if a rig to soundcard interface is necessary
for the K2. What is the most convenient method of using the rig on CW,
SSB, and soundcard digital without having to constantly connect and
reconnect cables.

My computer will be a Mac (like the one that melted) and I will be
using MacLoggerDX, and Multimode OSX.

73 de Tim
AD7AN

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Don Wilhelm-3

RE: Terrible Tragedy

Tim,

So very sorry to hear about your tragedy - but the prospect of a new
hamshack can be a just reward.

For interfacing the soundcard to the K2, you can easily build your own.
Check out my implemenation on my website www.w3fpr.qrpradio.com for more
information. I do recommend using transformers in the soundcard lines, but
at the point I drew the schematics and took th ephotos, I had not put them
in - transformers from defunct PC modems work great. Also, there is no need
for the compression disable part of the circuit because if you activate the
RTTY mode filters on the K2 there is an independent compression setting for
that mode.

I can't answer for anything other than the interface - I am a "PC guy" and
you want to use a Mac.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> Yesterday, my shack went up in smoke. Included in the rigs that became
> charred and melted piles of scrap was K1 #00569. May it RIP. (moment
> of silence)
>
> Anyways, everything was insured for replacement, but I given the
> opportunity to design a station from the ground up I am considering my
> options. High on the list of option is purchasing a K2 as the main
> rig, and a KX1 for portable us. One of the important features on my
> new station is its flexibility on all the old and new digital modes. I
> am interested in knowing if a rig to soundcard interface is necessary
> for the K2. What is the most convenient method of using the rig on CW,
> SSB, and soundcard digital without having to constantly connect and
> reconnect cables.
>
> My computer will be a Mac (like the one that melted) and I will be
> using MacLoggerDX, and Multimode OSX.
>
> 73 de Tim
> AD7AN
>

> Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.9 - Release Date: 6/11/2005
>
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.9 - Release Date: 6/11/2005

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Paul Gates

Re: Terrible Tragedy

Don, I really appreciate your comments on SWR, Feedlines on your web page.
When I hear someone say that coax is better than ladder line, I almost get
nauseated!! <g> The only coax I use is on my Gap Challenger Vertical and my
MP1 portable ant. that I use for QRP.
Paul Gates
Elecraft K1 #231
XG1
[hidden email]
"An idle mind is the devil's workshop."
And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

----- Original Message -----
From: "W3FPR - Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
To: "Timothy Gordish" <[hidden email]>; <[hidden email]>
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 12:43 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Terrible Tragedy

> Tim,
>
> So very sorry to hear about your tragedy - but the prospect of a new
> hamshack can be a just reward.
>
> For interfacing the soundcard to the K2, you can easily build your own.
> Check out my implemenation on my website www.w3fpr.qrpradio.com for more
> information. I do recommend using transformers in the soundcard lines,
> but
> at the point I drew the schematics and took th ephotos, I had not put them
> in - transformers from defunct PC modems work great. Also, there is no
> need
> for the compression disable part of the circuit because if you activate
> the
> RTTY mode filters on the K2 there is an independent compression setting
> for
> that mode.
>
> I can't answer for anything other than the interface - I am a "PC guy" and
> you want to use a Mac.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > Yesterday, my shack went up in smoke. Included in the rigs that became
> > charred and melted piles of scrap was K1 #00569. May it RIP. (moment
> > of silence)
> >
> > Anyways, everything was insured for replacement, but I given the
> > opportunity to design a station from the ground up I am considering my
> > options. High on the list of option is purchasing a K2 as the main
> > rig, and a KX1 for portable us. One of the important features on my
> > new station is its flexibility on all the old and new digital modes. I
> > am interested in knowing if a rig to soundcard interface is necessary
> > for the K2. What is the most convenient method of using the rig on CW,
> > SSB, and soundcard digital without having to constantly connect and
> > reconnect cables.
> >
> > My computer will be a Mac (like the one that melted) and I will be
> > using MacLoggerDX, and Multimode OSX.
> >
> > 73 de Tim
> > AD7AN
> >
>
> > Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.9 - Release Date: 6/11/2005
> >
> --
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.9 - Release Date: 6/11/2005
>
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>

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Charles Greene-2

Re: Terrible Tragedy

In reply to this post by Timothy Gordish

Tim,

Sorry about your loss. I think your choice of rigs is wise. I use a home
brew interface for my K2 which is very similar to the one in QST in the
June of 1999 QST (I believe the date is correct) which introduced PSK31 to
the US. With my K2/100, I decided to simplify things and now use only a
Radio Shack dual isolation transformer for audio input and output and a
resistor in the lead to the microphone connection to extend the adjustment
range of the Windows audio output volume control. For digital modes, if
you use CAT and the program lets you send CAT commands to the K2, you can
use CAT PTT. Also on the K2/100 I have a separate line that comes from
another serial port that uses DTR and a keying transistor to key the K2/100
in CW or PTT is you can't send CAT PTT. Place the K2/100 in external
keying and plug the line from the keying transistor into the key jack. If
you want to use a paddle, you have plug it in in lieu of the keying
transistor and change the menu entry. On the K2, it is more involved and
you don't need to unplug anything. The interface box I built has a 4N25
keying device, and it uses the two diode approach to keying the K2. I have
a 1/8 phone jack that comes from the computer serial line DTR. The paddle
also plugs into the interface and connects directly to the tip and sleeve
of the K2 keying jack. There is a jack for a manual key in parallel with
the keying device, so the computer, the paddle and a manual key are always
on line and ready for use.

At 10:54 AM 6/13/2005, you wrote:

>Yesterday, my shack went up in smoke. Included in the rigs that became
>charred and melted piles of scrap was K1 #00569. May it RIP. (moment of
>silence)
>
>Anyways, everything was insured for replacement, but I given the
>opportunity to design a station from the ground up I am considering my
>options. High on the list of option is purchasing a K2 as the main rig,
>and a KX1 for portable us. One of the important features on my new
>station is its flexibility on all the old and new digital modes. I am
>interested in knowing if a rig to soundcard interface is necessary for the
>K2. What is the most convenient method of using the rig on CW, SSB, and
>soundcard digital without having to constantly connect and reconnect cables.
>
>My computer will be a Mac (like the one that melted) and I will be using
>MacLoggerDX, and Multimode OSX.
>
>73 de Tim
>AD7AN
>
>_______________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Post to: [hidden email]
>You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
>Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com