[Elecraft] How 'bout a USB interface?

Sat Jul 20 11:20:01 2002

USB is a protocol. I have written USB host stacks and USB client support. 
Doing one for the K2 isn't all that hard. (Other than PIC code and the 
actual hardware). The host side (the PC if you will), a simple class driver 
could present a virtual com port to the user. Existing software could be 
used. In addition, other classes can be established. Think of hooking 
receive audio and transmit audio to the K2 USB interface, internally and 
exporting these over isochronous channels to the host. Heck, by doing this, 
spectrogram could be modified to take the audio from the USB port.
USB opens a whole world. However, there is some NRE to do this. I am sure 
Wayne and Eric are quite busy doing other things. If I had the backend 
specs on how to talk to the uP in the K2 and run the protocol, I could 
fudge up an interface that worked. Done this with other devices. (You don't 
even want to see some of the stuff hanging off my USB ports)

Of course, the K2 would be a USB slave, not a master.

Just my thoughts,

JeffMc
W7TTR

Message: 6
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 10:24:41 -0400
From: Doug Netherton <[email protected]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: Elecraft Email <[email protected]>
Subject: [Elecraft] How 'bout a USB interface?
I've enjoyed this discussion... Its good to look ahead at possibilities
!!
Two points. Chicken and Egg scenario. Technical Requirements.
First, the Chicken and Egg point. Most popular ham software uses the
serial interface from computer to ham gear. Easy to address, easy to
write an application because of the legacy of base software. Lets not
forget all those old computers we hams use to work with our ham gear
also... The serial interface has been around for almost forever (in
computer terms), so all the standards are in place. So, if you want to
write an application that will get used, you use standard serial
interface.
Now look at USB. Its an extension of serial in a way, but how does
addressing work? Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever attached two
identical USB connected printers to one computer? How do the supplied
drivers / windows software tell them appart??? When you attach a USB to
serial dongle, the first thing that happens is a virtual serial port
address is assigned so that your program can use it. What addressing
scheme do you use to attach two K2's using USB connections to your
computer. How about a K2 and a Yaesuicomwood? NO STANDARDS. No
defined technical requirements as yet. I suspect that Elecraft isn't in
the position to put R&D money into that kind of project, since the
return on their investment would be nebulous at best. (Thats why they
picked the Kenwood command set as a base for the K2 command set, so that
they could take advantage of all the software out there written for
Kenwood.)
All that being said, you have to start somewhere if you want something.
First, you need to create requirements (e.g. unique addressing per
radio). Then, Margret's point that you need hardware if you want to
write and test software. Being human, we won't be satified with the
first interation, requirements will have to be refined until we think we
have it right (or we run out of inititive). We then have to publish
application interfaces to the world in hopes that others will use it and
it becomes a standard. (Ah, new Chicken and Egg)
Doug, VE3MCF
K2 #1322

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Jeff McLeman                             [email protected]
Issaquah, Wa.

Elecraft K2 #2689
Elecraft K1 #918

http://www.seanet.com/~jeffmc