[Elecraft] Re: KIO2 Required if you Remote the KPA100?

[Mario Lorenz]

On Thu, Nov 14, 2002 at 09:37:03AM -0600, Don Brown wrote:
> Hi
> 
> OK I will take a stab at describing the cable. Please note I have not done
> this yet so I am not sure of any problems that may arise.

[...]

Once you do this your way, you assume that no KAT2 is built in the K2.
This however is one of the few reasons why one would want to remote the
KPA in the first place. The propper solution would be building the splitter
which is part of the KIO kit, which splits the 10pin connector to drive
both the KAT and the KIO. OK, depending on how much you value a "clean"
design, you probably could grab the signals from the KAT2.

You will have to duplicate the relevant RF blocking features on these lines,
which is another part of the KIO kit.

And you are still lacking Computer control, because the RS232 lines have not
yet been taken care of. If you added a small PCB with the TTL<->RS232 level
adapter (aka MAX232), voila, you would have fully duplicated the KIO, probably
at a fraction of its price. You will have to judge yourself if this is
ethically correct.

The other possibility would be to run the RS232 TTL lines out and in  the KPA
or KAT100. I think there are two NC'd pins on the DB9 connector. However,
the more unusual you set up these connectors, the more you risk damage to
various components (K2, KPA, KAT, Computer) should you accidentally wire
up the units incorrectly. I have spent some thought into
the idea of doing away with the DB9 connectors and use VGA connectors which
have more pins and are less likely to be mistaken by accident. I do assume
I'll have to add RF protection for the TTL RS232 lines, too.

Overall, if you can spare the money, the KIO is most likely the best way
to go, in particular since this most likely supports the cost of writing
the elecraft remote software.

Mario