[Elecraft] KIO2 busted?

[Don Wilhelm]

Nick,

Tom Hammond created a list of 'things likely to be damaged' by plugging a PC
type cable directly into the K2 AUX IO connector.  I do not see it on Tom's
website, but you should be able to find it in the Elecraft reflector
archives.

In truth, other than the KIO2 components themselves, any component connected
to the AUXBUS, 8T, TXD, RXD, or VRFDET lines inside the K2 could be subject
to damage - just which ones would be damaged will depend on the state of the
RS232 signal lines at the time the cable was plugged in.

Also, there is no signal generated by the K2 that should damage a proper
RS-232 signal line in the PC, so I would expect no damage to the PC to
occur.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> There's an old chap in my local club, CW demon, able to hold 2 CW QSOs
> on 2 rigs and chat to someone in the shack simultaneously. Recently been
> quite frail after a collapsed lung, and I was visiting him to mend his
> antennas for him. He has a K2, with which he's won all sorts of QRP
> awards and contests for himself and the club. He was mentioning that his
> KIO2 doesn't work any more.
>
> Turns out he's used a standard serial cable with it. He doesn't seem to
> have toasted his PC, because he can still control his other rig(s), but
> I suspect he's toasted the KIO2.
>
> What are the components that are likely to need replacing? I'll add them
> to my inevitable next Elecraft order for him.
>
>