[Elecraft] K2: USB to Serial for Rig Control

[Don Wilhelm]

JT,

You may want to consider changing the PTT keying to the USB adapter even 
though your current setup 'is not broke'.  The reason is that the PTT 
keying is a rather simplistic task requiring that the adapter correctly 
implement only RTS and DTR signals, and the timing is not really 
critical either. 

For rig control it can be a little more 'dicey' because there are 
latency issues that the adapter can introduce as well as other problems 
in that some adapters work well while others do not.  OTOH, if you are 
also using the serial port for CW keying, then an adapter may not work 
very well for that either because of the latency problems introduced in 
the computer/OS/adapter combination.

In either case, try to use the USB connection native to your computer 
rather than a USB hub.  This is computer/usb hub dependent, but the 
chances of an adapter working properly are much better when plugged 
directly into the computer.

There is alway the new Elecraft USB to serial adapter that is being 
offered as an accessory for the K3 - at least you know it has been 
tested for rig control operation.

73,
Don W3FPR

JT Croteau wrote:
> USB to serial adapters are a dime a dozen and not all chipsets in them
> are the same.  Is anyone using one successfully for rig control via
> the KIO2 interface?  If so, which brand and model are you using?
>
> My single serial port is currently being used for PTT keying for data
> modes and it's not broke so I don't want to fix it.  *grin*  I'd also
> rather not tie up my last PCI slot with a dual port serial adapter.
>
> Thanks
>
>