[Elecraft] K2 USB interface

[Julian, G4ILO]

Logan Zintsmaster wrote:
> 
> I split my serial port with two cables.  One cable picks up the RTS/CTS
> for
> the PTT function.  The other one picks up TXD and RXD for the K2.
> Alternatively, some control programs will use the serial interface to send
> a
> serial Transmit command to the K2 instead of using the PTT.
> 
I don't see the need for two cables, never mind two serial ports. I made up
the K2 serial cable as described in the KIO2 manual. In the D shell at the
PC end there is just enough space to insert a switching transistor circuit.
I made it up on a tiny bit of perf board. I think it was just one
transistor, one diode and one resistor. At the K2 end the wire coming from
the output of the transistor is connected to a thin coaxial cable that comes
back out of the back of the D shell, and has a 3.5mm jack to plug in the
K2's Key jack. This works fine for CW keying using MixW, but also functions
as a PTT in other modes, though as has already been stated, most programs
that can talk to the radio can send RX and TX commands over the serial
protocol so for that purpose the additional control line isn't necessary.

-----
Julian, G4ILO
http://www.g4ilo.com/ G4ILO's Shack 
http://www.ham-directory.com/ Ham Directory 
-- 
View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K2-USB-interface-tp663365p663856.html
Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.