[Elecraft] remote on off of K3

[K8TB]

Don,

    Wayne has the answer on how to turn the K3 off via remote control. 
Are you going to operate the K3 in the shack, or at a remote base? If a 
remote base, there are other items you should look at.
The number one guarantee is that something will lock up. I had an old 
Windows 2000 PC with too little memory, and it locked up on me with HRD 
DM-780 transmitting PSK on 6 meters. At 50 watts. It took me 45 minutes 
to get to the site. The K3 was just fine. Course, the remote shack was 
at 20 degrees F !
    But at a remote base site, things happen.
    I Installed a router at the site, that takes a redirected port to an 
AC power box, a IP Power 9258. One good news/bad news about this box is 
that it does not remember what state the relays were in if there is a 
power failure. I have other larger and more expensive units I use at 
remote broadcast transmitters sites that remember the power state. With 
the router and this AC box, I can cycle the power to the computer, and 
to the Astron power supply that feeds the K3. In any remote base 
location, make sure you modify the BIOS so that the cpu power is in the 
"last" state. That is, if the cpu is on, and the AC drops, it will power 
back up. Now, how to get the K3 back on? Been there ;) Buy a cheap 
parallel port relay board, like this one: 
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/elec/ck1601.htm   . Wire up 
one of the relays to the remote on   pin of the K3. You will find out 
that most cpu's will trigger all the relays on when you power up, and 
the relays will stay on, until driven by a program. The really good news 
is that Simon has a program to control the parallel port in his HRD 
program. Its called "parallel control"! You can now use those other 
relays to control antenna relays and the like at the site.
    And the last thing I installed was a digital Intermatic timer, # 
DT-17C. Everyday at 2am, I have it drop the power to my remote base rack 
for 1 minute. This resets the router, which if it locks up, you are in 
for a long trip. In my case, when the power comes back 1 minute later, 
the AC controller does not supply power to the computer or the K3 power 
supply, so they stay off until I command them so via that controller. 
This works well, keeps the cpu and K3 off when I'm not using it, which 
keeps the power cost down. (My remote base is at a repeater site, of 
which a club pays for the power, so we want to keep that power bill down).

    So I can dial up the site, turn on the K3, and run it using HRD. 
Works very well.

    tom K8TB




Don Greenbaum wrote:
> Just downloaded HRD and it controls the radio just fine, HOWEVER, there is no CAT connection when the radio is off rendering HRD useless from a remote location.
>
> Anyone know how to remotely turn on the K3 from the desktop?  (I use logmein to see it).
>
>