[Elecraft] Sequencer keying with K3/XV-144 without rigblaster?

[Lance Collister]

Hi Don,

Thanks for your suggestion regarding the TX INH function.  I suppose that is one 
approach that would work, although it does not address the question of providing 
up to a second delay within the K3.  If an outboard timer system or sequencer were 
used, then a voltage could be applied to the TX INH as you suggest.... Of course, 
if an external sequencer has to be used anyway, then the sequencer might as well 
just trigger the PTT line of the K3 after the required safe delay.

Unless I am totally missing the boat here (which certainly happens), it seems to 
me that the cleanest way to make the K3 flexible enough to replace existing 
equipment requiring external sequencers, would be to be able to adjust the time 
between K3 PTT keying and the KEY OUT jack and/or KEYOUT-LP pin (or some other 
available pin) closure between standard short delay (20 ms) or a long delay (for 
example, selectable between .2, .4, .6, .8 or 1 second).  Obviously, if a long 
delay option was selected, you certainly run the risk of chopping off syllables or 
CW charactere if the VOX control were used, so maybe it only makes sense for an 
option like that for a long delay only be available when VOX operation is not 
activated.

To me, one of the most attractive things about the K3 is its incomparable 
flexibility... and I just love that it keeps getting even better and packing even 
more functions into that same single feature-packed little package!   VY 73, Lance

Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Lance,
> 
> It has already been thought of and included in the K3 - see below.
> 
> I am not sure if you are referring to the KEY OUT jack on the back of 
> the K3 or the PTT jack.
> The PTT jack is an input - one would plug the footswitch into it, or 
> alternately use the PTT on the microphone or the PTT from the RS-232 input.
> KEY OUT becomes active as soon as the PTT is activated - there is also a 
> KEYOUT-LP signal on the ACC connector that acts the same as the KEY OUT 
> jack except with a limit of 10 ma.
> 
> The K3 normally transmits RF after the KEY OUT is active by the amount 
> of time entered into the CONFIG menu TX DLY parameter - that provides a 
> maximum of 20 ms RF delay.
> 
> For those who need more time that that, there is the TX INH function 
> that can be configured for pin 7 of the ACC connector - it can be 
> configured for either TX INH LO=Inh or HI=Inh.  This signal will prevent 
> the K3 from transmitting RF until the inhibit signal goes away.  See the 
> K3 Owner's manual page 19.
> 
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
> 
> Lance Collister wrote:
>> Hi Dave,
>>
>> You raise an interesting question....maybe that is the elegant 
>> solution to integrating the K3 into old kluge-like VHF stations with 
>> lots of coaxial relays, homebrew amplifiers, etc.
>>
>> PTT output jack on the rear of the K3 could optionally be configured 
>> as a sequencer itself, so it would close an adjustable amount of time 
>> (up to a second) BEFORE any RF would be permitted to be generated 
>> after the rig is put into XMIT by either the microphone/footswicth or 
>> the serial port PTT lines.
>>
>> Certainly, this option would not be selected by those who want to work 
>> QSK!  But they would simply not choose the option.  If this option 
>> were stored by band, you could have a built-in sequencer only on 
>> certain bands, and QSK on other bands! With such an option, you would 
>> never have to worry about blowing anything up, regardless of how the 
>> K3 incoming PTT line itself was keyed ;-)
>>
>> What do you think, Elecraft?  VY 73, Lance
>>  
> 
> 


-- 
Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WN3GPL, WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT  59834  USA
QTH: DN27UB
TEL: (406) 626-5728   URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
2m DXCC #11, 6m DXCC #815