[Elecraft] K3 Confussion - Help Please

[Don Wilhelm]

Gerald,

You can operate data modes with only 2 cables - 3.5mm stereo audio 
cables.  One between the K3 line in and the computer headphone jack - 
the other between the computer mic jack and the K3 line out.  If your 
computer allows switching between mic in and line in levels, set it to 
line in and you are all set to go as long as you use the K3 VOX.

If you cannot set the mic jack to line in, you will likely need two 
resistors to put an attenuator in the cable between K3 line out and the 
computer mic in - use 100k in series and 10k across the cable conductors 
- the 10k goes on the mic in side of the 100k resistor.

If you want to use PTT instead of VOX, you will need a USB to serial 
adapter (use one with the FTDI chipset) between the computer and the 
RS-232 connector on the K3.  Set your application to use either RTS or 
DTR for PTT and set the K3 CONFIG: PTT - KEY menu entry to match your 
application selection.

One caution - using the serial port signals for PTT and keying may cause 
the K3 to go into transmit when the computer boots - the computer does 
testing and initialization of those signal lines during the boot 
process.  Not a problem, but just something to be aware of.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/2/2012 3:23 AM, KC6CNN wrote:
> I called Elecraft today to get information about ordering my new K3.
> I spoke with Dale, Very informative and so willing to help.
> One question I asked him and he gave me the answer to was on RTTY, PDK31,
> and CW I thought that I could hook up a cable between my laptop and K3 and
> be able to operate those modes.
> Maybe I miss understood but from what I got was that I needed that cable,
> DB9 to USB or usb converter and that I needed to connect the in and out from
> the back of the radio to my sound card. I checked my laptop and don't have a
> sound card port on the outside of it.
> I do have a 3.5 mm head phone jack and a 3.5mm mic jack on the front.
> So my confussion is do I need to hook up the 3.5mm jacks or will it run with
> just the one cable from laptop to radio. I hoping that, because I don't know
> where to buy the other cables, and with my current conditions, I can't make
> them.
>
> Anyone know the run down on this?
>
> Thank you in advance.
> Gerald - KC6CNN
>
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