[Elecraft] K3 - More notes on the PigKnob's operation

[Jim Sheldon]

In my earlier post on the Pig Knob operating with the K3 (or KX3 for that matter), after reading a little further into the instructions for the knob, I find that once the PK is in line, somewhere between the computer and the radio, the PK MUST be powered up for RS-232 commands to communicate with the radio.  I have mine set right at the K3, and if the PK is off, the computer won't talk to the K3 and the info from the K3 doesn't get to the P3 for display.  This is because all the serial port stuff goes into the PIC in the Pig Knob's main box and is "proxied" out to the radio from there and all the radio's RS-232 info is also "proxied" in the other direction back to the computer or anything else connected to the serial port.  

I figured this out after I re-programmed the MACRO buttons on the PK and after exiting the terminal program, I had the K3 and P3 powered up but forgot to reconnect power to the Pig Knob.  Took me a few minutes and a re-read of the PK's instructions to realize why the K3's info wasn't getting to the P3 and it was not displaying the frequency or the green VFO A or magenta VFO B cursors.  Once I plugged the power back in to the PK, everything worked fine.  

Also, I recommend using the free "Tera Term" terminal program (google it as I don't remember the URL) called out in the PK's instructions for re-programming.  Also, if you don't have the K3/KX3 Programmers manual (downloadable from Elecraft's website) you'll need it to figure out all the possible commands that can be programmed into the 8 MACRO buttons on the PK.  Hardest part is selecting the 8 you want to use if you don't want to keep re-programming them - LOL!

Jim - W0EB