[Elecraft] [acom-list] Re: Elecraft K3 and ACOM 2000A

Sat Sep 13 13:26:29 EDT 2014

> In my case LP-Bridge seems to be confusing the amp but I can't tell
> why. LP-Bridge does read everything correctly from the K3 and
> Win-Test works perfectly along with it.

LP-Bridge acts as a *proxy* - polling from Win-Test and other programs
is answered by LP-Bridge and *not passed on to the rig*.  Thus, any
hardware that relies on the answers to polling from the rig does not
see any response.  Because LP-Pan blocks the majority of polls to the
rig, the 2000, SteppIR and other similar hardware never gets a chance
to recover when they miss an update as they would with a logger that
polls for frequency and mode two or three times per second.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV

On 2014-09-13 12:59 PM, Nick - VE3EY wrote:
> Hi Dick and Val
> Thanks for sharing this valuable info with the group.
>
> Similar to Bill, W6WRT after I fixed my CAT cable to exclude TXD line my
> entire setup started working but later on I realized it wasn't working
> reliably. On some occasions,  amp would not detect the frequency change
> until after I started spinning the VFO knob.  This was while I had the
> Win-Test logging program running and polling my K3.  Autonfo on my K3 is
> set to "nor".
>
> On some bands the amp refused to follow the frequency.   For example, I
> would switch the radio to 20 meters but the amp for some reason thought it
> was still on 15.   If I turn the CAT off on the Acom's RCU unit and
> transmit some RF, the amp would correctly switch to 20 and tune up.
> Without changing anything else and while the K3 and Win-Test were still on
> 20m, if I turn the on the CAT on the RCU unit, the amp would jump back on
> 15m for some reason.
>
> The whole thing started working reliably after I took LP Bridge out of the
> picture.   In Win-Test if I define the radio on the real COM port the PC is
> connected to the K3 and change the pooling from "Auto" to 300msec the amp
> works well.   I changed the band numerous times and Acom followed without a
> hitch.
>
> In my case LP-Bridge seems to be confusing the amp but I can't tell why.
> LP-Bridge does read everything correctly from the  K3 and Win-Test works
> perfectly along with it.
>
> 73,  Nick
> ve3ey
>
>
>
> On Sat, Sep 13, 2014 at 10:33 AM, Dick Dievendorff <dick at elecraft.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I don't have an ACOM, SteppIR-controller, or Expert 1-KFA.
>>
>> I'd suggest that you don't want two TxD connections on an RS-232 "Y"
>> connector.  You need one from the PC to the K3. I don't think you want TxD
>> from K3 to ACOM.
>>
>> RS-232 is not a protocol that permits two senders. It's ok to "sniff" the
>> Rx
>> line, multiple receivers.
>>
>> I doubt that the ACOM (or the Expert) polls the K3.  I bet they are passive
>> listeners.
>>
>> You need frequency messages to be presented to the ACOM on QSY.
>>
>> The "normal" technique for this is to turn on K3 Auto Info (a K3 menu
>> configuration selection). Then as you QSY (or actually, your QSY stops),
>> the
>> K3 sends a message with the new frequency.
>>
>> If you are running a logging program, it probably polls the K3 for
>> frequency
>> often, and the ACOM can "sniff" those responses, and then the K3 Auto Info
>> isn't as necessary.
>>
>> Some loggers don't mind if you leave Auto Info on. It's just extra
>> information on change and the logger can either ignore or exploit those
>> unsolicited messages.
>>
>> However it's possible that some loggers might not deal well with unexpected
>> messages that can occur in "auto info" mode. Then K3 Auto Info has to be
>> turned off (or the logging program needs to learn to deal with unexpected
>> auto info messages).
>>
>> I think you're close, but I wouldn't connect two senders...
>>
>> 73 de Dick, K6KR
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bill
>> Turner
>> Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2014 7:03 AM
>> To: acom-list at yahoogroups.com
>> Cc: Elecraft
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [acom-list] Re: Elecraft K3 and ACOM 2000A
>>
>> ------------ ORIGINAL MESSAGE ------------(may be snipped)
>>
>> On Sat, 13 Sep 2014 12:36:40 +0600, UA9CDC wrote:
>>
>>> I do not have ACOM2000 but I use the same arrangement with Expert 1-KFA
>>> and K3. Logging program polls the radio and the amp only "listens" for
>>> K3 response to learn the operating freq. When you terminate logger
>>> there is no polling anymore. Therefore the system does not work as
>>> expected. This is normal.
>>
>> REPLY:
>>
>> So the K3 does not send data unless polled? OK, now things make more sense.
>> This explains why, if you're not using the Y connector to your computer,
>> your data cable must have the TXD wire so the ACOM can poll the K3.
>>
>> Is my assumption correct? The ACOM does poll the K3 in that case?
>>
>> Things are finally coming clear. I wish this had been explained in the ACOM
>> manual.
>>
>> Many thanks to all who replied on this issue.
>>
>> 73, Bill W6WRT
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