[Elecraft] Remote KAT500

[Jack Brindle]

At one time the RS-232 spec did have a distance rating (probably in the RS232A time frame, it was at least 100 feet as I recall). By the C revision, this was replaced by cable capacitance that the driver could feed. In practice RS-232 can regularly drive several hundred feet of cable, depending on the data rate. The problem in all this is the driver in use. If the driver meets the EI-232 spec, then there should be no problem. However, equipment that takes shortcuts (0-5V swings for example) are probably meant to just connect to something next to it.

Thus the real answer is, “try it.” If communications is flakey you may need to lower the data rate, but most likely you will be able to find a setting that works.
Let us know what you find!

- Jack, W6FB


> On Dec 30, 2015, at 11:57 AM, Cliff Frescura <cf at cfcorp.com> wrote:
> 
> 8 ft is not true for rs-232.  Depends on type of cable and baud rate.  50ft is generally fine and can go up to hundreds of feet.  Maybe you are thinking about usb.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Cliff K3LL
> 
> <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Mike va3mw <va3mw at portcredit.net> </div><div>Date:12/30/2015  11:32 AM  (GMT-08:00) </div><div>To: Va3ied <Va3ied at gmail.com> </div><div>Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net </div><div>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Remote KAT500 </div><div>
> </div>While the spec for serial is about 8ft, I run it much further in professional sports timing. 
> 
> Give it a try and see if it works. If you can keep the baud rate down, that will help. 
> 
> To really do it correctly, you will want to run rs232 to rs485 converters and that will certainly solve your problem.  Www.rs485.com has the bits you need.  You can send serial like this thousands of meters.  We do this all the time. 
> 
> It isn't as complicated as it sounds. 
> 
> Mike va3mw
> 
> 
> 
>> On Dec 30, 2015, at 9:47 AM, Va3ied <Va3ied at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> My tower and garden shed are about 150 feet away. I have LMR400 buried inside
>> some PEX pipe. Would like to use the KAT500 inside the shed...not sure how
>> well a serial connection that distance would work!
>> scott va3ied
>> 
>> 
>> 
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