[Elecraft] K3S, Raspberry Pi 3 and FLDIGI

[Jim Sheldon]

First off, this is NOT a complaint, merely an observation. and in my 
opinion, worthy of note for the programmers to check out. I didn't think 
this was supposed to work but it seems to work quite well, at least in 
my case.

I am using serial RS-232 with the following cabling - Desktop COM-1 to 
P3, P3 to K3S using the DE-9 to RJ-45 adapter (not the two headed cable 
between the P3 and K3S) from my desktop computer. I am also running the 
USB port cable to a Raspberry Pi model 2, single board Linux computer 
with the K3S configured as the USB Audio Codecs AND serial comms using 
/devttyUSB0 for rig control with VOX for PTT, in FLDIGI on the Raspberry 
Pi. All serial speeds are set to 38.4K baud.

The P3 still indicates the K3S frequency as I tune (slight delay), 
FLDIGI on the Pi 2 indicates the K3S frequency as I tune. TX/RX audio 
from and to FLDIGI on the Pi 2 work properly, and I am able to make 
contacts with no problem as well. I can also tune the K3S using FLDIGI's 
frequency control. I am using N3FJP's AC Log program on the big desktop 
computer for logging and it also displays the proper band/mode from the 
K3S. It also follows frequency changes made by the FLDIGI program on the 
Pi 2. I did not attempt to configure DTR or RTS for push to talk as VOX 
works so well.

It was my original understanding that you couldn't do this (RS-232 using 
the RJ-45 jack AND the USB port simultaneously). I DO have the K3S 
RS-232 configured to USB in the menu. The difference may be due to the 
fact that I'm using two separate computers here with both 
talking/listening to the K3S.

I'm running FW version UC 5.46, DSP 1 and 2 version 2.86, FL version 
1.25 on the K3S and MCU 1.57, SVGA 1.31 and the FPGA's 1.04 in the P3.

DISCLAIMER: If anyone else tries this, make sure to SAVE YOUR 
CONFIGURATION prior to making any changes so you won't forget what they 
were before and if something messes up you can re-load the previous 
version.

Further notes on the subject:
I just thought of the possibility that FLDIGI on the Raspberry Pi 2 is 
echoing the K3S data on /devttyUSB0 and that's possibly how the P3 is 
getting the frequency changes.

Yup, I just closed FLDIGI on the Pi 2 and now the P3 no longer gets the 
frequency data from the K3S as I have it configured.  Turns out 
everything was working as it should and the anomaly was caused by the 
running program on the 2nd computer.  Might prove useful in some cases 
but I can see it may not be reliable.


Jim Sheldon, W0EB


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