[Elecraft] Advice needed: Remote Station Enhancement

[Don Wilhelm]

Knut,

This has been a "corruption" of the RS-232 environment.
RS-232 is a point to point protocol, and too many ham applications have 
tried to turn it into a multi-point communication.  It just does not work.

Multiple receivers will work, but multiple drivers will not.  It all 
boils down to that point.

In addition, all but the far end receivers should provide the pullup 
resistors.  If that is followed, no harm will occur.
Unfortunately, many devices want to be that far end receiver with the 
pullup resistors, and chaos is the result.

Until a systems approach is implemented (don't hold your breath), the 
RS-232 and interoperatability between manufacturers will be a thing only 
to be wished for.  Each manufacturer has there own version of 
interoperability which works fine until someone offers some gear which 
does not conform.

Maybe we need a ham radio "standards" organization to resolve the 
problems and make all things ham radio to work together.  That is not 
likely in the near future IMHO.

73,
Don W3FPR

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/1/2018 7:58 PM, ab2tc wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I was reluctant to respond again to this long thread, but I will.
> 
> If all receivers on the bus (yes, it is a bus)  were to obey the rules to
> have a pullup resistor and a steering diode we would not have the problem of
> "false power" to devices on the bus. This would be proper engineering
> practice which has unfortunately been ignored by the the ham community for
> years.