[Elecraft] K3 Accessory Y Cable?

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

Hi Brian,

I designed the Y-BOX <https://bit.ly/Y-BOX> to eliminate the tangle of
15-pin Y-cables and custom cables that you would otherwise need if you
wanted to connect any or all of the following to the K3 or K3S ACC port:

   - RemoteRig interface (RRC-1258 MKIIs)
   - KAT500/KPA500 or KPA1500
   - microHAM MK2R+ or micro2R (u2R)
   - Top Ten Band Decoder, Top Ten Band Aide
   - Mortty or other FSK RTTY Keying Interface
   - SteppIR Tuning Relay Interrupt
   - N8LP Tuning Relay Interrupt
   - Anything else that wants to use the K3 ACC port

Most of the above work using cables supplied by the manufacturer or with
standard economical stereo cables.  Note that the Elecraft KPAK3AUX
amplifier interface cable kit with tuning relay interrupt gender changer
($35.95) is NOT needed to connect an Elecraft KAT500 / KPA500 or KPA1500 to
the K3/K3S, as a pair of $10 - $12 cables connected through Y-BOX v2 is
electrically equivalent.

I have also made other devices work through the Y-BOX using Elecraft
interface cables supplied by the manufacturer or by me, including:

   - Elecraft KRC2
   - Array Solutions Bandmaster band decoder
   - OK2ZI Band Decoder
   - Low Band Systems (RA6LBS) SO2R Filter Interface
   - 4O3A Antenna Genius *
   - 4O3A Power Genius XL *
   - Yaesu amplifiers *
   - SunSDR MB1 *

* These devices often need a 12 VDC source and pull-up resistors when
sharing the Band Data lines, which can be added inside the Y-BOX upon
request.

In sum, for any amateur radio device that uses a 15-pin D-SUB connector
(2-row DA-15 or 3-row DE-15) or a Band Data BCD interface, the Y-BOX can
serve as a convenient 4-way splitter and breakout box for that device.

My other product, the Serial Box (S-BOX <https://bit.ly/S-BOX>) and
S-BOX-USB can serve as a SERIAL PORT splitter and USB-to-serial interface
for other products that need to share a radio's serial port with a PC, such
as the SteppIR control box, and SPE and ACOM amplifiers.  It also supports
computer-generated CW and FSK keying and PTT.  The RemoteHams software
"Remote Power On" feature for a K3 or K3S is fully supported, plug and
play.  The S-BOX-USB also works as a convenient USB interface and "docking
station" for the Elecraft KX2 and KX3 with support for rig control and
computer-generated CW / PTT keying over a single USB cable.

See links below for more info.

73,
Bob, N6TV
https://bit.ly/Y-BOX
https://bit.ly/S-BOX

On Sun, Sep 22, 2019 at 12:58 PM Brian F. Wruble <bwruble at gmail.com> wrote:

> I believe that Elecraft used to sell a Y cable for connecting from the
> accessory socket on the K3 to both the KPA1500 and a RemoteRig radio side
> box.
>
> I no longer see this on the Elecraft site.
>
> Anybody have a source for these?
>
> Tnx.  73 de Brian/W3BW
> --
>
>        *Brian F. Wruble, C.F.A.
>         The Conch Republic
> "We seceded where others failed."
>