[TimeWave-AEA] Help

Mon, 29 Jul 2002 15:29:32 -0700

Hi Randy,

I'm not aware of any parallel ports on any personal computer equipment
made that can also be configured to be RS-232 serial ports.  For one,
the voltages used for RS-232 are minimally + and - 3 volts.  With
parallel ports, it's zero and +5 (or positive TTL) volts.  Applying a
negative voltage to a parallel port input pin is asking for trouble.
That's electrically incompatible.   And the crystal frequency reference
used for serial port timing is not available on a parallel port.  That
would mean that some other hardware (or the processor) would have to do
the job.  Also, the PK-232 would not be able to use it's parallel
printer port pins as a an I/O device - it's strictly designed as an
output device.

73, Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of
[email protected]
Sent: Monday, July 29, 2002 5:45 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: [TimeWave-AEA] Help

Bob,
The printer port can be configured as a comm. Port. The same connection
is there too just a lot more trouble changing LPT 1 to a comm. Then the
connections would have to be made up as the cord won't work the way it
is, a lot of small soldering tiny place to work and why?

Randy
AC7NJ

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bob Donnell
Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2002 10:22 PM
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Re: [TimeWave-AEA] Help

Hi all,

Randy:  I believe you mis-spoke (typed?) below.  A PK-232 can not be=20
connected to a computer via the printer port.=20

Jim:  You absolutely should use the cable supplied with the PK-232.  The

reason for this is that in an effort to control manufacturing costs and=20
provide printing capability, AEA used a DB-25 connector for serial data=20
connection to the computer, and used the "left over" pins to implement a

parallel port.  If the pins used to implement the parallel port are
connected=20
to anything but a printer, the PK-232 can be damaged, but even without
that,=20
since the circuitry for the parallel port is shared with the front-panel

LEDs, the front-panel LED display can be made inaccurate.  To prevent
damage=20
to your PK-232MBX, you need to use the suppied cable, or you need to
insure=20
that on the DB-25 end of the cable you use, that only pins
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,=20
and 20 are connected.  Any others can damage the PK-232MBX.  Many=20
prefabricated DB-25 to DB-9 cables connect an additional pin to the
DB-25=20
connector.  So you're better off with a DB-25/DB-9 adapter (or short
cable)=20
connected to the cable supplied with your PK-232MBX. =20

The original PK-232's were provided with a "Y" cable, with a cable and=20
connector to go to the computer or terminal, and an additional cable and

connector that could be connected to a parallel printer.  This allowed a

means of printing information without requiring a computer, and until
FAX=20
display software became available, was the only way for FAX
transmissions to=20
be displayed with the PK-232.

Yes, you're right - the PK-232 manual is big and imposing, from the
outside. =20
A fair amount of effort and numerous revisions have been done to it over
the=20
years, with the manual (When AEA was still in existence) provided in a=20
three-ring binder being the result of a major organizational review and=20
re-write.  I don't know if Timewave has stuck with the basic format we=20
developed at AEA or not.  I worked at AEA in the customer service
department=20
at that time, and my biggest contribution to the manual update was the
radio=20
connection information appendix at the back of the manual.  It
definitely has=20
connection information for your TS-430.  I don't happen to recall
offhand if=20
there are several options for that radio, as there definitly are for
later=20
Kenwoods, like the TS-850.  If it happens that the manual you received
with=20
your PK-232 was printed by AEA (vs. Timewave) and is of the
"perfect-bound"=20
variety, you may want to consider contacting Timewave about a new manual
-=20
the later manual was a huge improvement in organization.  Also, a large
part=20
of the manual is devoted to explanatory text for each and every command
in=20
the unit.  If you elect to acquire software specificly designed for the=20
PK-232, you're going to be using the documentation or help files in that

software for information on how to operate on the air with the PK-232,
rather=20
than making extensive use of the PK-232 manual.  You do still need to
use the=20
PK-232 manual if you intend to complete your own radio connection
cables.  =20
As for radio connection cables, there are also alternatives.  I believe
MFJ=20
and Buck Rogers sell cables to connect the PK-232 to many models of
radios. =20
See their web sites (www.mfjenterprises.com and www.packetradio.com)

As for software, at a very minimum, you can use the Hyperterminal
software=20
that's supplied with Win98 to get you started.  The PK-232 manual
details=20
getting started this way, allowing you to perform initial functional=20
verification and providing you with some training in this capability.
There=20
are a very few hams that prefer to use this method for all their use of
the=20
PK-232.  See the Timewave site for their software offerings that are
specific=20
to the PK-232.  There's also a product known as PK-Gold that's
specificly=20
designed for use with the PK-232.  You'll generally find these programs
to=20
give you the best, most seamless user interface for interacting with the

PK-232.

The mini-phone cables are provided as a separate means of getting
receive=20
audio from your radio to the PK-232.  Many radios do not make provision
for=20
receive audio on the same connector as the transmit audio and PTT are
on. =20
Most VHF/UHF mobiles used to be like this.  So by providing a receive
audio=20
jack and a cable, you didn't have to try to splice into the gray radio
cable=20
to accomplish the receive connection.  Again, I don't recall the details
for=20
the TS-430, but since we did have one of those on hand at AEA, I know=20
absolutely that the connections in the manual work!

I hope that helps, and 73.

Also, feel free to contact me directly if there are questions I can
answer.

73, Bob, KD7NM ([email protected])

On Monday 29 July 2002 01:07, [email protected] wrote:
> Jim,
> PK-232 help
> As for Comm port most of us use the parallel port but the printer port
> can be configured to do the job. (9 pin to 25)(computer to
pk-232)radio
> shack "NOT NULL MODUM" cord.
> On the back of the pk-232 you will find the 2 radio ports with the
> special plug you mentioned- that usually goes to the ACC on the rig.
> The audio cord many of the older rigs didn't have the audio available
as
> they were connected to the microphone plug as opposed to the ACC. If
you
> don't have audio to the ACC connected that cord will be needed.
> NEXT QUESTION
> The pk-232 can do many things what software and configuration can be
> dependant on what you want to do with it.
> My email address direct [email protected]
>
> Randy
> AC7NJ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jim Lindberg
> Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 7:56 PM
> To: [email protected]; [email protected]
> Subject: [TimeWave-AEA] Help
>
> Hi,
> I'm brand new at this and I need a lot of help.
> I just got a AEA PK-232MBX And I'm trying to figure it out.
> It came in good shape with a intimidating thick manual. First I'd like
> to get some soft ware I can use with Windows 98. Next I was sent a
cable
> with RS 232 (25 pins) on each end and the only place I could use that
is
> my printer port. It also came with a cable that has a weird ( 5 pin )
> that connects to the PK232 and the other end to the rcvr ( I'm using
my
> Kenwood TS 430S ) and a mini stereo plug that goes some where. I have
a
> RS 232 to a (9 pin) that I can put to my COM PORT if that will help.
> I guess that will do it for now.
> Please be gentle--I'm old.
> de
> Jim
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