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Topics - VA2MM

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1
I have been using a K3 Twin setup for a few years now and it generally works well. Lately I've been doing more CW and a long-standing issue that I have put up with on SSB is harder to live with in CW mode.

When I connect my logging program (at the control site) to the remote ratio via Com1 (USB) of the control RRC, the radio occasionally sees very short (few ms) spurious PTT and/or CW keying every few seconds. It does occur in SSB mode but it is much less obtrusive and seems less frequent on SSB than on CW where there are short bursts of on/off PTT and keying (side-tone blips). If I turn off Radio CAT control on my logging program, the problem disappears.

I do not suspect my logging software itself as the cause because this problem does not occur when directly connected to the radio, nor when connected via the radio RRC local COM1 at the radio site (I use mode-7 for COM1). 

It may be bandwidth related because PTT and keying blips occur more often if I increase the the baud rate of COM1. It is tolerable at 4800 bps but quite annoying at 38400 bps. However, the VoIP bandwidth seems fine (no audio drop-outs, except obviously during spurious PTT). COM2 is 38400 bps, per recommended K3 Twin settings.

Another (probably related) issue is that the radio sees brief spurious PTTs when I spin the VFO knob on the control end. This occurs even when I'm not using CAT control and the PTT blips stop as soon as I stop turning the VFO knob).

Currently running RRC firmware 2.9

Any ideas?

2
I just upgrade the firmware on my pair of RRC1225MKIIs. I have used them successfully for several years on my Mac with various MacOS version (currently MacOS 10.11). After the RRC firmware upgrade, the USB connection is no longer recognized by MacOS. I would like to downgrade the firmware version, but I unfortunately failed to note what the original firmware version was (it was about 2 years old).

What version would you suggest that I roll back to in order to restore USB recognition, or do you have another solution to suggest?

Thanks,

Mark VA2MM

3
Configuration, RRC 1258 / K3 Utility over RRC CAT link
« on: 2014-09-27, 19:05:00 »
I have seen on previous posts that the K3 Utility program is supposed to work over the RRC CAT link radio K3 configuration, but not for firmware updates. I can live with that but in my case I can't get the K3 Utility to find the K3 at all, even though my logging software can connect and control the K3 just fine using COM1 to COM2 (Mode 7).

The 4 RRC USB virtual ports show up in the K3 Utility, but the K3 does not respond on any of them. When I use the logging program, the K3 responds fine on the the third RRC USB virtual port.

I use the Mac version of K3 Utility, but I have also tried this on a PC with the Windows version of K3 Utility (same result).

Here are my serial settings:

Control Serial settings

COM1 mode   Mode-7
COM1 baudrate   4800
COM1 data bits   8
COM1 stop bits   1
COM1 parity   0-Off
COM1 rts/cts   Yes
COM1 terminator (hex)   00
Use USB Com Port as COM1   Yes
    
COM2 mode   Logical parallel with COM0
COM2 baudrate   9600
COM2 data bits   8
COM2 stop bits   1
COM2 parity   0-Off
COM2 terminator (hex)   00
Use USB Com Port as COM2   No
    
COM3 mode (USB-COMFSK)   Mode-10, Baudot-RTTY

Remote Serial settings

COM1 mode   Mode-7
COM1 baudrate   4800
COM1 data bits   8
COM1 stop bits   1
COM1 parity   0-Off
COM1 rts/cts   Yes
COM1 terminator (hex)   00
    
COM2 mode   Logical parallel with COM0
COM2 baudrate   9600
COM2 data bits   8
COM2 stop bits   1
COM2 parity   0-Off
COM2 terminator (hex)   00

Any suggestions?

Regards

Mark VA2MM

4
Hardware, Cabling, Installations / Haunted keyer
« on: 2014-09-17, 00:24:47 »
I recently activated the keyer function on the RRC, and it seems to work well. However, it sometimes works by itself, sending random CW. A hands-free function?  At first I thought it was faulty wiring in my paddle, but no, it even does it when the paddle (and the IO connector) is unplugged from the RRC box.  If I power cycle the RRC, it shuts up for a while, but eventually it sending again.

Anyone else run into an RRC with a CW mind of its own?  If so, how do you fix it?

Mark VA2MM

5
Hello,

I am using the RRC with IC706MKII remote control-head mode, which works fine.  I also use CI-V over COM2 to control the radio from my logging software. The computer at the control end uses the USB to access COM2.

All that works well for a while (random amount of time ranging from a few minutes to perhaps an hour ) after turning on the RRC unit. Eventually the logging software will disconnect due to failed polls with the Radio. Looking at the logs, the echo back from the radio works fine for a while but then suddenly starts producing poll response errors. It seems to be a one-way problem because I can still control the radio (e.g. change frequencies) but I cannot read the frequency and the logging program eventually disconnects after 30 bad polls.

I believe that the problem is with the control RRC because: restarting the logging program does not help and unplugging and replugging the USB does not clear the problem. Resetting the remote (radio-side) RCC doesn't help but, rebooting the control RRC always and immediately clears the problem (for a while). Once it gets into the one-way corrupted data mode, it never recovers by itself (only after control RRC reboot).

Running latest RRC firmware.  Serial port settings are attached.

I have also attached a log capture file showing what happens when it starts to fail. The capture shows the last successful poll, then (starting at line 11) the series of poll failures where you see the echo is consistently corrupted.


6
My service provider assigns a private WAN IP address, so I'm faced with having to use a VPN between my control and radio sites. I'd like any recommendations or comments if you have experience is setting up site-site VPN for RemoteRig.

I'm considering the following choices for stand-alone site-site VPN boxes:

a) TP-Link TL-R600 VPN ($66 each)
b) Netgear ProSafe VPN Firewall ($60 each)
c) Cisco/Linksys RV082 (probably overkill but I can get them used for $50 each)

I've also considered, a couple semi-software options but leaning against :

d) Flashing DD-WRT into a pair of commercial routers.
e) Running OpenVPN on a pair of Raspberry Pi (not really a hardware solution)

Currently leaning towards option c) if I can get them quickly.

Let me know if you have any comments.

Mark VA2MM

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