Missing COMFSK?

[N2NL]

I have been using my remote setup for over a month now, and it works well on CW and SSB (K3/0, Remoterig boxes, connected to a K3 on the remote side).  The RR boxes and cables were all purchased from Elecraft.  I am now trying to get RTTY functional, but have been unsuccessful.

The manual refers to a virtual COMFSK port, however I am only seeing a COMExtra, in addition to the three other RRC1258 virtual ports (COM0, COM1, and COM2).  When I set up MMTTY to use COMExtra for FSK, I can key the transmitter but only get a solid tone.  I have set up MMTTY with other recommended remote settings I found through Google searches.  I suspect the problem is something simple, however I have exhausted my troubleshooting abilities with the Remoterig manual and the almost useless K3/0 manual.

I have the control RRC box connected to my computer both with the USB cable and the DB9 COM1 port which I use for CAT.  The remote K3 is connected to the RR box using the cable set offered by Elecraft, as well as to a remote computer via CAT through the remote RR box.

If anyone has any ideas, I appreciate the help!
73, Dave N2NL

Some current RRC settings:
Control:
Serial settings, COM1 mode Mode-7
Use USB Com Port as COM1, No

Serial settings, COM2 Logical parallel with COM0
Use USB Com Port as COM1, No

IO Settings:
IN0 Mode: Keyer
OUT0 mode: I/O
OUT1 mode: I/O
OUT2 mode: I/O
USB RTS as PTT Disabled
USB DTR as CW Disabled

Remote RRC settings:
IO Settings:
OUT0 Mode - Connect
OUT1 Mode - Baudot-RTTY/45
OUT2 Mode - Keyer

[dj0qn]

Hi Dave,

I am away from home and will just give you a couple of items quickly, so someone else may be able to give you more details.

The first one is confusing: COMEXTRA = COMFSK = COM3. These are one and the same, but are inconsistently referred to
throughout the manual and in the RRC itself. You need to change COM3 to FSK and use the COMEXTRA port in Windows.

The second thing: did you install MMTTY per the RemoteRig manual? The Microbit guys did a good job of explaining the settings
necessary, since some are tricky. If not, look through that and make sure you have done this per the manual.

As for the IO settings, etc. I will pass for now, since I don't have this in my head.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[sm2o]

Yes when we introduced more functions for the extra COM port, earlier used only for FSK, we changed the name to COM-EXTRA but all documents are not updated. I will try to updated the manual ASAP.

/mike

[N2NL]

Mike, Mitch,

Thanks for the assistance and sorry for the delayed follow-up.  Knowing that COMExtra is the same as COMFSK is a help just so I know I can cross that off the potential problem list.

I did verify I had MMTTY set up exactly per the instructions.  FSK should be provided through the I/O to ACC connection; per the RR1258 manual pin 6 drives FSK on the ACC connector of the K3 so I should have that set up OK also (OUT1 mode = RTTY/FSK).

So far, no success, but I think it may be an issue with the ACC splitter off the back of the K3.  One side is connected to the KPA500 amp, the other side is connected to the RR1258 I/O jack.  It's a splitter from Elecraft, but I will try connecting the RR1258 directly to the KPA500 and see if that makes a difference.  Everything seems like it *wants* to work, but it isn't.

I'll update here if I find out the problem, in case someone else has a similar issue.

73, Dave

[K1UO - Larry]

Hi Dave,  Well I have a similar issue and Ive tried everything also.   I cant even get RTTY to decode directly on the K3/0 from the remote K3 let alone with an external program like MMTTY.... yet all settings are per the Microbit 1258 RTTY setup instructions as well as other INET sources you noted below.

I was hoping that someone with a K3 and K3/0 combo that is actually working with would be willing to share both their RRC units configuration files in HTML format so we could stare and compare to find exactly what might be wrong.  Otherwise Im in the same situation as you are with RTTY.

Dave can you decode RTTY with the onboard text decoder of the K3?  We  can as long as the Control end (K3/0) is shut off...  Once we establish connection to the remote radio via the RRC,s then the TTY decoding turns to gibberish.   Guess this is beyond my pay grade too :-)

[N2NL]

Thanks all for continuing to read and for the responses.  It appears that Larry and I have the same issue.  I still have not had any success transmitting FSK through the Remoterig boxes, with MMTTY on the control computer, after confirming repeatedly that the configurations of everything is set up correctly.  I can key down the radio, but it sends a carrier - no "diddles".

As a work around, I shipped my host a FSK interface cable, and he connected it between the remote K3 and CPU, with MMTTY installed.  With Teamviewer, I saw the same issue - I could transmit a carrier, no diddles. 

To troubleshoot, we disconnected everything from the K3 ACC port except the FSK interface.  FSK then worked, using Teamviewer and MMTTY on the remote computer.

I reconnected the KPA500 in parallel with the FSK interface to the K3 - both worked (I could still send FSK from the remote computer).

I reconnected the Remoterig IO cable to the ACC jack (I have two Elecraft ACC splitters daisy chained), and the problem returned.  I can TX, but only a carrier.  I see the same symptom if I try sending FSK remotely, through the RR boxes, or through the FSK interface connected between the remote CPU and the remote K3. 

It appears that something, either in the Elecraft provided Remoterig box or IO cable assembly that is sinking pin 1 (FSK on the K3) to ground.  I can't confirm this yet, but it is apparent the problem has something to do with the remoterig box.

This is where I have come to a stopping point.  It seems unlikely that the IO cable is faulty.  I suspect that the problem is either a hardware (jumper?) or software (setting?) issue within the RR box.

I think I may need to contact Elecraft customer support since I did purchase the boxes from them directly, pre-configured for Elecraft. 

73, Dave

[N2NL]

As one more quick follow-up, since FSK is provided both at the IO and Paddle ring connections, I disconnected the paddle cable from the remoterig box and tried again.  No joy, same thing happens.  I'm completely at a loss now... run out of troubleshooting ideas.

[sm2o]

Hi I normally do not use RTTY but I tested to set it up here with my K3/0-mini and K3/100. The general instructions in the manual is correct, but the FSK input at the K3 looks to be inverted so I had to change the Out-1 settings in the Radio-RRC to "bauddot-RTTY 45(Inv). The K3 should be set to DATA mode and FSK D should be set on the DATA MD button. Decode with the K3 display is also no problem but had to be activated via the TEXT DEC button.

73 de mike

[K1UO - Larry]

What you are describing is exactly what we have tried yet neither the K3 onboard TEXT decoder works or any other method to decode RTTY.  Don't know what is  so different between a K3/mini and an older K3/0 at the control end.

[W1UE]

Larry, I agree, there should not be any difference.  I have a K3Mini and a full K3, so I can try it both ways tonight and see if it makes a difference.  I'll only try the full K3 if I can't get the Mini to work right.  UE

[K1UO - Larry]

There is a small item I have noticed in the Radio and Control RRC I/O settings.     I cannot change the Radio RRC I//O setting for the OUT0 Mode....  It always stays at 'connect' mode.  I did change the Radio OUT1 Mode setting to 'Baudot-RTTY/45(inv)' however....  still nothing but random gibberish decodes.

On the Control RRC end the only settings I have to choose from  under the I/O Tab for the OUT0 mode is either 'connect' or keyer'  for the choices...(some RTTY instructions call for choosing the 'I/O' input but I don't have that choice.)   I chose to set the control RRC I/O Tab  OUT0 mode to 'connect' to match the RRC -Radio end I/O OUT0 mode.
Im not sure if this is of any consequence or not. 

My RRC radio Program Mode is 14- K-3 Twin and the RRC's are from Elecraft with their strapping already installed.  The serial settings are Com1 = Mode 7 and my logginf program DX Labs is connected to the radio via a serial to serial cable from RRC Com 1 to PC serial port 2.   (this prevents dropouts between the logger and radio much better than using the mini usb virtual port assigned to com1 on the RRC.)

[sm2o]

Hi the Remoterig is not involved at all in the "display decoding", That's done in the K3/100 and only the text is sent over like any other display info. And it works no doubt about that, but it can be a little bit tricky to setup, but it's a 100% K3 issue.

If you use mode 14 "K3 twin" out-0 in the Radio RRC is reserved for the K3 power on signal = "connect" and can't be changed.

The settings concerning RTTY described in the RRC manual is only for transmitting and has no influence on receving or decoding.

Either the built in "K3 display decode" can be used or the ordinary RRC-audio output can be connected to a PC soundcard, MMTTY then has to be setup to use the soundcard for the decoding. That's how I did yesterday to decode K1N. But the "display decode" also works but it's a little bit more tricky to use.

73 de mike

[K1UO - Larry]

Thank you Mike for the explanation...as I mentioned above in my long post..The remote K3 will decode RTTY via the internal TEXT decoder al day long as long as the Control K3 is shut off:-)   I may get a chance to turn on the Control K3 and let the RRC connect and pull cables one at a time on the Remote to see which one is shutting down the clean decoding of rtty text.  Otherwise the moment I turn on the Control K3/0 the Remote K3 TEXT decoding turns to garbage print.   maybe there is an intermittent cable problem.        To be continued.......
Regards to all for the ideas,

Larry  K1UO

[N2NL]

Again, I do appreciate the support Mike!

Larry - I ultimately gave up on FSK and what I did was fabricate cables for AFSK.  I am now QRV on RTTY this way.  It actually isn't bad when you are in Elecraft's DATA AFSK mode.  The remote side is the same as if you are using SSB.  The local side just needs a PTT interface (2N2222/1K resistor) and an audio cable connected to the 8-pin mic jack.  Bonus is that if I ever find any interest in the other digital modes, it is already hardwired to work.

73, Dave

[K3TN]

I have FSK working with K3 Mini/K3 remote, pretty much following the manual plus W1UE directions plus SM2O added the part about using Inverted in Out1 Mode. I can send, I can receive using MMTTY in either N1MM or N1MM+

One issue: I take audio from Control RRC front SPKR connection to PC sound card. But now I can't hear the audio, because to do so I had to remove the headphones from that jack.

I put a stereo Y in but that seems to load it down - MMTTY doesn't display spectrum anymore. I don't think the RRC can drive both the PC sound card and the headphones in parallel.

My Mini seems to have an audio problem, which is why I'm doing mic and headphone audio from the RRC. Elecraft sent me a new audio I/O board for the mini, haven't swapped out yet.

Other than using an audio amp, any other way for me to listen to audio from RRC while also sending to PC soundcard?

73 John K3TN