+++++++++++++++++ Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 07:39:13 -0700 From: lhlousek Subject: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable tip When assembling the KIO2 RS-232 cable the clamp in the connector shells is too big to grab the supplied cable. I tried turning the clamp over but it was too tight. I took an 3/8 length of the supplied cable and put it under the clamp with the actual cable and it was just right. It firmly holds the cable and provides strain relief without crush it. Lou ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 10:08:00 -0700 From: Wayne Burdick Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable tip Hi Lou, Good idea. Note that we chose a backshell whose clamp was slightly oversized because some builders will run a cable back out from the D-connector to other equipment and/or the K2 keyer jack. 73, Wayne lhlousek wrote: > > When assembling the KIO2 RS-232 cable the clamp in the connector shells > is too big to grab the supplied cable. I tried turning the clamp over > but it was too tight. I took an 3/8 length of the supplied cable and > put it under the clamp with the actual cable and it was just right. It > firmly holds the cable and provides strain relief without crush it. > > Lou ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 14:59:55 -0700 From: Vic Rosenthal Organization: Transparent Software To: Elecraft Subject: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable question The manual says that the cable from the KIO2 to the serial port should have the ground braid connected only at the rig end. I presume that this is to avoid a ground loop that could result in RF pickup. I am intending to connect my KIO2 to a switchbox so that I can connect either the rig or a packet TNC to the single serial port on my laptop. If I don't connect the ground at the switchbox, then the box itself and the cable to the computer will be floating with respect to the rig and the computer. Which of the points (A, B, C, D, E) below should have the shields connected to pin 1 of the connectors? A KIO2--------------------| | C E Switch--------------Computer B | D TNC---------------------| Vic K2VCO ++++++++++++++++++++ Reply-To: "Bob Lewis (AA4PB)" From: "Bob Lewis (AA4PB)" To: "Elecraft" Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable question Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 18:17:10 -0400 > The manual says that the cable from the KIO2 to the serial > port should have the ground braid connected only at the rig end. Vick, remember that the shield is on pin-1. Pin-5, the signal ground, is still connected at both ends. I'd just leave the K2's shield unconnected at the switch box end per the instructions. That way you don't have any ground currents flowing in the K2 shield. +++++++++++++++++++++ Reply-To: "Don Wilhelm" From: "Don Wilhelm" To: "Vic Rosenthal" , "Elecraft" Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable question Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 18:32:51 -0400 Vic, As a first suggestion - run the pin 1 shield connection through the switchbox, but do not ground the shield AT the switchbox chassis - you can bypass it with a capacitor. Do ground the case of the switchbox to your station ground. That will give you the continuous 'ground' (actually common) that you need while preventing ground loops. Note: Check entry below for correction... dwn This is a case where what we usually refer to as 'ground' is really a signal path - In the 'old days' I worked some with large computer controllers and associated terminals - the same rule applied -- connect the cable shield to round at the source device and nowhere else in the system (but at all other places consider it as a signal wire to be connected). Be careful that the devices you connect are constructed so that the isolated common connection is feasible - many will connect the shield to their own ground inside the box. If that is the case, some rework of that box may be in order. 73, Don W3FPR ----- Original Message ----- > The manual says that the cable from the KIO2 to the serial port should have the > ground braid connected only at the rig end. I presume that this is to avoid a > ground loop that could result in RF pickup. > > I am intending to connect my KIO2 to a switchbox so that I can connect either > the rig or a packet TNC to the single serial port on my laptop. If I don't > connect the ground at the switchbox, then the box itself and the cable to the > computer will be floating with respect to the rig and the computer. ....snip ++++++++++++++++++++ Reply-To: "Don Wilhelm" From: "Don Wilhelm" To: "Vic Rosenthal" , "Elecraft" Subject: My last post -Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable question Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 18:39:33 -0400 Sorry folks, I had a senior moment - pin 1 is Data Carrier Detect for the 9 pin connector, it is pin 5 that is signal ground - the connector shell is chassis ground. On the 25 pin connector, pin 1 IS chassis ground and pin 7 is the signal ground. 73, Don W3FPR ++++++++++++++++++++ Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 18:55:09 -0700 From: Vic Rosenthal Organization: Transparent Software To: Elecraft Subject: Re: My last post -Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable question Don Wilhelm wrote: > > Sorry folks, I had a senior moment - pin 1 is Data Carrier Detect for the 9 > pin connector, it is pin 5 that is signal ground - the connector shell is > chassis ground. Hm, the KIO2 manual definitely shows pin 1 connected to the braid on the radio side. Vic K2VCO ++++++++++++++++++++++ Reply-To: "Don Wilhelm" From: "Don Wilhelm" To: "Vic Rosenthal" , "Elecraft" Subject: Re: My last post -Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable question Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 23:13:47 -0400 Vic and all, Be aware that the KIO2 is not a standard RS232 connector wiring - for example, AUXBUS is not a signal in the RS232 definition - it is unique to the K2. This is the reason one cannot use a standard RS232 9 pin cable to connect directly to the K2 IO port - you must use the K2 unique wiring at the K2 end of things. The computer end of the cable must match the normal serial port RS232 to be able to work with the computer end - at least for the signals that are used by the computer plus any 'extra' signals must be ignored by the serial port of the computer. I'm sorry if this sounds complicated - but that is just the way it is. My references were to the serial port end and not to the K2 end - sorry about any confusion to anyone. Yes pin 1 is signal ground at the K2, but the 9 pin serial port uses pin 5 for signal ground at the serial port. 73, Don W3FPR ++++++++++++++++++ Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 21:32:19 -0700 From: Vic Rosenthal Organization: Transparent Software To: Don Wilhelm Cc: Elecraft Subject: Re: My last post -Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable question Don Wilhelm wrote: > Yes pin 1 is signal ground at the K2, but the 9 pin serial port uses pin 5 > for signal ground at the serial port. OK, got it. Actually, pin 5 is signal ground at both ends. Pin 1 is connected to the shield at the K2 end, but not at the computer end. What I finally did was make a cable that connected pins 1, 2, 3, and 5 straight through to the switchbox. Then I took the regular KIO2 cable, which had pin 1 DISCONNECTED at the computer end and used it to connect the common pole of the switch to the computer. Everything seems to work. Awaiting high-power RF testing to see if there's any interference. Vic K2VCO +++++++++++++++++++ Reply-To: "Don Wilhelm" From: "Don Wilhelm" To: "Charles Greene" Cc: "Elecraft" Subject: Re: My last post -Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 cable question Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 07:55:04 -0400 Chas, Check the list of connector signals near the end of the KIO2 manual. Pin 1 is shown as RF/DC ground (chassis ground), and pin 5 is defined as RS232 signal ground. If you make up the cable as shown in the KIO2 manual, everything should be just fine. Pin 1 will be connected to chassis ground only at the K2 end - result is no path for ground loops. Signal ground and chassis ground may be connected at the K2 end, but that should be the only place on the path of the cable wires that thay are connected - to do otherwise invites problems with ground loops. When building/ buying equipment (switchboxes and computer periferal stuff) that connects between the computer and KIO2, one should check to be certain that the signal ground and chassis ground and not connected inside that box - I have observed implementations that do not follow this rule and thereby invite ground loop problems - then folks seem to go overboard and insert things like opto-isolators to solve the problem that could have been solved by simply floating the signal ground (common). 73, Don W3FPR ----- Original Message ----- > > I'm looking at my KIO2 schematic and it shows pin 1 of the DB9 connected to > ground. However, I don't remember which pin the shield is connected to. > ++++++++++++++++++ Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2003 22:19:27 -0500 From: "Mark S. Adams, P.E." To: Elecraft List Subject: [Elecraft] KIO2 Problem Found Hi Gang, Thanks for all the replies. My trouble was that I misread the pinouts for the connectors at each end of the cable from the rig to the PC. My advice, DO NOT LOOK AT THE DIAGRAMS AND BUILD THE CABLE, USE ONLY THE PIN NUMBERS! So, 3 hours later, all is fixed. Now onto the SSB module. 73, Mark K2QO ++++++++++++++++++++ From: "Dan Barker" To: "Elecraft" Subject: FW: [Elecraft] need pinouts for kio2 cable Date: Sun, 25 May 2003 06:47:20 -0400 KIO Pinouts from manual rev b: PC End (Female) 1 nc 2 red 3 green 4 nc 5 black 6 nc 7 loop to 8 8 loop to 7 9 nc K2 End (Male) 1 bare wire 2 red 3 green 4 nc 5 black 6 nc 7 nc 8 nc 9 nc Dan / WG4S / K2 #2456 Could someone send me the propper pinouts for that [KIO2] cable. ++++++++++++++++ From: "Bruce D. McLaughlin" To: "'Gary Lee'" , Subject: RE: [Elecraft] need pinouts for kio2 cable Date: Sun, 25 May 2003 14:31:53 -0400 According to my KPA100 manual, PC (Female end) red to pin 2, green to pin 3, black to pin 5 -- bare wire not connected and jumper between the two middle pins on the four pin row. The male (K2 end) bare to pin 1, red to pin 2, green to pin 3 and black to pin 5. Bruce - W8FU -----Original Message----- From: elecraft-admin at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-admin at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary Lee Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2003 6:51 PM To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] need pinouts for kio2 cable Ok, I suspect the cable from the pc to the k2 has gone bad. Tried looking in the kio2 manual, but conversion from pdf to text scrambled the tables. Could someone send me the propper pinouts for that cable. Then, I can ring it out with the meter and see what' i've got. Thanks all for the help. +++++++++++++++