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6000 and Palstar LA1K Amp

Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
edited April 2020 in New Ideas
Hi All

If you own a Palstar LA1K amp and you have it configured to work with the 6000 series radio, can you review this diagram.

The amp should connect from the USB/RS232 on the radio via a null modem cable right into the Kenwood RS232 port on the amp.

I see no reason why this would not work, but it always helps when someone has actually tried it.

Mike


image

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Comments

  • Member ✭✭
    edited July 2019
    Never tried it that way. All I have connected from the 6700 is the RCA line in and the coax. The LA1K follows me around the band and is ready as soon as I hit the PTT. All I do is turn it on and it's good to go. Never need to touch it afterwards.
  • ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    Never use a cable here either. The amp and the HF Auto Tuner automatically track the rig.
  • Member ✭✭
    edited November 2018
    Sounds like this is a RF-sensing amp. In that case I would agree to not use a cable.

    I have seen similar issue with another amp (RFKIT) where it is safer to use the RF-self sensing rather than a CAT cable. To me it seems, CAT is not fast enough (especially in SO2R scenarios), and if you do use CAT that mentioned amp assumes it is on the right band. If not, bad things do not happen since it is protected, but there is no high power either. The slow CAT could be caused by logging program, logging computer, rig, or amp, I do not know.

    Please note that RF-sensing takes a little time though. For mentioned amp, up to 12 ms and if bands need to be switched more time will be needed. But, its designed for it. 

    73
    Andy
    KU7T
  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited April 2019
    All

    Sorry, this a question regarding if you have tested this and does it work as I want to add this to some formal documentation.  

    Mike




  • Member
    edited December 2019
    They are announce that the LA-1K far exceeded all standards in FCC testing at a FCC-certified  Brother Printer error code 0x803c010b laboratory and received certification for equipment authorization.

  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2018
    I have yet to figure out what these bozos are trying to accomplish. They are spamming multiple comment / discussion sites.
  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Has anyone made this work?  I want to get away from RF sensing and direct cable it.  I have a good USB to serial cable and then a null modem cable from that to the AMP.  Changed the amp to directing key but shows cable not detected.  I assume the SSDR is setup for CAT?
  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited January 2019
    Hi Rich

    Does your USB cable show up in SmartSDR?  

    Settings-->USB Cables

    If not, it is the wrong type of cable.  We have them in the store at http://cart.flexradio.com/USB-to-Serial-adapter-for-the-FLEX-6000-series_p_1002.html.

    We only support FTDI chipset serial cables.

    Check out Section 28 in the SmartSDR manual.  It describes how they function.

    Mike va3mw

    image

  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    Hey Michael, thanks for the response.

    Yes it shows up. I ordered the same FTDI chipset cable that my SteppIR is using which works. I guess I cant guarantee they are the same.

    So coming out of the Flex with the FTDI and then to a Startech null serial cable as listed above.

    Rich

    image
  • Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited January 2019
    OK, awesome.

    Someone with an amp needs to  jump in, as I don't have one to test with.  
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    I use https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HKK4SCO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc... on my Palstar. Used the same cable on my yaesu vl-1000. Shows up in smart sdr and I assign it to be a bcd output and plug it into the yaesu port
  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    So how did you terminate that John?  Solder a serial connector on it?
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    db9 yes

  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    So was you wired in a Null configuration with the DB9?
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    its bcd not serial

  • Member
    edited January 2019
    you could use a ftdi serial cable to talk with kenwood port. I had this ftdi bcd cable to talk to my yaesu amp, but it also works in the yaesu port of the palstar

  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    That is what I am doing. As shown in the first post.
  • ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    I just use the rf sensing. Much easier. Hit the tune button for a second and it is there. No extra cables for RF to get into.
  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    It has been recommended to me to try the cable method. I am having some issues. Not related to band switching or SWR actually. But am is tripping out on SWR when moving up the band in CW contest. The amp always has had a SWR spike when first keying and it drops down quickly.
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    I prefer to have the amp and antenna automatically follow band changes, my first transmission is on the right antenna and band on amp

  • Member
    edited January 2019
    might try removing the null modem part. might have to swap pin 3 and 4
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    might try removing the null modem part. might have to swap pin 3 and 4
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    but the book clearly says null modem
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    add tx delay on the flex but you got to be in cable mode for that to work
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    you only need 2 wires I think, tx and gnd out of the usb, tx goes into the amp rx line. thats why they use a null modem cable that swaps pins 3 and 4. if you have an oscope, you can find whatever pin is active data on a band change on the flex
  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    I just moved the STEPPIR cable over to the AMP and still does not work.  Works fine running the STEPPIR controller.  I think I will send Palstar an email.
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    make sure you have selected direct keying in the menu
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    and enabled the usb cable in the flex
  • Member ✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    I have both.The USB device shows up in the Flex just fine but the Amp under direct keying shows Cable not detected.  As I said I moved the working STEPPIR cable over to it and it still does not work.
  • Member
    edited January 2019
    yep call palstar

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