E L E C R A F T KIO2 AUX I/O MODULE Assembly and Operating Instructions Revision C, June 6, 2012. Copyright © 2012, Elecraft; All Rights Reserved Introduction The KIO2 option allows the K2 to be remote-controlled by a computer. It also provides a number of useful signals for interfacing the K2 to other equipment. With the KIO2 option and a small lap-top computer, the K2 becomes a highly integrated field contesting or DXpedition station.
Parts Inventory The table below lists all parts in the kit. Refer to the K2 manual parts lists for parts photographs. Ref. C14 C10 C1, C2, Ctxd C3-C7,C9,C11,C13 C12, C15 C8 D1-D4 J1 J2 L1 L2, L3, L4 L5 Q1 R1 R2 U1 U2 X1 C2 C1 J1 J2 L1 P1 MISC MISC MISC MISC MISC MISC MISC HDWR HDWR MISC MISC MISC Description Components on the KIO2 PC board Capacitor, 56 pF ("56" or "560") Capacitor, 120 pF ("121" or "120") Capacitor, .001 µF ("102"); Ctxd used on Control Board Capacitor, .01 µF ("103") Capacitor, 0.
Firmware Requirements To use the KIO2, you'll need main microcontroller firmware revision 2.01 or later (the main microcontroller is U6 on the K2 Control board). If you received new firmware as an upgrade, you can install it now, or at the point indicated in this manual (page 10). To check your firmware revision, hold any switch when powering up the K2. When you release the switch, the revision will be shown on the LCD.
Allow J1 and the brass nuts to cool, then remove the assembly from the vise. Carefully remove the two hex standoffs. The nuts should remain firmly attached to J1. Note: If the nuts should become loose during later assembly steps, they can be re-attached with the KIO2 in place. Locate the larger of the two PC boards, labeled "KIO2" along one edge of the board. This is the top side of the board. Flip the board over, so that the side with the "ELECRAFT" label is facing up.
Install C14 (56 pF), located near the "ELECRAFT" label. It must be seated as far down onto the PC board as it can go, with no lead length exposed between the capacitor body and the board. Small capacitors are fragile. Do not pull on the leads, and keep soldering time to about 1-2 seconds per lead. Install electrolytic capacitor C8. Orient the capacitor's positive lead towards the (+) mark near the component outline. C8 must be fully seated on the board before soldering. Install R1 (3.
Wind 12 turns of #26 red enamel wire (7", 18 cm) on the FT23-43 toroid core (L5) as shown in Figure 3. Avoid scraping the wire against the core as you wind. The turns should occupy 80-90% of the core. Figure 3 Trim the leads of L5 to about 1/2" long. Remove all of the enamel coating to within about 1/16"-1/8" of the core, using a soldering iron to heat-strip the thermaleze wire. (An alternative is to use sandpaper.) Tin the leads, and make sure they appear clean and shiny.
KIO2 to AUX2 Cable Assembly Locate the 8-conductor shielded cable. This cable will be used to connect the KIO2 board to the AUX2 board as shown in Figure 4. Refer to this illustration during the next several assembly steps.
Cut a 9" (23 cm) length of the 8-conductor cable. Note: 2 feet (60 cm) of the 8-conductor is supplied. The extra cable can be used to make a replacement if the original becomes damaged. Carefully remove 3/4" (2 cm) of the outer gray jacket from the cable. To avoid nicking the individual conductors, proceed slowly, using a sharp tool to cut around the circumference of the jacket. It is OK to cut through the foil shield, which will be discarded.
Using long-nose pliers, insert the wires of one end of the cable into the holes of J2 on the top side of the KIO2 board (Figure 4). Insert the wires in this order: BLUE (pin 1--round pad), GREEN (2), ORANGE (3), BARE (5), BLACK (6), RED/BLACK (7), RED (8), WHITE/BLACK (9), WHITE (10). Be sure to match the wire colors to their associated pads as shown. Note that the dual-row connectors have their pins numbered left to right and top to bottom, which is different from IC pin numbering.
Remove the screws that hold the Control board to the Front Panel board. If you have the KAF2 audio filter installed, it must be unplugged first (after removing the screw on the left side). Extract the Control board using the long-handled Allen wrench (see page 40 of the K2 manual). If you received the revision 2.01 (or later) K2 firmware as an upgrade, and have not yet installed it, you should do so now. Follow the steps in the K2 Revision 2 Firmware manual.
Initial Tests Re-install the Control board, and plug in the KAF2 module if applicable. Plug the AUX2 board into the K2 Control board at P4 (the Aux I/O connector) as shown in Figure 6. When the AUX2 board is correctly installed, it will be about 0.1" (2.5 mm) below the top edge of the control board. Do not proceed until the AUX2 board is correctly installed, with all 10 pins mated.
K2 to Computer Cable Assembly i CAUTION: Do not use a pre-assembled cable of any kind (printer cable, etc.) between the KIO2 and a computer. Some pins on the KIO2 provide special signals not intended for use with an RS232 interface, and you could damage the K2, KIO2, or the computer if these lines are used incorrectly. You must assemble your own K2-to-computer cable as explained below. Locate the 4-conductor cable.
Solder the RED, GREEN, and BLACK wires of the PC end of the cable (the end with no shield wire) to the female connector. Refer to Figure 7. Remove the female connector from the vise, and insert the male connector. Keep this connector in the orientation shown below. Solder the BARE (shield), RED, GREEN, and BLACK wires to the male connector as shown. Remove the male connector from the vise.
Serial Interface Test Make sure the KIO2 board is hanging outside the K2 and is not shorting to the cabinet, tools, etc. Connect the serial cable to the K2 and the computer. If your computer has a 25-pin serial connector, you'll need a 9-pin to 25-pin adapter. Secure the cable at the computer using the jackscrews. Tighten them just enough to hold the connector in place. Turn on the K2 and computer. Tap M E N U , then tap D I S P L AY to gain access to the secondary menu.
KAT2 KIO2 PCB KBT2 ATU-J7 ATU-J8 AUX2 PCB Figure 9. KIO2 installation in top cover (see text).
KIO2 Installation Figure 9 (previous page) shows where the KIO2 board will be installed in the K2's top cover. The KIO2's female D connector will be mounted in the hole labeled "AUX I/O" on the rear panel. The ATU's control cable will plug into the AUX2 board (if applicable). There is no need to remove the battery or ATU. Place the top cover upside down on a cloth or other soft surface to protect the finish. Disconnect the KIO2/AUX2 assembly from the K2. Position the KIO2 module as shown in Figure 9.
i Place the top cover to the right of the K2, on its right edge, while plugging in cables in the following steps. It may be helpful to place a 2-3" stack of books at the right side of the K2 as a support for the top cover. Be very careful not to short the battery terminals to the chassis. Plug in the speaker connector. Plug the AUX2 board assembly into the K2 Control board. Make sure the AUX2 board is oriented as shown in Figure 6.
Computer Control Using the KIO2 Computer, Antenna, and Noise Considerations Desktop computers and their peripherals--especially monitors and networking equipment--can generate spurious signals over wide portions of the HF spectrum. If your antenna is fed with coax, you may not hear any computer-generated noise at all. However, if you use an end-fed random-wire antenna that's connected directly to the transceiver, or use unshielded feedline (twin-lead, ladder line, etc.
Table 1. Application software information. Program CT DX4WIN K2REMOTE, K2VOICE Log-EQF, Rig-EQF MixW NA RCP570 T-R Log TRX Manager WriteLog YPLOG K2 Configuration and Operating Notes DOS program; requires a batch file to start up correctly (for details see http://www.k1ea.com/hintkink.htm). In the batch file, use the command COMTSRx -Px -B4800 -N82 (e.g., x = 1 for COM1) Set Radio 1 to TS950 if K2 is not in the list.
Using the K2REMOTE and K2VOICE Programs K2REMOTE provides flexible remote control of the K2, even over the Internet (using TCP/IP). K2VOICE is a voice feedback program for the K2 which make the K2 fully usable by hams who are unable to see the normal K2 controls and displays. Both of these programs were developed by Elecraft for use with the KIO2. You can download the programs and associated documentation from our web site.
Connecting Other Equipment to the KIO2 The KIO2's 9-pin connector provides a number of signals in addition to those needed for the RS-232 serial interface (Table 2). Note: Use pin 1 as the electrical ground for any external devices. Pin 5 should only be used as the RS-232 ground return to the computer. Table 2. KIO2 Signal Descriptions. J1 Pin 1 2 3 4 Signal Description Chassis Ground TxD RxD ALC 5 6 RS-232 Sig.
Troubleshooting If your symptoms are not covered below, check the orientation of all components, connectors, and wiring; look for cold solder joints; and check all DC voltages (see DC Voltage Chart). Band changes take longer than before: This is completely normal, and has nothing to do with the KIO2. The new K2 firmware (revision 2.01 or later) suppresses relay switching during rapid band changes. The receiver will come alive about 1/2 second after the last tap of B AN D + or B AN D - .
DC Voltage Chart These measurements were made with a 14 V power supply, R2 installed, and no computer or other external equipment connected to J1 on the KIO2. Negative voltages may vary by +/- 3V or more without affecting performance. Voltages marked with an asterisk (*) may vary due to DMM probe loading effects. Pin V Pin V Pin V Pin V Pin V Pin V Pin V J1-1 J1-2 J1-3 J1-4 J1-5 J1-6 J1-7 J1-8 J1-9 0 -8 0.1 4.5 0 5.5 0 14 8 U1-1 U1-2 U1-3 U1-4 U1-5 U1-6 U1-7 U1-8 U1-9 14 0.1 14 0.1 -8 0.
L2-L4: 100 µH C3-C6: .01 µF -6 TO -12 V C8 D1 10 µF D2 1N4148 + J1 To PC 1N4148 D1-D4 1 L2 D3 2 TXD VDD T1IN R1OUT VCC 3 4 5 R1IN R2OUT 7 T1OUT T2IN 6 1 2 3 R2IN R3OUT C9 Q1 J310 D4 1N4148 C10 120 AUX MAX1406 D S D G U1 C1 .001 Q1 .01 16 15 14 13 12 11 9 10 15µH 4 T2OUT L1 5 R3IN RF 12V 6 GND T3IN C4 T3OUT C5 C6 12V VSS L4 7 C3 8 L3 ALC 8 C 1N4148 RXD 9 A S X1 L5 FT23-43 16.289 MHz C11 .01 8R C14 56 R1 3.
Customer Service and Support Technical Assistance You can send e-mail to support@elecraft.com and we will respond quickly – typically the same day Monday through Friday. If you need replacement parts, send an e-mail to parts@elecraft.com. Telephone assistance is available from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Pacific time (weekdays only) at 831-763-4211.
