New Elecraft Rig: KH1 (Part 2)

Good idea Ed, I just sent a message to the webmaster.
73 Stephan

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Josh,

Do you know off hand how much remote control can be performed with the key/data jack? I asked one of the reps down at Pacificon and was told the rig could be remote controlled, as well as downloading your log in logging mode, and used for the KH1 utilities program. But never really did get a clear answer as to how much you could control the rig with the computer. Third party software needed etc etc…Still curious what all can be down with it ??

TIA

73, Todd KH2TJ

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Hi Todd. Any function that you can perform with physical buttons/knobs on the radio can be done via commands. You could in theory remotely control the rig using nothing more than the USB serial cable and a terminal, but that would be a pain. The commands are very similar to Elecraft’s other rigs, so I suspect it will be supported by 3rd parties rather quickly.

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Hi Todd,
I had a feeling you might have been the same person as the youngster from way back then. They merged both radio clubs to make the “Stockton Delta Amateur Radio Club”. which is still going. Sorry I missed you at Pacificon. I couldn’t make the SOTA lunch, and just came Sunday for the swapmeet which was a bust! See you on the air and thanks for all the activations!
73,
John, K6YK

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Tonight I followed Steve WG0AT in his approach to W0C/SL-038, Boyd Mountain Co. Arriving at the top I waited for his first call on 21 MHz, his new KH1 Elecraft in hand, at least that’s how I imagined it. Bingo! he answers me immediately. Ten minutes later also on 18 MHz. Comfortable signal received here in France.
Steve may give us his impressions, expected by many OMs probably…
Best regards,
Chris - F4WBN

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I could hear you here in Seattle on 15m @F4WBN - very loud as usual! And @JH1MXV was also very loud here on 15.

I also worked Steve on 15 (super weak) and 17 (good copy!). I could also hear him on 20, but very weak.

Sounded like he was having some good runs, and he told me he was using the KH1 with the whip!

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Thanks Josh! Yah, Yesterday’s KH1’s SOTA Maiden Voyage started out with a brutally steep 3+ hour bushwhack hike up through a unrelenting deadfall for a few merger 4-pts. What?! Forget the points! Our sweet reward was that KH1 produced 40 some QSOs including @F4WBN/@JH1MXV on 20/17/15m just using it’s 4’whip/17’CP My partner being SSB/FM only was so impressed he immediately signed up for CWops upon arriving home. I was totally blown away by the performance of that small 4’ whip antenna …but admit location 10,300’ with 360 degree in the clear view and solar activity helped. Despite our exhausting 2-hour struggle downclimbing in the dark (almost a full-moon) carefully GPSing our way through deadfall jungle to get to our ride. Quite the SOTAdventure!! …and YES, I kinda like that KH1 …Yah Think? :joy:

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How sweet it is, huh Steve?
K6YK

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You…uhh…do this for fun, do you?

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Nice. For those of us who ordered “late” the situation is much worse. I just read I can expect 8 weeks after ordering on the 24th. :smile:

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As the KH1 is expected to store the TX CW log in the same format as the KX2, I already wrote an online converter that generates a Fast Log Entry (FLE) template from the transceiver CW log (retrieving time, callsigns and band changes).

Hopefully, this should allow the lucky owners not to log anything while using the KH1 and to rely entirely on the internal logging feature.

Of course, it is still purely experimental.

Real logs for testing, comments and suggestions welcome.

All details on ON6ZQ | ELECRAFT KH1 & KX2 log converter .

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This is really cool.

If only I could memorize callsigns without writing them.
…and if had a KH1 :blush:

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Yes, I also struggle with this, for the life of me I cannot remember a callsign if I don’t write it down, voice and CW.

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I had this problem when I first learned code because I learned by writing everything down. It took a lot of work to overcome this and learn to head copy and remember callsigns, but it can be done. A very useful tool for this is the ‘echo trainer’ mode on the Morserino-32. It sends you a call (or a word) and you have to send it back using your paddle. This will help you build up a ‘buffer’ in your head. It will also teach you to recognize words rather than hearing the letters and figuring out what is being spelled out.

And now back on topic… KH1! I’m eager to find out if that tiny ATU will tune a 41’ EFRW antenna =)

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I think relying solely on the rig for logging is not a good idea. In my experience there are times when the signal is too weak or the characters too ill formed for the internal Morse decoder in my KX2 to decode the incoming Morse but I am still able to make out the callsign, etc. So, I would always want to make a pencil & paper log and use the logging data for confirmation once back home.

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I forced myself to learn head copying callsigns by operating CW on satellites as there isn’t a fourth hand available for a pen!! If it’s over 6 characters long, however, my memory drops the whole thing haha!!

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The log used here is what the activator sent, not not what the receiver decoded.

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Back in my climbing days we used to call this “an epic.”

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The first units are being delivered @K4SWL has the goods The Elecraft KH1 has arrived! (A few photos…) | Q R P e r
https://youtu.be/K3n3MgSKraE

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6’41’’ of video and it was just some dude talking and he NEVER TURNED THE RADIO ON. :frowning:

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