WQ6X Discovers a "GoldMine" to run the Makrothen RTTY WeeKend

 Have you ever been sitting on a "goldmine" and NoT even know it?

It's no secret that I access radios in So. California using an Elecraft K3/0-Mini remote-control head. 
It is ALSO no secret that the configuration accesses the internet using a RemoteRig RRC-1258 Interface Box.  Now, if you understand how the individual units work, you also realize that only
half of the capabilities of each box was being utilized.

In preparation for the Makrothen RTTY contest, experimentation was done, determining the most effective way to control the K3 radio in Ramona (the "Server") running N1MM+ Software from the client-side of the connection.

A close look at the r-side of the K3/0-Mini control head reveals a USB port.  With the USB cable properly "installed", Com Ports CoM6 and CoM7 suddenly appeared.  To N1MM+, CoM7 was just another K3 Transceiver.  

Once CAT-control is established,
it becomes a simple matter to run swapped audio lines between the laptop computer and the K3/0-Mini control head.  Thanks to the 8-On / 8-Off contest periods, during off periods, cables were re-routed for a much
more aesthetic appearance.

With local USB control of the control head, the local N1MM+ software "sees" CoM7 allowing not
only frequency control, but local AFSK tones which make their way thru the control head to the audio circuits inside the remote K3 radio.  The "Goldmine" USB cable made possible local rig control of a remote radio.  The only downside is internet connection disruption between wherever I am set up to the remote connection in Ramon (or Anza as the case may be).

While the Space-WX conditions were quite cooperative, In-state participation was severely lacking in all of the QSO parties, not to mention the OC DX Contest.  The 3830 Soapbox comments were nearly all the same.

The Makrothen certainly provided some outstanding worldwide activity.  Rather than using multipliers, contacts in the Makrothen contest are point scored based on the Km distance between the two stations.  For this year, WQ6X managed to surpass the 1Mil Km mark, which is just a "warm-up" score.

Here are some scribbled notes, scribbled throughout the weekend.

DiD YOU work the 4 QSO Parties, OCDX Contest or the Makrothen RTTY GiG?

Is WQ6X in YOUR LoG?