[Dxbase] WinKey Success!

[Chuck Guenther]

Jack and Courtney,

I can't thank you enough for your advice concerning my getting the K1EL
WinKey up and running.  Turns out you were absolutely right-- the serial
port on my laptop is blown.  I purchased a Belkin F5U409-CU USB/Serial
Portable Adaptor and installed it today.  I plugged in the WinKey and it
communicates just fine with DXBASE!  All I need to do now is hook it up to
my radio and paddles and I'll be on the air with it this weekend.  I've also
conveyed my thanks to Steve, K1EL, who has been most helpful with my problem
and was kind enough to offer to troubleshoot the WinKey board for me, if
necessary.

73 de Chuck  NI0C

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chuck Guenther" <ni0c at earthlink.net>
To: "Jack" <jack at dxbase.com>
Cc: <K1EL at aol.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 7:13 PM
Subject: Re: [Dxbase] K1EL Keyer


> Jack,
> Thanks for your continuing advice concerning my problem.  As unlikely as
it
> appeared to me at first, I think you may be right about my serial port
being
> broken.  I just received an e-mail from the ham that I sold my Kenwood
> If-232C interface to.  He said it didn't work for him, yet it was working
on
> my serial port when I removed it.  (This was the unit I used for rig
> frequency and mode control with many previous versions of DXBASE without a
> hitch.)  I wonder now if somehow I zapped the interface and the serial
port
> on my computer when I removed the DB-9 connector  (I don't recall if I
> removed it with power on or off).
>
> The fellow is returning my interface, so I'll have a chance to hook it up
> again.  I also plan to follow up on your suggestion and install DXBASE
> temporarily on my wife's computer (she has Windows XP Home Edition) and
see
> if it will talk to the K1EL keyer there.  I'll let you know what happens.
>
> Thanks & 73,
>
> Chuck  NI0C
>
>
>
> ------- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jack" <jack at dxbase.com>
> To: "Chuck Guenther" <ni0c at earthlink.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 7:06 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dxbase] K1EL Keyer
>
>
> > Hi Chuck,
> >
> > As I recall, you are receiving a pop up message box telling you that the
> > port cannot be opened.  I doubt that this has anything to do with the
> keyer
> > device.  When starting DXbase or when closing the user options module,
> > DXbase will look at each device ( packet, CW, rotor, etc..) and if it is
> set
> > to be "activated", then it attempts to open a port ( first come first
> > serve).  So three things are possible:
> >
> > 1.  You have set some other feature that requires a comport to the
> activate
> > state and whatever it is has seized your port before the attempt to open
> the
> > keyer port.
> > 2.  You have some other device or software on your machine that is using
> > that port such as a modem, camera interface, etc...  Or some other
> software.
> > 3.  Your port is broken.  Your OS has a driver problem or does not have
> the
> > port defined, the USB interface software for Microham has the comport
> > seized.
> >
> > I wish we could be of more help, but the problem you are having is not
> > something that we can offer much guidance about.  I can only tell you
that
> > DXbase makes a standard call to Windows asking it to open the port.  If
> this
> > is not successful, we display the error message; otherwise, we open the
> > port.  Any chance you could try all this on a different machine.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Jack
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Chuck Guenther" <ni0c at earthlink.net>
> > To: "Jack" <jack at dxbase.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 7:58 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Dxbase] K1EL Keyer
> >
> >
> > > Well, my keyer is still not working.  I think it must be a hardware
> > problem.
> > > I don't know of anything that would have my com1 port "seized,"
because
> > > nothing else is connected or setup for com1.  Like I said earlier, the
> > port
> > > worked fine for rig control (it was connected via a Kenwood IF-232C to
> my
> > > TS-850S radio), but that is all disconnected now, and I have setup rig
> > > control under DXB2005 options to work on com6 which is a new Microham
> USB
> > > interface.
> > >
> > > I'm in correspondence with K1EL about this and am at the point where I
> > want
> > > to send the keyer back to him for troubleshooting & repair.
> > >
> > > 73 de Chuck  NI0C
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > From: "Jack" <jack at dxbase.com>
> > > To: "Chuck Guenther" <ni0c at earthlink.net>
> > > Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2004 8:43 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Dxbase] K1EL Keyer
> > >
> > >
> > > > Chuck,
> > > >
> > > > Sorry, but I really couldn't offer any info on your hardware
> > > configuration.
> > > > If nothing is assigned to use com1 in DXbase user options or other
> > > software
> > > > on your pc, then it would seem that com1 ought to be available and
> work
> > > with
> > > > cw for the K1EL.  The fact that you were getting an error "unable to
> > open
> > > > port" says that something already has the port seized, so I would
> > suggest
> > > > you check options out and see what it is.
> > > >
> > > > Regards,
> > > > Courtney
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > > From: "Chuck Guenther" <ni0c at earthlink.net>
> > > > To: "Jack" <jack at dxbase.com>
> > > > Cc: <Dxbase at mailman.qth.net>
> > > > Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2004 9:02 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: [Dxbase] K1EL Keyer
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Dear Jack & Courtney,
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks for your interest in my problem.  Perhaps I should have
> > mentioned
> > > > > that I have rig frequency control now working from a MicroHam USB
> > > > interface
> > > > > setup as COM6 on my computer.  So COM1 (the serial port) should
now
> be
> > > > > available for the WinKey.  Am I correct on this?
> > > > >
> > > > > 73,
> > > > > Chuck  NI0C
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > > > From: "Jack" <jack at dxbase.com>
> > > > > To: "Chuck Guenther" <ni0c at earthlink.net>
> > > > > Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2004 5:47 AM
> > > > > Subject: Re: [Dxbase] K1EL Keyer
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Chuck,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > If it works for rig control, but does not open for CW, then that
> > means
> > > > > that
> > > > > > the port is probably in use already.  Did you turn off rig
control
> > in
> > > > user
> > > > > > options?  You cannot use the same port for multiple functions
and
> > most
> > > > > > likely that is what is happening.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Regards,
> > > > > > Courtney
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > > > > From: "Chuck Guenther" <ni0c at earthlink.net>
> > > > > > To: <dxbase at mailman.qth.net>
> > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 11:15 PM
> > > > > > Subject: [Dxbase] K1EL Keyer
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Dale and Jack,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks for your replies. I'm using the 9-pin serial port on my
> > laptop,
> > > > > which
> > > > > > is setup for COM1 and I followed the instructions in the WinKey
> > manual
> > > > > which
> > > > > > calls for 1200 baud, no parity and "1.5 to 2 stop bits."  I also
> > tried
> > > 1
> > > > > > stop bit as suggested by Dale.  This serial port worked fine on
> COM1
> > > for
> > > > > rig
> > > > > > control with DXBASE.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I did a continuity check on my serial cable and checked the 5
volt
> > > > > regulator
> > > > > > (U1 on the WinKey).  It measures 5.03 volts when plugged into
the
> > > > > computer.
> > > > > > I followed the directions in DXBASE 2005 for setting up the
WinKey
> > on
> > > > > COM1.
> > > > > > I just keep getting the message:  "Unable to open <K1EL CW>
> ComPort"
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I sent an e-mail to Steve, K1EL, as I really don't know what
else
> to
> > > > try.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > 73,
> > > > > > Chuck  NI0C
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>