[Elecraft] Com Ports vs. K2 Remote...

[ke6d@juno.com]

Hi Steve,

I am sorry to hear that you experience problem with the remote
software and the COM ports. I really don't have any definitive
answer beside a couple of opinions below

On Fri, 28 Dec 2001 19:15:36 -0700 "Steve Banks" <sbanks2571@qwest.net>
writes:
> Hi Everyone-
> 
> I have a nagging question for any of you on the reflector about K2 
> Remote
> software,
> and why suddenly it and my K2 will no longer operate on any serial 
> port
> other
> than COM1 in my PC.
> 
> I've had K2 Remote installed and running successfully on each one of 
> the
> three
> serial ports COM1, COM2 and COM3) in this machine (Win 98, Pentium 
> II @ 400
> MHz, 196 MB RAM) for several months now.  (I installed COM3 with a 
> spare ISA
> card I had available).  I have a Rigblaster interface using a second 
> of the
> three COM ports, with the third port seeing occasional duty for 
> other needs.
> Heretofore all three ports have functioned well with K2 Remote AND 
> with the
> Rigblaster interfacing with PSK software.
> 
> A few days ago just for jollies, I downloaded and installed KE6D's 
> K2S
> control program just to compare its features/performance with the 
> Elecraft
> K2 Control program.  After fiddling with it a few days, I decided to 
> stick
> with the Elecraft K2 Control program, and I deleted the files I'd
> installed with KE6D's program.  Maybe a big mistake...:~{.

K2S is written using Visual C++ 5.0. It does not use any special
driver beside the MFC/Win 32 API provided with the compiler. K2S
use a registry key (this is where most, if not all, Windows
applications save things that are customary to their apps. K2S
use a registry key called "KE6D Software" to keep its data. If
you wish, you may use RegEdit to look at the Registry under
Local Machine/Software then delete the KE6D Software registry
variable.

The COM Port configuration for K2S is kept in there, but it is
only a set of parameters such as Port #, baud rate, Parity,
and stop bit. When K2S runs, it looks for these parameters
and initialize the specified port. It does mess around with
any other com ports.


> 
> Ever since then, my Elecraft K2 Control refuses to run on any
> serial port other than COM1.  I've tried to be doubly sure the 
> correct COM
> Port parameters (4800 baud, 8 data bits, 2 stop bits, and no flow 
> control)
> are set correctly via Windows Control Panel, and that the correct 
> COM port
> is
> also selected in K2 Remote.  So far only COM1 will now talk to K2 
> Remote.

My suggestion is to check out to see if the other ports (other than COM1)
are functioning by hooking up the K2 to COM2, then run a terminal
program such as Hyperterminal (configure the ports per the KIO2
spec with local echo enable) In hyperterminal, type "FA;", the K2
should response with FAxxxxxxxxx if the port is working properly.
If there is no responsed, chances are the port is not working (Since
your K2 is working with com 1, the KIO2 must be working)
I would spend sometimes to investigate why that port no longer works
by running other software which make use of that COM port successfully.


> (The Rigblaster is still happy connected to any of the three ports.)

Does it work if you use com 2 or 3  successfully?

> 
> I get the uneasy feeling that my removal of the KE6D software has 
> been less
> than successful and has somehow left its "signature" in the PC (like 
> a
> Register file or a System file, for example), and now I can't get 
> rid of it.
> So far, all efforts to remedy the problem have failed, and I seem 
> restricted
> to
> only COM1 for K2 Control.
> 

You have mentioned earlier that the 3rd serial port is an ISA card which
you have around. What IRQ and IO address do use for it? From my
experience working with serial ports on ISA architecture, you can only
share (and not very well) an interrupt with another COM port
simultaneously.
You can configure and use them on your system, but they can not coexist
well.
If my memory is correct, under the old ISA architecture, COM1 and COM4
share the same IRQ4 and COM2 and COM3 share the same IRQ3 (unless
you can configure the extra com port to use a different IRQ, it is going
to
interfere with each other if the 2 com ports with the same IRQ are used
at the same time.)

Can you read your COM3 ISA card to see how it is configured?

> I realize my problem is a bit off the usual reflector subject 
> matter, but if
> any of you have any suggestions about possible fixes to get the KIO2 
> to talk
> once again on any of the three COM Ports, I'd sure appreciate some 
> help.
> 
> By the way, I've already tried  uninstalling and reinstalling K2 
> Remote, but
> the COM1-only problem still persists.  And the Rigblaster is still 
> happy on
> either COM1, COM2 or COM3.
> 
> 73 and Happy New Year to All...
> 
> Steve Banks
> K0PQ
> K2 S/N 1599
> 

Once again, I am sorry that you have problem with the COM ports and
K2 Remote after installing K2S. If there is anything I can do to help,
please
send me an email. I will try all I can to help you out.

73, GL  and Happy New Year,

Dan, KE6D

============================================================
Danh Le
Amateur Radio Station KE6D
ke6d@arrl.net, ke6d@juno.com
============================================================

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