[Elecraft] KAT1 Firmware Question

[Mike-WB8ICN]

I've sent a message to Gary at Elecraft...but won't see an answer till
tomorrow afternoon at earliest so thought I would post the same question
here in hopes of an answer.

I bought a K1 and the KAT1 at Dayton this last May.  My K2 is too bulky for
road trips when I fly so thought the K1 would be the ideal rig for away from
home QSO's two or three nights a week when I'm working.  I finished my K1
(S/N 1200) last week and have had a ball using it here at home.  I built the
tuner (KAT1) yesterday and when I started the Initial Test procedures I got
the dreaded "---" on the very first step.  I checked out everything that the
Troubleshooting section to look at and then some.  The KAT1 underside is not
touching anything on the filter board; I have voltages to the KAT1 as shown
in the schematic; I can see the oscillator for the PIC (Firmware chip on the
KAT1) come on when I manually go into tune; I have no shorts, no solder
bridges, no connectors offset by one position, chips are installed
correctly, all pins are soldered as described in the manual, etc.

So, I then went to the Elecraft archives and saw several messages about
KAT1's that were either shipped around May or sold at Dayton that were found
to have bad controller chips (i.e. Firmware PIC chips).  I couldn't find a
listing of the source or compiled code to use to compare with my controller
chip on my MPLAB setup.  So I am at a lose as to how to check out the
controller chip.

Anyone got an idea of how to checkout the chip short of replacing it?  I can
take along my old Heath tuner for now while on the road...but sure would
like to get this auto tuner going...got spoiled by having one in the K2 and
one less item to carry in my checked baggage would be nice <grin>.

Thanks in advance!

72's...Mike, WB8ICN





---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.427 / Virus Database: 240 - Release Date: 12/6/2002