[Elecraft] N1MM Contest Logger VFO B issue, USB-Serial, & Serial CW Keying

[Mark Schreiner]

I started this thread with the original question.  I specifically 
wondered about folks using serial port for communications for band/mode 
info with N1MM logging program.  I'm using v6.9.6.  As long as I use VFO 
A only things are okay.  If I switch to VFO B I don't see it displayed 
on the program window and it doesn't log info from VFO B but continues 
to log the info from VFO A, which is the wrong VFO at that point.  I 
think some of the responses have indicated that this specific problem 
has been seen, with multiple versions of software from N1MM.  Thanks 
everyone for that input and I believe they will be looking into this 
problem now as I'm not the only one with that problem.

I also tried EQF logging program and it displays both VFO frequencies 
and correctly indicates which VFO is the active one, and I believe it 
logs the info correctly as well if it displays it correctly.  I really 
like the N1MM program, though, so I'm going to stick with that and know 
that it has that shortcoming, and hope it gets resolved by the N1MM 
programmers soon.  I appreciate everyone's comments on this and I hope 
I've helped others be alerted of this potential bug so that you don't 
have too much to edit in a log when you realize things don't look quite 
right.

WRT the USB-Serial converter, I was only using that for the CW Keying 
and I had tried radio communications with that as well but it didn't 
seem to work at all so I didn't pursue it any further, yet.  Could just 
be the Belkin model I have or maybe some other setup issue, though.  CW 
Keying with either the normal serial port or the USB-Serial adapter 
didn't seem quite smooth enough and the timing was off a bit.  I just 
built the parallel port interface using a single 2N2222 and a 1-kohm 
resistor and it seems quite a bit smoother.  I'm not sure if this is 
just wishful thinking or if it really is better, but I guess I'll find 
out the next time I run a more serious effort on a CW contest to try it 
out.  My quick test made me think it was better though.  Any experience 
or comments from others on the parallel versus serial port CW keying, or 
for that matter, how about USB port via some other interface?  I think 
this will get me by until I figure out which K1EL Keyer to get, probably 
the USB version.  BTW, the response from the S/W folk at N1MM Log is 
that they will not be supporting the "KY" protocol.  Just curious if 
others who are reading this thread have used another logging program 
that supports the "KY" protocol and how they like it?  Maybe that should 
be a topic for another thread, though.

73,

Mark, NK8Q
K2 4786

Gregg R. Lengling wrote:
> If you are having problems with HRD with you setup I would venture to 
> say the problem is not with your radio or the software but the USB-232 
> converter you are using.  I use HRD exclusively and have no problems.  
> You will see quite a few people having problems with certain USB 
> converters repeatedly on the HRD forums site and you will also see a 
> lot of good recommendations for better USB adaptors.  That is the 
> first place I would look.
>
> Gregg R. Lengling, W9DHI, Retired,Again
> K2/100 SN 3075
> http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org
> http://forums.ham-radio.ch/
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken Alexander" 
> <k.alexander at rogers.com>
> To: "KT5X" <kt5x at cybermesa.com>; <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2006 3:39 PM
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] N1MM Contest Logger VFO B issue
>
>
>> I updated my copy of N1MM Logger (v6.10.10)in the hope
>> that I would be able to get into the CQWW this weekend
>> and noticed that it didn't recognize VFO B either.
>>
>> On a related note, I downloaded, installed and
>> configured Ham Radio Deluxe a few evenings ago and
>> found that it's ability to display the K2's frequency
>> was very shaky.  If the K2 was tuned to 7015.45 kHz
>> then HRD would display the correct freq for a few
>> seconds, then it might display something like 701 for
>> a few seconds, then 545 for a few more secs, then some
>> other combination of digits from the freq
>> next...changing every 10 or 15 seconds.
>>
>> The K2 is connected to my notebook via the cable
>> provided with the KIO2 and through a serial-to-USB
>> converter.
>>
>> Any help would be gratefully accepted.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Ken Alexander
>> VE3HLS
>>
>>
>> --- KT5X <kt5x at cybermesa.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Yes, I noticed the same problem (and more) last
>>> summer with VFO B.  Maybe it is fixed in a newer
>>> edition, dunno.
>>>
>>> 72,  Fred - kt5x