[Elecraft] Difficulty with K3 Utility RS232 Interface

[Dick Dievendorff]

The K3 commands used to save the K3 configuration have been in the MCU
firmware, unchanged, for as long as the save configuration capability has
been offered. I don't believe that this is the issue.  (It's not a bad
guess, though!)

I and the rest of the K3 support team will continue to work with Craig to
resolve this problem.  One-of-a-kind problems are very much worth digging
into, so that we solve the problem and make the necessary changes so that
others aren't inconvenienced in the future. That's one of the several ways
products improve. Maybe it's marginal hardware somewhere along the path.
I've made several software changes that add or adjust retries to better
tolerate marginal hardware issues.  Maybe I can make an adjustment that
solves Craig's problem with his existing hardware.

I'll be adding a diagnostic trace to the K3 Utility save/restore config so
that Craig can capture and send me the details of the command stream that is
causing problems. Maybe I can supply a software change to get Craig (and
other future users) past this problem. 

Dick, K6KR


-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Iain MacDonnell -
N6ML
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 9:55 AM
To: craig at powersmith.net
Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net; support at elecraft.com
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Difficulty with K3 Utility RS232 Interface


Hi Craig,

This is a guess, but I suspect that your current firmware is too old to
support saving its configuration with the up-to-date K3 Utility - it's
probably trying to use some command that doesn't exist in that firmware,
to read some configuration.

It sounds like your RS232 setup is working fine. If it was me, I'd "bite
the bullet" and go ahead with the firmware update... but you may be less
adventurous ;)

     ~Iain / N6ML



Craig D. Smith wrote:
> I am trying to do a "configuration save" with the latest released K3
> utility.  I'm using a straight-thru 6 foot RS232 connection and get an
error
> message saying "K3 Get command failed to return the expected response
after
> several attempts".  I posted a help request on the reflector about this a
> week or so ago, and Dick Dievendorff was kind enough to respond with some
> possible ways to remedy the problem.  He suggested that it was possibly a
> bad cable.  I bought a new cable, and it behaves identically.  BTW, both
> cables look fine with a continuity check.  Straight-thru in each of the 9
> pins and the shells.  He also sent me a couple of non-released versions of
> the K3 Utility, thinking that they might help the situation.
Unfortunately,
> they behaved similarly.  So I'm ready to move past the cable and software
> and look at the hardware.
> 
> I've tried the obvious things like reseating the RS232 connectors.  Also,
I
> get the same message when running the I/F at each of the 4 speeds.  This
> same RS232 I/F to the K3 works flawlessly with the K3 Utility in terms of
> reading and changing filter parameters and CW memory bank contents.  It
also
> works perfectly for rig control/logging with both N3FJP and N1MM contest
> software.  I have had absolutely no problems with noise from the computer
or
> with RF in the shack.  The K3 is SN 608, so has over a year under its belt
> with never any other RS232 I/F problem.  I've also used this same I/F
> several months ago to do a configuration save and install new K3 firmware.
> It worked just fine then.  
> 
> The present situation is that I'm running version 2.02 firmware and would
> very much like to update it to version 3.11 so that I can have access to
> some of the latest features.  But I'm hesitant to try a firmware install
if
> the RS232 I/F is "flakey".  The last thing I want is to have the K3
totally
> inoperable due to a botched attempt at a firmware upgrade.
> 
> I saw that there was a mod in the modification list that removes the 100
uH
> inductor from the RS232 return line.  Thought this was worth a try, so
> jumpered out the inductor.  Unfortunately no change in the situation.
While
> I had the RS232, ACC I/O board out of the K3, I checked to see if there
was
> anything else obvious there.  Nothing definitive, but a couple of things
to
> note:
> 
> The RS232 Application note states that "Do not use the metal shell of the
> RS232 or ACC connectors for chassis ground.  They are normally isolated
from
> the chassis."  On my board, the RS232 connector shell is isolated and the
> ACC connector shell is tied to frame ground.  Is this normal?  What is the
> reason for wanting the shells isolated?  Can this contribute to the
problem
> I'm having?
> 
> There is a deviance between the latest K3 schematic and my RS232 hardware.
> On both the RXD out and TXD in lines, my hardware has a 220 ohm resistor
in
> series with the inductors.  No resistors are shown in the schematic.
Please
> clarify.
> 
> Unfortunately, I have no other computer here with RS232, so can't try
> changing computers.  
> 
> What should I try next ?????
> 
> I'm copying the reflector in case anyone else would like to offer
> suggestions.
> 
> 
>  Thanks and 73
>                       .... Craig AC0DS
> 
> 
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