[Elecraft] [K3] HRD, PSK31, and Elecraft USB-Serial Cable

[Phil Hystad]

I am just beginning to experiment with PSK31 using DR780 and HRD (for CAT control).  Although PSK31 seems to work fine using my Signalink USB interface, the HRD CAT control locks up.  The lock up usually occurs almost immediately upon the frequency being updated on the screen from the K3.  A few times I have enough time to actually change the VFO on the K3 and watch HDR keep sync until it just freezes and at that point the entire app is dead and I have to kill it off with TaskManager.

And, then the COM port is locked up and I need to reboot.  This second part is what gripes me about this configuration as I think that HRD needs to be much better at recovering from problems on the COM port (an extra monitor thread could help here) and also Windows seems to be screwed in that it leaves a device in a messed up condition.  OK, I know I am ranting but I usually live full time on my Mac and I wanted to check out DR780 on my Windows 7 platform.

So, questions...

(1)  Do others see this hanging behavior with HRD when there are COM problems?

(2)  And, is there a way to clear out the COM port without rebooting the machine.  I probably used to know how to do these things but it has been years since I have done any intensive system work on a Windows platform.

(3)  I suspect my cable and prolific driver to be the culprit here -- it does work for a moment or two.  Also, it works just fine with the K3 Utility.  By the way, I have tested with all different speeds and it has the same behavior from 4800 to 38400.

Any comments or suggestions.  I am probably going to buy another USB-Serial cable.

73, phil, K7PEH