[Elecraft] K3/ Microkeyer/N1MM lockup at FD

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

 > The setup was a K3, N1MM and a MicroHam MicroKeyer (the CW only
 > model).

Do you mean the microHAM CW Keyer or some other interface?

> Several times, the keying stopped but the radio remained frozen in
> transmit mode. The PTT light was ON on the MicroKeyer, the transmit
> light was ON on the K3 and N1MM wouldn't respond.

I assume you had a PTT cable connected from the CW Keyer to the K3
PTT jack.

1) What version of N1MM Logger were you using?

2) What PTT settings did you have in N1MM Logger?

3) Did you have PTT assigned to an RTS line on the Radio port?

    If so, did you have "Energize Hardware & Software PTT" checked
    in the N1MM serial port configuration?

    If you had "Energize Hardware & Software PTT" checked did you
    have "PTT via Radio Command CW Mode" checked?

microHAM Router intercepts the WinKey "PTT On" and  "PTT Off" commands
and translates them to serial (RTS) PTT internally.  I have not tried
to look at the WinKey data stream recently but perhaps N1MM Logger is
not sending the WinKey "PTT Off" command when you strike any key
except <esc>.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 6/27/2011 5:59 PM, Buck - k4ia wrote:
> The mighty K4TS, Rappahannock Valley Amateur Radio Club, 8A Field Day
> featured 1 K3 - mine on 40 CW.  40 CW made 925 contacts but only 854
> after eliminating the dupes.  The K3 really strutted its stuff and it
> was obvious what a superior rig it is when I went around and listened to
> what other radios were hearing - a mush of noise and IMD that made
> operating almost impossible Saturday night.  Several ops just gave up as
> the noise and close signals crushed their rigs.  They marveled out how
> clear the K3 sounded.  No news there.
>
> I did have one glitch that happened several times.  I proffer it to all
> three groups for comment.
> The setup was a K3, N1MM and a MicroHam MicroKeyer (the CW only model).
>
> The keyer would start to auto-send CQ just as I heard a call.  When I
> hit a key on the computer keyboard (including the ESC key), the keying
> should stop and the radio go into receive mode.  Several times, the
> keying stopped but the radio remained frozen in transmit mode.  The PTT
> light was ON on the MicroKeyer, the transmit light was ON on the K3 and
> N1MM wouldn't respond.  Paddles plugged into the MicroKeyer did
> nothing.  The "fix" was to turn off the K3 and turn it back on again.
> That would release the PTT and all would go back to normal.  It didn't
> happen every time but it did happen a lot.
>
> Anyone with any ideas, chime in.
>