[Elecraft] K3 Firmware Problem - No Proper Menu Readout

[Chris Page]

Help Please!

I have researched the Reflector emails and cannot find any postings with a 
similar problem to the one I have!  I do not have a proper readout of either 
the MENU or CONFIG options on my K3.  

All the MENU entry names show a row of question marks, although the line above 
appears to show the actual entry for each function correctly.  

Some of the CONFIG entry names also show a row of question marks but others 
shows lettering which does not bear any resemblance to the different functions, 
(ie the TECH MD function displays LPAGE T and VCO MD (T) displays RQDIGOU).  
Some of the entry settings appear to be correct but others show an unreadable 
combination of letters and/or partly formed letters.

The only way I know I am in a particular menu function is by going through the 
options, backwards or forwards and one at a time, from one that I know is 
correct ie the baud rate or serial number.

I arrived at this situation as follows:

I have K3 serial 819 which, until yesterday, has been working fine.  It was 
last updated on 11 September 2008 with MCU 2.38, FPF 0.02 and DSP1 1.90 (I 
don't have the second RX fitted).

Yesterday I tried to update it with the latest firmware: MCU 4.25, FPF 1.14 and 
DSP 2.71 and that is when the problem occurred.

The MCU and FPF firmware loaded ok but the DSP 1 showed an error message that 
it had failed, and displayed ERR DSE.  I tried reloading DSP1 2.71 several more 
times and each time got the same error message.

I then noticed that when I changed bands I was getting the ERR PL1 message.

I tried reloading DSP1 2.71 with a different computer and it loaded ok but I 
still got the ERR PL1 message. ( I am using a serial to USB connector and read 
in the Reflector archives that this can sometimes cause a propblem when loading 
firmware to the K3.)

I have tried doing the following:

1. Switching the K3 off, waiting five seconds and switching on.

2. Reloading the firmware - the K3 utility program shows it loaded 
successfully.  The program also shows the K3 firmware and Available Firmware 
are identical: MCU 4.25, FPF 1.14 and DSP 2.71.  DSP2 and DVR are shown as N/A.

3. Re-calibrating VCO MD - after going through the procedure the display shows 
E 00005 and ERR VCO.

4. Restoring the K3 to the previous configuration.

5. Restoring the K3 to the default options using EE INIT.

When I switch the K3 on now, I get the ERR PL1 message.  It goes off after a 
second but reappears each time I change bands.

I would be grateful for any other suggestions and/or ideas, please?

Thanks and 73 de Chris, N4CJ (G4BUE)