[Elecraft] K3-DXLabs-LP-Bridge AI command question

[Sam Morgan]

yes, during my trouble shooting when I was having the crashes, I had 
closed other programs down to where I was running only LP-Bridge and DXLabs.
I'll keep in mind the 'virtual pair' idea if I start having more 
crashes. As of now, so far, all is well with no crashes just having all 
3 set to use AI2.

On 12/29/2013 9:02 AM, Larry Phipps wrote:
> You have a number of apps connected, and you may find that each one
> prefers a specific setting of the AI box for its port. Do you have the
> problem with just LP-Bridge and DXLabs running?
>
> I also responded in one of my posts that you can rearrange things so
> that DXLabs connects directly to the rig, and set up Secondary CAT in
> DXLabs to communicate with LP-Bridge via a virtual pair (like VSPE,
> com-ocom, VSP Manager, etc.). Then the rest of the apps connect to
> LP-Bridge.
>
> Larry N8LP
>
>
>
> On 12/29/2013 1:16 AM, Sam Morgan wrote:
>> Well since I tried to cover all my bases and ask this on 3 different
>> reflectors, in the hopes I might get an answer I could use, I'll sum
>> up the results and post them now.
>>
>> First, thanks to all who responded to my questions.
>> Second I'm not trying to bash LP-Bridge, only find a fix for my problem,
>> and I hoped the new info about AI from Dick might help solve it.
>>
>> Dave AA6YQ says:
>> "When Commander starts controlling a K3, it sends an AI2; command
>> unless you have "Continuous interrogation" disabled, in which case it
>> sends an AI0; command."
>>
>> Larry N8LP says:
>> "The AI boxes in LP-Bridge have nothing to do with the AI mode of the
>> K3. These are used to simulate AI modes for apps connected to each
>> virtual port. LP-Bridge forces the K3 into AI2 mode all the time. With
>> many apps trying to control the rig, it would be a mess to let each
>> one try to change the AI setting in the rig, therefore all AI commands
>> are intercepted once LP-Bridge puts the rig in AI2 mode."
>>
>> and from Dick K6KR, I learned how I could put the K3 into AI2 myself,
>> independent of either DXLabs or LP-Bridge, by using the K3 Utility pgm.
>>
>> Over the last two years I have been using 2 different boxes,
>> during which I was encountering random LP-Bridge crashes on both.
>> I say random because there was nothing that would cause the crash.
>> I could leave the pgms running and not touch anything yet after while
>> LP-Bridge would crash with a Runtime error.
>>
>> One box was an AMD 2.9 Ghz, 4gig ram, with both Win7 Pro 32-bit and
>> 64-bit.
>> The other box is an AMD 4.0 Ghz, 32gig ram with Win7 Pro 64-bit.
>> Both machines have real serial ports, not usb to serial, and
>> the serial cards were different on the 2 boxes.
>>
>> I always set the polling rate for LP-Bridge to 200ms & NaP3 & DXLabs
>> for 300ms as was suggested by Larry here:
>> http://www.telepostinc.com/NaP3.html#Setup
>>
>> <quote>
>> Rig Timing (ms)...
>> Polling Interval: Defaults to 300ms. If using LP-Bridge or LPB2, be
>> careful when setting this lower than 300, and never set it lower than
>> the setting in LP-Bridge or LPB2. In general, this should be set about
>> 100ms slower than the LP-Bridge / LPB2 setting.
>> </quote>
>>
>> Over the last 2 years I've made a several runs at solving this.
>> I have ask on the LP-PAN list a number of times about my crash problem.
>> Each time it seemed I was the only one having the problem, so I would
>> wait a while and ask again later in the hopes that someone new to the
>> list might also have the problem and maybe even the solution.
>> But if others can't duplicate the problem, of course they can't help
>> fix it. :-(
>>
>> So I have just tolerated it or just not run LP-Bridge if it got to bad.
>> Some days I could run LP-Bridge all day, but then if it crashed once,
>> it would continually crash the rest of the day, even after reboots.
>>
>> All the above is just to give details, not to bad mouth LP-Bridge!
>> I love it, it's a valuable tool, that is why I keep trying to use it,
>> but it's hell trying to use it, if it won't stay running.
>>
>> It's a bit to soon to tell, but I have had some success over the last
>> week, even before Dick's info about the K3's AI setting, just by
>> chance I had tried setting the DXLabs virtual port in LP-Bridge to AI2,
>> at least it would run longer before it crashed.
>>
>> So to sum this up, now I have the K3 set to AI2
>> Larry says LP-Bridge defaults to AI2 when it talks to the K3
>> Dave says DXLabs Commander uses AI2 for continuous interrogation.
>>
>>
>> LP-Bridge is currently handling 4 different programs at the same time.
>> DXLabs Commander, N3FJP, VE7CC, & NaP3
>> It's been 6hrs with no crash, maybe everyone is on the same page now.
>>
>> Sorry for the bandwidth, feel free to use your delete key ;-)
>> sm
>>
>> On 12/28/2013 9:49 PM, Larry Phipps wrote:
>>> The AI boxes in LP-Bridge have nothing to do with the AI mode of the K3.
>>> These are used to simulate AI modes for apps connected to each virtual
>>> port. LP-Bridge forces the K3 into AI2 mode all the time. With many apps
>>> trying to control the rig, it would be a mess to let each one try to
>>> change the AI setting in the rig, therefore all AI commands are
>>> intercepted once LP-Bridge puts the rig in AI2 mode.
>>>
>>> As far as DXLabs goes, many users run it with LP-Bridge, but there are
>>> so many hardware and software variables between stations that it's hard
>>> to make direct comparisons.
>>>
>>> Larry N8LP
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 12/28/2013 7:46 PM, elecraft-request at mailman.qth.net wrote:
>>>> Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2013 14:05:33 -0600
>>>> From: Sam Morgan<k5oai.sam at gmail.com>
>>>> To:"elecraft at mailman.qth.net" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
>>>> Subject: [Elecraft] K3-DXLabs-LP-Bridge AI command question
>>>> Message-ID:<52BF2F0D.7000008 at gmail.com>
>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>>>>
>>>> Rig is a K3. Computer is running WIn7 Pro 64-bit, AMD 4.0 Ghz, 32gig
>>>> ram, real Serial port, not usb to serial. LP-Bridge is set to 200ms
>>>> polling rate, DXLabs Commander is set to 300ms polling rate.
>>>>
>>>> Having just read K6KR's reply to Barry about the AI command (quoted
>>>> below) I wonder if this may be the cause of my random LP-Bridge
>>>> crashes.
>>>> My K3 is set to normal AUTOINF or AI0
>>>>
>>>> Is anyone using LP-Bridge with DXLabs with no crashes,
>>>> if so, what setting are you using in LP-Bridge for the AI setting,
>>>> and what settings are you using for AUTOINF on your K3?
>>>>
>>>> Not knowing what AI did (until I just read about it in the K3
>>>> Programers
>>>> Reference Manual) I have been experimenting with different settings for
>>>> the AI for DXLabs within LP-Bridge. It seems LP-B doesn't crash 'as
>>>> often' if I use AI2.
>>>>
>>>> =============quote==============
>>>> It's in the K3 programmer's reference.  From the K3 Utility, command
>>>> tester,
>>>> enter "AIn;" where n is 0, 1, 2, or 3.
>>>>
>>>> Don't enter the quotes, do enter the semicolon.  "AI;" is a query, it
>>>> should
>>>> respond with "AI0;" or "AI1;", etc.
>>>>
>>>> 73 de Dick, K6KR
>>
>
>

-- 

GB & 73
K5OAI
Sam Morgan