[Elecraft] K3 and VB6

[Don Wilhelm]

All,

While Joe's response will eliminate the behavior, I feel that a fuller 
explanation is in order.
When a computer boots, it will "exercise" the RS-232 signal lines 
including the RTS and DTR signal lines.

If you have your K3 set to do keying or PTT with those lines, you can 
expect the K3 to go into transmit while the computer does its boot-up.

So, take your choices - if you have no need for DTR/RTS keying of the 
K3, turn the PTT-KEY menu to OFF-OFF as Joe indicated, but if you have 
need for computer control of the PTT or Keying of the K3 via the DTR or 
RTS signals, then expect that behavior and either place the K3 into TX 
TEST or switch to a dummy load while the computer is "doing its 
diagnostics" during the boot-up cycle.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 10/12/2014 6:55 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
>
>> There's also an annoying problem that in valves the comm port. Every
>> time in turn on my PC, during boot-up, the K3 momentarily transmits.
>> Is there a way to prevent that or every time I turn on the PC, do I
>> have to turn off the K3?
>
> Set CONFIG: PTT-KEY -> OFF-OFF and the K3 will no longer respond to
> the DTR and/or RTS signals.
>
> 73,
>
>    ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 2014-10-12 6:47 PM, wa9fvp wrote:
>> A few months ago I was working on a Visual Basic program to control 
>> my K3.  2
>> days ago when I went back to do some coding,  I had a problem where, 
>> when I
>> opened the Comm port,  the K3 would transmit.  I tried sending the RX
>> software command to the K3 but it didn't help. It was stuck in 
>> transmit! I'm
>> not sure what happened but after I explored VB6 MSComm Event,  I 
>> found that
>> my code didn't initialize the RTS line.     RTSEnable is a VB6 comm 
>> control
>> that can toggle the RS232, RTS line low or high.  The K3 detects the 
>> signal
>> from the RS232 port and immediately places it in transmit mode. I 
>> added a
>> line of code and the problem was solved.
>>
>> There's also an annoying problem that in valves the comm port. Every 
>> time
>> in turn on my PC, during boot-up, the K3 momentarily transmits.   Is 
>> there a
>> way to prevent that or every time I turn on the PC, do I have to turn 
>> off
>> the K3?
>>
>>