[Elecraft] Update: K3 Issues Since Synthesizer Upgrade

[Dennis]

Several days ago I posted the below to the Reflector.  After a couple of 
days of reproducing the below errors,
I can safely say that NONE of them are connected to the Synthesizer 
Upgrade.  Since they all happened
since the upgrade I made the incorrect assumption that that had 
something to do with the new problems.

#1- DVK- Cockpit error.  M1 and M2 did not have a message recorded in 
them, so gave incorrect responses
when I tried to play those message.  Recorded messages in both, all work 
normally.
#2- No resolution to this yet.
#3- Could not reproduce the error.  May be tied to #5.
#4- This is how the radio is supposed to function.  Hit a key that can't 
execute when you're transmitting, and
the K3 is supposed to stop transmitting and give the errors.
#5- This seems to be an N1MMLogger+ error, but hasn't been confirmed 
yet.  The DSE errors seemed to
be created in the K3 by bad input from N1MM+; in any case, the two got 
out of sync, and the DSE errors
were created.
#6- Diversity was a red herring.  I could reproduce the problems whether 
diversity was on or off.  During the
contest, problems didn't seem to start until diversity was turned on, 
but further research shows that diversity
had nothing to with any problems.
#7- Same as #6.

The Synthesizer upgrade didn't have anything to do with the problems I had.

Dennis W1UE
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I did the Synthesizer on my K3 a couple of weeks ago.  After putting in 
the synthesizers, I also upgraded to Firmware 5.33, which was the latest 
at the time (I see that 5.35 was released the day after I did the 
upgrade).  The SYNTH OK messages were seen on the menu, and the 
configuration was redone as specified in the instructions.  I also took 
care not to lose any washers inside the radio, and to not disturb 
anything within the radio.  Since then, I have had a number of issues 
with my K3.

#1- DVK doesn't work via N1MM command.  VFO B says "DVK Not installed", 
but I do have one installed. I can also play the messages by pressing 
the Message key.  I checked the config menu, and it says it is installed.
#2- I have heard a number of loud audio "pops" since the above changes.
#3- I have actually lost audio several times with no VFO B errors- audio 
just stops in the middle of a QSO.
#4- During CQWW RTTY, if I was transmitting and pushed a key- say A/B, 
or Rev- transmitting stops, I get an "Error PTT" followed by an "Error 
Key" in the VFO B window for a few seconds each, then the radio clears 
itself.  I can then resume transmitting.  No audio loss while this is 
happening.
#5- During the contest, N1MM would show the Radio Mode as PSK.  The 
program would keep on transmitting RTTY, and what went into the log was 
indicated as RTTY, the K3 was working properly in RTTY and indicated it 
was in Mode D FSK correctly.
#6- When I tried to use Diversity reception, the K3 would switch into 
Diversity mode correctly.  After a while, I would get a sudden total 
audio loss and one of several DSE errors: E015555, E005555,  00C2C2, 
003030.
#7- Turning the diversity OFF seemed to decrease the severity of
In all cases, power cycling the radio would clear the error and the 
audio would be restored.

I've tried reloading firmware, and it reloaded without a problem.  Yes, 
I power cycled the radio immediately after the firmware update was 
done.  I haven't tried downloading the firmware a second time from the 
web site, and then reloading it into the radio but I suspect that may be 
the next thing that I try.

At this point, I'm open to suggestions.  Thanks for input!

Dennis W1UE