[Elecraft] Who's On First?

[Don Wilhelm]

Bill,

If you have updated the K3 firmware in the last few months, it does not 
make any difference whether the K3 or the computer is turned on first.
The K3 now has a SAFE mode that disables DTR and RTS until it receives 
some command like polling for frequency, mode, etc. from your software 
application.

You can go into the K3 CONFIG menu for KEY-PTT and turn it to unsafe if 
you have devices that monitor the RS-232 bus and do not issue any 
commands (SteppIR controllers for one instance).

Look at the firmware release notes for the past 3 months.
BTW, the firmware release notes should be considered an addition to your 
K3/K3S manual.  Do not overlook them.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/29/2018 6:58 PM, Bill Frantz wrote:
> On my Mac system, it doesn't seem to matter whether the radio or the 
> computer starts first. The USB interface to my upgraded K3 is powered 
> from the computer with enough functionality that the computer recognizes 
> it without the radio being on.
> 
> In any case, start wsjt-x last because it will try to talk to the radio 
> for rig control and harass you until it can succeed. I've been in this 
> situation enough times to know that starting the radio, waiting until 
> the radio is ready to talk to the computer and then clicking "Retry" works.
> 
> 73 Bill AE6JV
>