[PaQSO] Heading out to CLInton County ...

[Schreiner, Mark]

  What a saga.

Mark, Belkin does not offer a driver update for the particular model of 
USB-Serial (F5U401 I think it was, I don't have it here right now), and 
other checks for this up through 1 AM last night yielded no-joy.

On my way out of town both Best Buy & Staples are right next to each 
other.  Best Buy had one by Dynex but it didn't specify anything 
regarding O/S, neither did the BB or Dynex websites.  I ask the "Geek" 
and they basically said it would be a 50/50 shot on whether or not my 
gadget would work with it.  That wasn't the problem as I saw it, the 
problem was more whether or not it would work with W7!  Anyway, bought 
it to try out.  Over at Staples they had only one options also, their 
own brand, that looked exactly like a Belkin, and it specified W7 
compatible!  Hmm, okay, but what about 64-bit W7?  The tech guys didn't 
know for sure, but said since it says W7 comp that it "should" be okay.

Okay, any guesses as to what worked with W7 64-bit?  Oddly enough, Dynex 
worked straight away, no problem.  Next step was to try it with the K2 
remote cable and N1MM.  All seems well!  YEAH!

Okay, so I left the Staples one intact for a return later.  Then I tried 
my K1EL USB WinKey.  Oh no!  It is not recognized!  Well, I found it in 
one of the moving boxes at 9:30 AM today after looking until 1 AM last 
night and losing sleep trying to think where I put it (along with my 
foot switch and K2 remote interface cable -- all in the same place).  
So, since I was running late I didn't have time to try it out first, and 
the campground doesn't have wi-fi I and I don't have my plan set up to 
plug-n-play with my Verizon cellphone!  So, back home again to hit Best 
Buy with 20 minutes left to get another USB-Serial adapter (Dynex) and 
return the Staples brand next door, then home to see if I can update 
K1EL or if I'll be using the USB-Serial with the serial CW key line like 
the old days.

Maybe Lock Haven (closer to my campground than State College) has a 
Radio Shack, I'm not sure, but I knew they didn't have a Best Buy which 
was the option I knew worked.

Oh the joys!

At least the antennas seemed to go up and test out okay, so it should be 
a fun contest tomorrow, if only we had some sunspots!

Mark, NK8Q

On 10/8/2010 9:48 AM, MARK KEMPISTY wrote:
> You probably won't get this in time but look for a driver update. 
> Probably on Belkin's web site. I had a similar problem with a 
> pre-Vista USB adaptor. Vista didn't like the old driver. When I got a 
> newer one all was well.
> Take care,
> Mark
> AA3K
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* "Schreiner, Mark" <mschreiner66 at verizon.net>
> *To:* paqso <paqso at mailman.qth.net>
> *Sent:* Fri, October 8, 2010 9:30:59 AM
> *Subject:* [PaQSO] Heading out to CLInton County ...
>
>   Well, I'm finally all packed up.  It sure is hard to find everything
> needed for a portable operation after moving.  Darned if  know where
> some of my stuff is yet, but I found the essentials.
>
> I found out last night that my Belkin USB-Serial adapter doesn't work
> with Windows 7, so I hope to find something that DOES on my way out of
> town to interface to he radio, otherwise I think there is a good chance
> of errors in logging (OOPS, forgot to change the band/mode in the log
> several QSOs ago -- noted during another DUPE which isn't really a DUPE!).
>
> Well, I guess I'll figure out later what is missing and what doesn't
> work.  I guess I'm not too far away from Lock Haven, which hopefully has
> some basic places to pick up supplies if needed, and worst case I'm only
> 45 minutes from my new QTH, although at this point if I couldn't find
> what I needed here in my own QTH it is because of the recent move, and I
> am NOT going to try again to sort through more boxes of stuff trying
> desparately to find that interface cable or some such thing!
>
> I hope to at least be on the air for the net tonight if all goes well
> today ...
>
> 73 and I hope to work you all "early and often"
>
> Mark, NK8Q
>
>
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