[PCR-1000] Scan Stop Problem...

[Chris Spacone]

* Frank Wrote:
*
*"I've had the 'scan stop problem' since day one, but only on some
bands. A
*number of posters have noted the very same problems..."
*

I ran the initial Icom software as well and experienced exactly the same
behaviour and also noted (as other have on the list) the "Connecting..."
message at the top of the window.

I decided to put a serial port analyzer on the system to see what data
was traversing between the radio and program. It revealed the following:

29  5:09:12 PM  PCR1000  VCOMM_WriteComm  COM2  SUCCESS  Length: 6:
G105..
30  5:09:20 PM  PCR1000  VCOMM_WriteComm  COM2  SUCCESS  Length: 6:
G105..
31  5:09:22 PM  PCR1000  VCOMM_WriteComm  COM2  SUCCESS  Length: 6:
G105..

This trace shows that a sequential command G105 is being issued to COM2
by PCR1000 using the routine VCOMM_WriteComm.

G105 command for the PCR1000 appears to be the following:

G1 is issued from the controller (in this case a PC running the Icom
software) sets the transmission speed. The 05 portion tells the PCR1000
to set the comm. Port for 38.4 K baud.  

The response from the radio to the controller is G0 (indicating a
response to a command to set the comm. baud rate) and should consist of
either 00 which means it went ok or 01 which means it did not.

Further the G0? Command should be issued to determine if the radio
actually followed the command as written.

It became clear to me that the program from Icom (version 1.3x and
below) was erroneously issuing a command periodically (and specifically
while in the memory scan mode) that interrupted the radio by asking it
to set its baud rate to 38.4K

I wrote Icom several times regarding this issue and provided their
service group with the results of my research. They never wrote back.

I got tired of trying to fix what was clearly a software problem and
decided to use Pete Mahy's TalkPCR. Pete has _ALWAYS_ given me excellent
email support. I have moved my computing platform a number of times and
have broken the registration module. Pete has always provided a fix. I
am using the beta software on XP Professional and have noted a couple of
minor issues that appear to be related to the particular video card
driver I am using but otherwise the program performs flawlessly.

At $45.00 US the software is a bargain, the author listens to your input
and provides fixes that work.

I'm waiting for the 'gold code' so that I can drop another $45.00 on his
program.

Cheers and 73,
Chris Spacone, KD6OUB