Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500
I can't speak for other countries, but here in the UK I used 240V +-7% (223V to 257V) for normal service but for brown to peak I used 240V +-10% (216 to 264V), which is very rarely seen here. The 264V is used to test safety trips and the like according to British Standards such as the the generic BS3456. Factoring Europe into the equation, I reduce the lower band to 198V (220 - 10%), so, my designs covered 198 to 264V for safe and reliable operation. In practice, the lower end often extended to 186V (-15%). This puts quite a burden on dissipating heat at the top end when using linear supplies, but is the penalty when designing for extremes if switchmode cannot be used. Hence tapped transformers to cope with local supplies. Being aware of this, I have always been wary of generators when /P or dxpeditioning and with valve linears getting the heater voltage right with a true rms voltmeter has always been a concern for me. Small generators often produce more of a triangular waveform and are poorly regulated well beyond +-10% key up to key down. With a transistor linear I am concerned about the peak of the triangle which is higher than that of a sinewave of the same rms voltage, so, component ratings are very important. On full load, the problem is distortion as the incoming voltage drops. Some generators also slow down, increasing the ripple triangle and current into the reservoir caps. David G3UNA My previous email on this didn't appear on the list, perhaps stuck in cyberspace. snip from Juergen Hi Albert The old standard of 220,230,240 volts +- 10% has been gradually deteriorating to plus minus anything! The mains voltages in many places now goes up to and regularly runs at 260 volts! The global de-regulation and privatization of power assets globally has seen standards go down the drain everywhere. Most quality switch mode power supplies are designed for voltages as high as 260 high volts with a plus 5% rating. Many designers and export countries have not caught up with the global deregulation of mains voltage standards. In many places this has been allowed to happen in the hope that a global standard will develop. . 73 John __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500
I get 240 +- 2v here in Bracknell in Berkshire. 73 de M0XDF, K3 #174, P3 #108 -- No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be. -Isaac Asimov, scientist and writer (1920-1992) On 6 Feb 2011, at 09:36, David Cutter wrote: I can't speak for other countries, but here in the UK I used 240V +-7% (223V to 257V) for normal service but for brown to peak I used 240V +-10% (216 to 264V), which is very rarely seen here. The 264V is used to test safety trips and the like according to British Standards such as the the generic BS3456. Factoring Europe into the equation, I reduce the lower band to 198V (220 - 10%), so, my designs covered 198 to 264V for safe and reliable operation. In practice, the lower end often extended to 186V (-15%). This puts quite a burden on dissipating heat at the top end when using linear supplies, but is the penalty when designing for extremes if switchmode cannot be used. Hence tapped transformers to cope with local supplies. Being aware of this, I have always been wary of generators when /P or dxpeditioning and with valve linears getting the heater voltage right with a true rms voltmeter has always been a concern for me. Small generators often produce more of a triangular waveform and are poorly regulated well beyond +-10% key up to key down. With a transistor linear I am concerned about the peak of the triangle which is higher than that of a sinewave of the same rms voltage, so, component ratings are very important. On full load, the problem is distortion as the incoming voltage drops. Some generators also slow down, increasing the ripple triangle and current into the reservoir caps. David G3UNA My previous email on this didn't appear on the list, perhaps stuck in cyberspace. snip from Juergen Hi Albert The old standard of 220,230,240 volts +- 10% has been gradually deteriorating to plus minus anything! The mains voltages in many places now goes up to and regularly runs at 260 volts! The global de-regulation and privatization of power assets globally has seen standards go down the drain everywhere. Most quality switch mode power supplies are designed for voltages as high as 260 high volts with a plus 5% rating. Many designers and export countries have not caught up with the global deregulation of mains voltage standards. In many places this has been allowed to happen in the hope that a global standard will develop. . 73 John __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] KRC2 band decoder for sale (EU)
Hello! I have just recently assemled KRC2 band decoder fro sale. It is fully tested with the latest firmware. It just exceeds my needs at the moment, I have some other decoders in function. Please contact me off the list if you are interested (EU desirable) 73 Robert, S57AW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Disregard High Power TX gain failure
Greg ab7r hit it on the head. I didn't have my PS amps up enough. Cranked her up and the TX gain test went like nobody's business. I will be making my first contact with this rig today. I will post here before I go on the air. 73 Dohn Smythe N8EWY __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Craig's problem brings up a question. If, for whatever reason, one or more of the downloaded firmware files is corrupted, do you need to delete all the downloaded files from your computer, do a new download from Elecraft so that a reload doesn't just grab the corrupted file again? Thanks, Lee (K9CM) __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3
I just got back to the Frost Fest and played with a K3 I'm 95% sure I'm going buy a K3. I want to start and build. I have to start with the K3/100 as 10 watts won't drive my amp. I have a SteppIR so the tuner isn't needed. My question what is the minimum filters. I don't do CW, I do RTTY contests and voice contests. Thanks 73 Larry K1ZW/4 Durham, NC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Don and all, It isn't the K3 utility's problem either. Just how is the utility's supposed lack of robustness affect the connection between radio and computer? It doesn't. The entire planet has been sold a bill of goods concerning laptops, mostly because of the gee whiz factor. They are compromised computers. They are comparatively expensive, they are slower, they are more prone to physical damage, They have almost zero expansion ability. The newest ones don't have MCMCIA slots anymore. If you don't know what you are doing they are a nightmare to fix.How many laptop owners out there haven't had key caps pop off the keyboard? I don't understand folks who have no compunction about spending $4K on a box full of parts that if the assembly instructions are followed and they have a minimum of mechanical ability will become the K3. Yet, some of these same folks balk and squeal about adding a $10 serial port card to their computers. Amazing. Anything USB based is going to be dependent on the quality of the drivers associated with it. Doesn't matter computer platform or OS. If you get crappy drivers the device is going to be unreliable at best. This is why I'm glad Elecraft hasn't succumbed to the uniformed pressure to add a USB hub to the K3. The day they do is the day they become responsible for every sniggeling little problems that pops up because of drivers. On Sat, 05 Feb 2011 22:07:17 -0500 Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Don, I have trouble blaming the problem on the K3 when the real problem lies with the Operating System and properly operating drivers (or lack thereof) for the USB to serial adapters. Use of a desktop computer for the hamshack is quite desirable IMHO - mine sits under the desk and the monitor, keyboard and mouse takes up less space than a laptop. If the particular desktop does not come with serial ports, there are cards available that will add native serial ports to a desktop. Laptops are quite another story, although PCMCIA serial port cards are available and should be more reliable than USB to serial adapters. -- R. Kevin Stover AC0H __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Craig, The last few times I have attempted downloads to my K3 they failed and it took a few days to get it running again. I've ended up having to remove the K3 from my station setup, and put it on my work bench where I have a Vintage PC with a native serial port. Baring the remote possibility that Elecraft comes up with a more sophisticated system for doing these down loads, my plan is to limit doing these in the future to about once a year, due to their being such a PITA. The problem seems to be a general lack of robustness and intelligence in the K3's bootstrap loader. For my money, a less simple minded method of doing these updates would be a welcomed new feature. 73 Jack KZ5A K3 #4165 On 2/5/2011 8:28 PM, cr...@thephotoman.com wrote: Original Message Subject: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2011 18:21:05 -0800 From: cr...@thephotoman.comcr...@thephotoman.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net I hope someone can help me as I tried to update the firmware onto my K3 this afternoon. I first tried it five times getting ERR DSE E202 on the K3, and xE26 on the K3Util screen with the details as DSP1 verification failed, and version verification number failed. Then I deleted the K3Util program, and connected an Ethernet cable to my laptop, then reloaded the K3Util software. Tried another five tines with the same error results. I read all the notes online, and I'm stumped. All the other firmware loads fine. Craig W6WL __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
I would. I don't now the inner workings of the utility but I assume there's something built in to check file integrity before the upgrade process. If not then that would be something to seriously think about adding. Easy enough to check MD5sums. On Sun, 6 Feb 2011 07:55:15 -0500 Lee Trout trou...@gmail.com wrote: Craig's problem brings up a question. If, for whatever reason, one or more of the downloaded firmware files is corrupted, do you need to delete all the downloaded files from your computer, do a new download from Elecraft so that a reload doesn't just grab the corrupted file again? Thanks, Lee (K9CM) -- R. Kevin Stover AC0H __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3
Larry, The 250hz 8 pole is amazingly good in a RTTY contest and appears to me to be about as narrow as can be used. The 500 hz 8 pole Inrad is a little more versatile but not quite as good at holding onto a run frequency. I use the 1.8kc for SSB contesting but I think the Inrad 1.5 kc would be better and plan to pick one up before the fall SSB contests. 73 Jack KZ5A On 2/6/2011 7:01 AM, Larry stowell wrote: I just got back to the Frost Fest and played with a K3 I'm 95% sure I'm going buy a K3. I want to start and build. I have to start with the K3/100 as 10 watts won't drive my amp. I have a SteppIR so the tuner isn't needed. My question what is the minimum filters. I don't do CW, I do RTTY contests and voice contests. Thanks 73 Larry K1ZW/4 Durham, NC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] P3 PANADAPTER FOR SALE
I have the P3 factory assembled For Sale. It is a wonderful colorful addition to my shack, but it is also useless to me. I can find no practical use for the P3, and it just occupies space in my shack. I am the original owner and it is in pristine condition. Insured and shipped to your door in the lower 48 for $675.00 firm. This one is just a few months old. Pls reply off-line. Comes with everything from the factory of course. Thank you. km...@arrl.net -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/P3-PANADAPTER-FOR-SALE-tp5997648p5997648.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
It seems to be very few people that have a problem updating firmware. And it's amazing that it still gets blamed on the Utility, the radio, file integrity, whatever. Of course it could be any of these, but that isn't nearly as likely as a broken USB/RS232 driver. Most of us have never had a problem that wasn't quickly resolved -- typically by ensuring that the drivers for the USB adapters are current and are properly installed. The thing to do here is not to give up or update firmware 'once a year', but to clean up your PC (which if it's anything like mine, is probably a horrendous mess of stuff, corruptions in the Registry, who know what?), uninstall and clean reinstall the drivers (paying attention to the instructions), and do it again. Punching buttons on the radio, or blaming it on not having a real RS-232 port or simply not solving the problem and then grumbling about it every time it doesn't work won't help much :-) Grant/NQ5T On Feb 6, 2011, at 7:54 AM, R. Kevin Stover wrote: I would. I don't now the inner workings of the utility but I assume there's something built in to check file integrity before the upgrade process. If not then that would be something to seriously think about adding. Easy enough to check MD5sums. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
On 2/6/11 8:47 AM, R. Kevin Stover wrote: Don and all, It isn't the K3 utility's problem either. Just how is the utility's supposed lack of robustness affect the connection between radio and computer? It doesn't. The actual connection, no. BUT, K3 utility's lack of robustness DOES allow the problems sometimes found when using USB serial devices to prevent the K3 utility from doing it's job. Communications protocols that function properly with less than perfect communications paths have been around for decades. If the K3 utility used such a protocol (and was, therefore, more robust) people wouldn't be having these problems. 73, Ross N4RP -- FCC Section 97.313(a) “At all times, an amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.” __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Each of the firmware files is checked for line by line checksum validity and the presence of a file end record during FTP (which isn't used in the Beta unzip process) and the firmware files are read into the PC's RAM and similarly verified before initiating firmware load. We don't access the file system during firmware load to avoid issues like network file share access problems at awkward times. There is a line by line checksum test and a retry protocol during the load. But we are critically dependent in receiving single byte ACK or NACK for each firmware record. Most corruption I see is based on USB / laptop combinations and is somewhat transient or due to unfortunate combinations of laptop and USB adapters. The same devices work fine at different times or with other cables or the cable works fine with another computer. The most damaging corruption the occasional introduction of a byte the program didn't send or the loss of a response ACK. I have traces of both scenarios, and application level error recovery code for should not occur sorts of failure like this. Most of my K3 Utility testing is done with a vintage Prolific PL2303 based KUSB with my Windows 7 64-bit desktop development system, with two 2-meter RS 232 extension cords across the room, two DB9 ABCD switches and two one-meter DB9 extension cords in line between PC and K3. When I make changes to the firmware loaders I also test with an XP laptop, Vista laptop, Windows 7 netbook, and a Windows 98 SE minitower, and a Windows XP desktop with RS232. Dick, K6KR On Feb 6, 2011, at 6:55, Lee Trout trou...@gmail.com wrote: Craig's problem brings up a question. If, for whatever reason, one or more of the downloaded firmware files is corrupted, do you need to delete all the downloaded files from your computer, do a new download from Elecraft so that a reload doesn't just grab the corrupted file again? Thanks, Lee (K9CM) __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3
The minimum is the 5-pole 2.7 kHz filter included in the base price. 73 de Dick, K6KR On Feb 6, 2011, at 7:01, Larry stowell lcla...@nc.rr.com wrote: I just got back to the Frost Fest and played with a K3 I'm 95% sure I'm going buy a K3. I want to start and build. I have to start with the K3/100 as 10 watts won't drive my amp. I have a SteppIR so the tuner isn't needed. My question what is the minimum filters. I don't do CW, I do RTTY contests and voice contests. Thanks 73 Larry K1ZW/4 Durham, NC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] P3 PANADAPTER FOR SALE
This brings up a question. I have seen posts where people selling their Elecraft K3 since it's intro stating in the ad that the warranty can be transferred. I haven't seen Anything on their website indicating this as fact. It appears the warranty is to the original buyer unless it's bought as a gift for someone else stated at purchase? Right now the only rig manufacturer that I am aware will let you transfer a warranty from one owner to another during the warranty period is Flex? Naturally at a price, $50. 73 de KE4WY Jim Sent from the land of OZ On Feb 6, 2011, at 9:13 AM, KM4VX ronce...@earthlink.net wrote: I have the P3 factory assembled For Sale. It is a wonderful colorful addition to my shack, but it is also useless to me. I can find no practical use for the P3, and it just occupies space in my shack. I am the original owner and it is in pristine condition. Insured and shipped to your door in the lower 48 for $675.00 firm. This one is just a few months old. Pls reply off-line. Comes with everything from the factory of course. Thank you. km...@arrl.net -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/P3-PANADAPTER-FOR-SALE-tp5997648p5997648.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3
Hi Larry, I do RTTY and SSB contesting too. I settled on the stock 2.7 for ssb ragchewing, 1.8 for ssb contesting, and 250 for cw and rtty contesting. I had some others, but sold them. In the config menu, tell the K3 that the 1.8 is really a 2.1, and tell the k3 that the 250 is a 400. That way, they will switch in at dsp bandwidth of 2.1 and 400 respectively. Those filters sound great that way. The 250, with dsp set at about 350, is nice flat on the mmtty display over the entire 170 hz distance between the mark space, and a little beyond. Dave Hachadorian, K6LL Yuma, AZ -Original Message- From: Larry stowell Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 6:01 AM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3 I just got back to the Frost Fest and played with a K3 I'm 95% sure I'm going buy a K3. I want to start and build. I have to start with the K3/100 as 10 watts won't drive my amp. I have a SteppIR so the tuner isn't needed. My question what is the minimum filters. I don't do CW, I do RTTY contests and voice contests. Thanks 73 Larry K1ZW/4 Durham, NC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] FIRMWARE UPGRADE FAILURE
Old-fashioned I guess but I use the serial port instead of USBworks every time. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Grant, On 2/6/2011 8:20 AM, Grant Youngman wrote: It seems to be very few people that have a problem updating firmware. Hardly a day goes by that there is not at least one firmware download problem string running on the reflector. And it's amazing that it still gets blamed on the Utility, the radio, file integrity, whatever. Of course it could be any of these, but that isn't nearly as likely as a broken USB/RS232 driver. Most of us have never had a problem that wasn't quickly resolved -- typically by ensuring that the drivers for the USB adapters are current and are properl installed. Most of these USB/serial adapters work just fine for any purpose except K3 downloads. Mine is embedded in my microHam microKeyer II, and works perfectly for any other use. The issue is not a USB driver problem and will not be fixed by reloading the driver. It is a problem with the K3 bootstrap loader lacking the intelligence to ignore commands it isn't expecting, and just locking up if it gets one, at least in the case of my particular interface. You have to consider the Bootstrap loader and the K3 utility as a system. And as a system they don't work very well. If everything is not just perfect the load fails and the radio goes brain dead. The thing to do here is not to give up or update firmware 'once a year', but to clean up your PC (which if it's anything like mine, is probably a horrendous mess of stuff, corruptions in the Registry, who know what?), uninstall and clean reinstall the drivers (paying attention to the instructions), and do it again. Punching buttons on the radio, or blaming it on not having a real RS-232 port or simply not solving the problem and then grumbling about it every time it doesn't work won't help much :-) Your station PC may be full of garbage but mine isn't. It also does not have a free slot that I'm willing to dedicate to a serial board that is only needed once or twice a year. It amazes me to see the lengths some people on this board go to, to blame the K3's problems on anything but the K3. This firmware loading system needs to be improved. The problem is not the entire rest of the world, it is the K3. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away, however not doing the updates will. How many potential K3 owners check out this board and see the continuous running failed firmware download dialogs, and think.well... maybe not. 73 Jack KZ5A Grant/NQ5T On Feb 6, 2011, at 7:54 AM, R. Kevin Stover wrote: I would. I don't now the inner workings of the utility but I assume there's something built in to check file integrity before the upgrade process. If not then that would be something to seriously think about adding. Easy enough to check MD5sums. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
On Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:36:59 -0600 Jack Brabham k...@att.net wrote: Jack, Hardly a day goes by that there is not at least one firmware download problem string running on the reflector. Most of which turns out are caused by USB to Serial adapters, Those using real serial reports very rarely report failures. Most of these USB/serial adapters work just fine for any purpose except K3 downloads. Mine is embedded in my microHam microKeyer II, and works perfectly for any other use. The issue is not a USB driver problem and will not be fixed by reloading the driver. It is a problem with the K3 bootstrap loader lacking the intelligence to ignore commands it isn't expecting, and just locking up if it gets one, at least in the case of my particular interface. If you are trying to load firmware via your microham mirokeyer you are in direct contravention of the expressed instructions on Microham's site and by Joe W4TV, the US distributor for Microham, who is a member of this list and a K3 owner. DON'T TRY TO LOAD K3 FIRMWARE THROUGH ANY MICROHAM DEVICE. -- R. Kevin Stover AC0H __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
I am not disputing your point, but want to add that the USB-serial adapters I have had, 3 different types, were prone to lightning damage if not disconnected. I have suffered damage to a serial port, too, over 25 years ago when the discrete driver chips were replaceable. But not in 10 years in Florida, lightning capital of the US. I am surprised that you have had no other trouble with your adapters. I have a PIC programmer that balks occasionally. Monty K2DLJ On Feb 6, 2011, at 10:36 AM, Jack Brabham wrote: Grant, On 2/6/2011 8:20 AM, Grant Youngman wrote: It seems to be very few people that have a problem updating firmware. Hardly a day goes by that there is not at least one firmware download problem string running on the reflector. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
On 2/6/2011 8:40 AM, K9ZTV wrote: On 2/6/2011 7:49 AM, Jack Brabham wrote: Baring the remote possibility that Elecraft comes up with a more sophisticated system for doing these down loads, my plan is to limit doing these in the future to about once a year, due to their being such a PITA. Not a good idea, Jack. You should always run the latest firmware, including Betas. There are tweaks and fixes in nearly every upgrade not major enough to warrant documentation but significant enough to have none the less. Actually it is a real good idea. Not being a QRQ Op, the last year of updates has bought me a improved noise gate and an APF, neither of which was a must have for my operating. On the other hand, doing the updates has resulted in a couple of days of down time and a lot of aggravation. Not a particularly good trade off. The problem seems to be a general lack of robustness and intelligence in the K3's bootstrap loader. For my money, a less simple minded method of doing these updates would be a welcomed new feature. Not so for a variety of reasons exhaustively discussed by others on the Elecraft reflector since the debut of the K3. I am using the original USB-232 cable ordered at the same time I ordered the K3 (serial number 21) which uses Prolific drivers. It is used with a Toshiba Vista laptop and has never failed to load firmware. As indicated by those honest enough to follow up their complaints with a solution-report posting, the problems are seldom (if ever) K3, Utility, or Converter-cable related. They are nearly always computer, driver, or operator related. With 5000 K3s out there, and so few reports of firmware issues, it is clear the problems lay on the owner's side of the equation and not on Elecraft's side. All sorts of people have all sorts of different problems doing K3 firmware down loads and cockpit trouble certainly plays it's part on occasion. However when connectivity that normally works can not be used for downloads the problem is with the K3 and the downloading system.The fix is always elsewhere because owners are left to find a workaround with the things they can change. I've been following these threads for the last year. The only thing that has been done exhaustively is the usual making up excuses, pointing blame anywhere else, and generally questioning the intelligence of anyone who finds a fault with anything made by Elecraft. If I can help you at all, let me know. Thanks. 73 Jack KZ5A 73, Kent K9ZTV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3
On 2/6/2011 7:10 AM, Dave Hachadorian wrote: I do RTTY and SSB contesting too. I settled on the stock 2.7 for ssb ragchewing, 1.8 for ssb contesting, and 250 for cw and rtty contesting. I had some others, but sold them. In the config menu, tell the K3 that the 1.8 is really a 2.1, and tell the k3 that the 250 is a 400. That way, they will switch in at dsp bandwidth of 2.1 and 400 respectively. Those filters sound great that way. The 250, with dsp set at about 350, is nice flat on the mmtty display over the entire 170 hz distance between the mark space, and a little beyond. I strongly agree with all of Dave's advice. 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
I see posts like these often here, and (knock on wood) I have *never* experienced any problem whatsoever in loading firmware into my K3 (#3192) since I have owned it. I dont understand why there is so much angst regarding firmware updates! The computer I use is a Dell GX280 mini desktop. It has one real serial port, and a whole bunch of USB ports. Since I have a MicroKeyer2 and microHAM STRONGLY SUGGESTS folks *not* try to upload software through the MK, I have a simple, stupid, manual $3 RS232 switch set up between the computer, the MK and the radio (see the picture on my QRZ page. It makes a nice stand for my wattmeter). One side of the switch puts the MicroKeyer into the radio. The other side of the switch puts the real serial port into the radio. I switch the rig's input between serial devices that way, and have never had a problem with EITHER device. I have also uploaded firmware from my older Dell Lattitude C400 into #3192 (and several other K3's) using a Saelig industrial USB to Serial adaptor. I believe the Saelig unit has FTDI USB chips. The neat thing about the Saelig unit is that it has two red LED's inside a little window that give you visual feedback that the device is communicating. If the LED's are flashing, its talking! It also has a really long USB cable, so no extension serial cable is needed. Just plug it right in to the radio's serial port and go. I use over 40 of these Salelig adaptors at work to connect things like printers and bar code scanners to computers and have never had an issue with them controlling absolutely any device I throw at them under Win2k, Win XP and Win7. Two control a custom robotic arm in our museum and have been working reliably since 2005. OTOH, I have had lots of problems with Belkin, Radio Shack and EBay special USB adaptors in the same applications. The Saelig ones cost $20 delivered. YGWYPF. I find the method of updating the K3 just fine. As far as adding sophistication, I always refer back to my childhood idol, Lt Cmdr. Montgomery Scott of Starfleet: The more complex they make the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain. -lu- W4LT K3 #3192 Message: 3 Date: Sun, 06 Feb 2011 07:49:15 -0600 From: Jack Brabham k...@att.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Message-ID: 4d4ea6db.3060...@att.net Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Craig, The last few times I have attempted downloads to my K3 they failed and it took a few days to get it running again. I've ended up having to remove the K3 from my station setup, and put it on my work bench where I have a Vintage PC with a native serial port. Baring the remote possibility that Elecraft comes up with a more sophisticated system for doing these down loads, my plan is to limit doing these in the future to about once a year, due to their being such a PITA. The problem seems to be a general lack of robustness and intelligence in the K3's bootstrap loader. For my money, a less simple minded method of doing these updates would be a welcomed new feature. 73 Jack KZ5A K3 #4165 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
My first time FW upgrade failed too. The problem? I use Router a virtual port defining piece of software microHAM uses for their product's interfaces to such things as the microKEYER II. In their manual is a warning in Yellow to not perform FW upgrades via the microKEYER II interface which uses a port in their Router. Indeed - don't do it. microHAM support told me the problem is the Router is continually polling the radio and interferes with the download. While all other features and functions of Elecraft's Utility and Memory Editor works fine, the FW download does not. I have a desktop PC with no serial ports only lots of USB. Elecraft sells a very nice serial RS-232 to USB adapter cable with FTDI chip. Using the FTDI driver to define a separate USB port as a COM port works well. I have also used Prolific drivers for converter cables using Prolific protocol without any attention. Both work really well. It will/would be nice to have Elecraft provide a USB port in the radio like some other manufacturers. ICOM for instance - absolutely trouble free and simple. Copy a file to a thumb drive and stick it in the radio's USB jack and press Upload. Also in the case of ICOM's 7800 and 7700, you can plug a USB keyboard in and run RTTY or PSK - from the keyboard. No paddle needed. Anyway - microHAM has excellent software and hardware but as they say, do not attempt to download FW into any radio using an interface with something like microKEYER II. So when I want to perform a FW update I unplug the microKEYER II originating DB-9 from the K3 and plug in the separate USB/RS232 cable and perform the update. 73, Bob - W6OPO __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Your experience apparently reflects that of most K3 owners, Lu. That's no comfort for those who do have problems, but it's almost impossible to fix something until it can be made to fail on command by the one who is doing the fixing. When the problems are concentrated on a statistically small number of setups, it's natural to assume the problem is associated with those installations. I've loaded almost every firmware update over the past 3+ years into K3 S/N 10 using three different computers running both Windows Xp and Vista through one of several different USB/232 dongles. The only failure was when I accidentally pulled the plug on the K3 in the middle of a transfer, and that only took a couple of minutes to correct and reload following the procedure for a forced MCU load in the manual. Good observation about the plumbing Lu. I'll remember that. Even though the K3 is an amazing bit of technology, sometimes I long for the rough simplicity of the homebrew station I started out with years ago, Hi! Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Luis V. Romero Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 9:46 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download I see posts like these often here, and (knock on wood) I have *never* experienced any problem whatsoever in loading firmware into my K3 (#3192) since I have owned it. I dont understand why there is so much angst regarding firmware updates! The computer I use is a Dell GX280 mini desktop. It has one real serial port, and a whole bunch of USB ports. Since I have a MicroKeyer2 and microHAM STRONGLY SUGGESTS folks *not* try to upload software through the MK, I have a simple, stupid, manual $3 RS232 switch set up between the computer, the MK and the radio (see the picture on my QRZ page. It makes a nice stand for my wattmeter). One side of the switch puts the MicroKeyer into the radio. The other side of the switch puts the real serial port into the radio. I switch the rig's input between serial devices that way, and have never had a problem with EITHER device. I have also uploaded firmware from my older Dell Lattitude C400 into #3192 (and several other K3's) using a Saelig industrial USB to Serial adaptor. I believe the Saelig unit has FTDI USB chips. The neat thing about the Saelig unit is that it has two red LED's inside a little window that give you visual feedback that the device is communicating. If the LED's are flashing, its talking! It also has a really long USB cable, so no extension serial cable is needed. Just plug it right in to the radio's serial port and go. I use over 40 of these Salelig adaptors at work to connect things like printers and bar code scanners to computers and have never had an issue with them controlling absolutely any device I throw at them under Win2k, Win XP and Win7. Two control a custom robotic arm in our museum and have been working reliably since 2005. OTOH, I have had lots of problems with Belkin, Radio Shack and EBay special USB adaptors in the same applications. The Saelig ones cost $20 delivered. YGWYPF. I find the method of updating the K3 just fine. As far as adding sophistication, I always refer back to my childhood idol, Lt Cmdr. Montgomery Scott of Starfleet: The more complex they make the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain. -lu- W4LT K3 #3192 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Don et al, This is a follow up to my original post, and will hopefully help others in this similar situation. I went to the Elecraft website and read the KUSB serial to USB driver notes, which I originally failed to do. I then went to the FTDI website, located the correct driver, and found the info on deleting the original KUSB driver, which was included on the included mini dvd disk. I reloaded the latest version, which did the trick. The entire install went smoothly. I've found that having the Elecraft website home page as my start up browser page has helped me while I'm still learning the K3. As I monitor the Reflector daily, I'll chime in if anyone needs help. 73, Craig W6WL On 2/5/2011 8:23 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Craig, I am glad to hear you had success. Unfortunately, many of similar problems are OS and USB to serial driver related. The USB cable itself is not the problem, but the available drivers to support it for the various OS versions seems to be the biggest problem. From my recall, the older KUSB with the prolific chipset is problematic with Vista and Win7 OS because Prolific does not have current drivers for those OS. Is this a Microsoft problem or is it a prolific chipset problem - I am not to be a judge, but it is a problem for the end user. There is no clear indication of who to point the blame finger toward. Buyer Beware - real serial ports seem to cause few difficulties. If you have a choice, use the native PC serial port rather than the USB to serial adapter. 73, Don W3FPR On 2/5/2011 10:54 PM, cr...@thephotoman.com wrote: Thanks for the input, Don. I deleted the old firmware file in my local folder, and reloaded just the latest DSP files. Worked perfectly. I really don't think the USB cable is the issue. Anyway, I'm a happy camper! Craig W6WL On 2/5/2011 7:07 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Don, I have trouble blaming the problem on the K3 when the real problem lies with the Operating System and properly operating drivers (or lack thereof) for the USB to serial adapters. Use of a desktop computer for the hamshack is quite desirable IMHO - mine sits under the desk and the monitor, keyboard and mouse takes up less space than a laptop. If the particular desktop does not come with serial ports, there are cards available that will add native serial ports to a desktop. Laptops are quite another story, although PCMCIA serial port cards are available and should be more reliable than USB to serial adapters. Desktop computers with serial ports are available at bargain prices in the off-lease category (I like the IBM off-lease, many of which have 2 serial ports). Most are loaded with WinXPpro and cost less than $150, and are more than adequate for a dedicated ham-station computer. Sure, you have to spend additional dollars for a monitor, but that is small change compared to laptop prices. The flexibility offered by a desktop far exceeds the convenience of a laptop for ham use, and is much more reliable (a laptop is a throw-away device if it stops working). 73, Don W3FPR On 2/5/2011 9:49 PM, don Swetzig wrote: I needed to make a real rs232 cable to get mine to worknbsp; The usb adaptors don't work very well including the ones elecraft sell. It's time to work on robustness on the loader instead on new features. This is a problem that will damage the K3 reputation if it is not addressed.nbsp; As there are not many pc's that have the real ports anymore. Don KD8NNU Sent from my Palm Pre on the Now Network from Sprint On Feb 5, 2011 8:28 PM, cr...@thephotoman.comlt;cr...@thephotoman.comgt; wrote: Original Message Subject: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2011 18:21:05 -0800 From: cr...@thephotoman.comlt;cr...@thephotoman.comgt; To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net I hope someone can help me as I tried to update the firmware onto my K3 this afternoon. I first tried it five times getting ERR DSE E202 on the K3, and xE26 on the K3Util screen with the details as DSP1 verification failed, and version verification number failed. Then I deleted the K3Util program, and connected an Ethernet cable to my laptop, then reloaded the K3Util software. Tried another five tines with the same error results. I read all the notes online, and I'm stumped. All the other firmware loads fine. Craig W6WL __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help:
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
My first time FW upgrade failed too. The problem? I use Router a virtual port defining piece of software microHAM uses for their product's interfaces to such things as the microKEYER II. In their manual is a warning in Yellow to not perform FW upgrades via the microKEYER II interface which uses a port in their Router. Indeed - don't do it. microHAM support told me the problem is the Router is continually polling the radio and interferes with the download. While all other features and functions of Elecraft's Utility and Memory Editor works fine, the FW download does not. I have a desktop PC with no serial ports only lots of USB. Elecraft sells a very nice serial RS-232 to USB adapter cable with FTDI chip. Using the FTDI driver to define a separate USB port as a COM port works well. I have also used Prolific drivers for converter cables using Prolific protocol without any attention. Both work really well. It will/would be nice to have Elecraft provide a USB port in the radio like some other manufacturers. ICOM for instance - absolutely trouble free and simple. Copy a file to a thumb drive and stick it in the radio's USB jack and press Upload. Also in the case of ICOM's 7800 and 7700, you can plug a USB keyboard in and run RTTY or PSK - from the keyboard. No paddle needed. Anyway - microHAM has excellent software and hardware but as they say, do not attempt to download FW into any radio using an interface with something like microKEYER II. So when I want to perform a FW update I unplug the microKEYER II originating DB-9 from the K3 and plug in the separate USB/RS232 cable and perform the update. 73, Bob - W6OPO __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3
Hi Larry, I do a lot of SSB work and now starting the digital stuff. I find that I am always going down to 1.8 or less on SSB phone in noisy conditions. So if to do it again I would not have gotton the 2.1. Second am finding that I am going down to 100 hz for psk work and I am thinking about getting a 500 hz filter to add. One of the great things is that you can easily add filters later after you figure out how you are going to actually use the radio. In fact I am in California this week and hope to stop by the factory to see if I can buy some goodies direct and save on the shipping. Don Don KD8NNU On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 7:10 AM, Dave Hachadorian wrote: Hi Larry, I do RTTY and SSB contesting too. I settled on the stock 2.7 for ssb ragchewing, 1.8 for ssb contesting, and 250 for cw and rtty contesting. I had some others, but sold them. In the config menu, tell the K3 that the 1.8 is really a 2.1, and tell the k3 that the 250 is a 400. That way, they will switch in at dsp bandwidth of 2.1 and 400 respectively. Those filters sound great that way. The 250, with dsp set at about 350, is nice flat on the mmtty display over the entire 170 hz distance between the mark space, and a little beyond. Dave Hachadorian, K6LL Yuma, AZ -Original Message- From: Larry stowell Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 6:01 AM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3 I just got back to the Frost Fest and played with a K3 I'm 95% sure I'm going buy a K3. I want to start and build. I have to start with the K3/100 as 10 watts won't drive my amp. I have a SteppIR so the tuner isn't needed. My question what is the minimum filters. I don't do CW, I do RTTY contests and voice contests. Thanks 73 Larry K1ZW/4 Durham, NC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Bob, I had the same experience with my first K3 firmware upgrade. I had the radio connected to the microKEYER II in the normal operating configuration and was trying out the utility, checking filter settings etc. and decided to do a firmware upgrade. I had forgotten about micrcoHAM's warning and proceeded to click the upgrade button, there was no Are You Sure? warning as Microsoft has trained us to expect, it just proceeded to turn the radio into a brick. After the thoughts of a road trip to Aptos went through my mind, I remembered the warning, poked around in the manual and found the recovery procedure. I switched to a physical serial port on the PC and after a couple of attempts managed to turn the brick back into a radio. The radio queries can be disabled in the microHAM USB Device Router if you go to the ports tab and click the SET button for the CAT port you will get a new screen the has a check box for Disable router queries. If you are brave, you could try this. I am not sure if I am that brave. It would be nice if the upgrade installation software was a bit more robust and didn't just give up if it gets a bad record (the records do have checksums or some other validity check, I hope). If it would try again after a bad record, it could probably recover. 73, - Craig, AE6RR K3 SN #4877 -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bob Lanning Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 10:58 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download My first time FW upgrade failed too. The problem? I use Router a virtual port defining piece of software microHAM uses for their product's interfaces to such things as the microKEYER II. In their manual is a warning in Yellow to not perform FW upgrades via the microKEYER II interface which uses a port in their Router. Indeed - don't do it. microHAM support told me the problem is the Router is continually polling the radio and interferes with the download. While all other features and functions of Elecraft's Utility and Memory Editor works fine, the FW download does not. I have a desktop PC with no serial ports only lots of USB. Elecraft sells a very nice serial RS-232 to USB adapter cable with FTDI chip. Using the FTDI driver to define a separate USB port as a COM port works well. I have also used Prolific drivers for converter cables using Prolific protocol without any attention. Both work really well. It will/would be nice to have Elecraft provide a USB port in the radio like some other manufacturers. ICOM for instance - absolutely trouble free and simple. Copy a file to a thumb drive and stick it in the radio's USB jack and press Upload. Also in the case of ICOM's 7800 and 7700, you can plug a USB keyboard in and run RTTY or PSK - from the keyboard. No paddle needed. Anyway - microHAM has excellent software and hardware but as they say, do not attempt to download FW into any radio using an interface with something like microKEYER II. So when I want to perform a FW update I unplug the microKEYER II originating DB-9 from the K3 and plug in the separate USB/RS232 cable and perform the update. 73, Bob - W6OPO __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
On 2/6/2011 10:23 AM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: Good observation about the plumbing Lu. I'll remember that. Even though the K3 is an amazing bit of technology, sometimes I long for the rough simplicity of the homebrew station I started out with years ago, Hi! I don't. Right after I retired in 2000, and still had an HP-23 power supply, I resurrected my 40m ARC-5 TX from the basement for SKN. This will be fun and nostalgic, I said. It was neither. The rig loaded the antenna fine, but that's where the fine ended. Ignoring the three times I got my hand or fingers across the key, making Q's was hugely tough. Radios have improved over the years, and I like it. For the record, I run the K3 Utility on an XP laptop the local computer boys built for me. I use the USB/232 adapter I got from Elecraft. I have never [as in never ever, not even once] had a problem loading new firmware. The first time I used Dick's K3 Utility, I forged directly into it, as we all usually do, and had a problem with finding the firmware on the laptop once I downloaded it with my FTP Client. Finally, I retreated to RTFM, and haven't had a problem with it since. :-) 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011 - www.cqp.org __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Joe, Thanks for clarifying this and explaining the operation. I now have a cable attached to the serial port on my computer that is my spare or download cable. I handle all of the normal radio communications via my microKEYER interfaces (one dedicated to each radio). I find this very convenient for switching radios. I set all of the microKEYERs to the same CAT port (and any other ports in use) and then use presets to switch radios. My other software then doesn't know the difference; it just talks to the same COM port which is now directed to the selected radio. This works well since my radios are all Elecraft and Kenwoods so the commands are compatible. I intend to stay out of the brick business! 73, - Craig, AE6RR -Original Message- From: Joe Subich, W4TV [mailto:li...@subich.com] Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 11:57 AM To: Craig - AE6RR Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download The radio queries can be disabled in the microHAM USB Device Router if you go to the ports tab and click the SET button for the CAT port you will get a new screen the has a check box for Disable router queries. If you are brave, you could try this. I am not sure if I am that brave. Disable Router queries will not resolve the problem because Router will immediately begin polling when the K3 Utility closes the port for the reboot phase of the update. It is theoretically possible to set the radio type to None and do an update but you can not allow Router or the microHAM keyer to reset (e.g. power must stay on) during the reboot phase. Because of the possibility to turning the radio - any radio - or the microHAM interface into a brick by an improper update (or by buggy software if microHAM were to allow something like the K3 Utility to disable the keyer's normal operation), microHAM simply prohibits any update through the keyer. 73, ... Joe Subich, W4TV microHAM America, LLC. http://www.microHAM-USA.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/microHAM On 2/6/2011 2:41 PM, Craig - AE6RR wrote: Bob, I had the same experience with my first K3 firmware upgrade. I had the radio connected to the microKEYER II in the normal operating configuration and was trying out the utility, checking filter settings etc. and decided to do a firmware upgrade. I had forgotten about micrcoHAM's warning and proceeded to click the upgrade button, there was no Are You Sure? warning as Microsoft has trained us to expect, it just proceeded to turn the radio into a brick. After the thoughts of a road trip to Aptos went through my mind, I remembered the warning, poked around in the manual and found the recovery procedure. I switched to a physical serial port on the PC and after a couple of attempts managed to turn the brick back into a radio. The radio queries can be disabled in the microHAM USB Device Router if you go to the ports tab and click the SET button for the CAT port you will get a new screen the has a check box for Disable router queries. If you are brave, you could try this. I am not sure if I am that brave. It would be nice if the upgrade installation software was a bit more robust and didn't just give up if it gets a bad record (the records do have checksums or some other validity check, I hope). If it would try again after a bad record, it could probably recover. 73, - Craig, AE6RR K3 SN #4877 -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bob Lanning Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 10:58 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download My first time FW upgrade failed too. The problem? I use Router a virtual port defining piece of software microHAM uses for their product's interfaces to such things as the microKEYER II. In their manual is a warning in Yellow to not perform FW upgrades via the microKEYER II interface which uses a port in their Router. Indeed - don't do it. microHAM support told me the problem is the Router is continually polling the radio and interferes with the download. While all other features and functions of Elecraft's Utility and Memory Editor works fine, the FW download does not. I have a desktop PC with no serial ports only lots of USB. Elecraft sells a very nice serial RS-232 to USB adapter cable with FTDI chip. Using the FTDI driver to define a separate USB port as a COM port works well. I have also used Prolific drivers for converter cables using Prolific protocol without any attention. Both work really well. It will/would be nice to have Elecraft provide a USB port in the radio like some other manufacturers. ICOM for instance - absolutely trouble free and simple. Copy a file to a thumb drive and stick it in the radio's USB jack and press Upload. Also in the case of ICOM's 7800 and 7700, you can plug a USB keyboard in and run RTTY
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Craig and all, Dick has indicated several times that the firmware does have checking data bits, and they are used for validity checks and as an indication that the firmware downloads are successful. What is happening in the discussion that has ensued is that the MicroHam device is adding (or changing) bits in the stream of firmware data that is being sent to the K3. Yes, when an incorrect write is detected by K3 Utility, it will stop and indicate a failure, Unfortunately, that corrupted data has already scrambled the K3's brain, and it cannot operate, so you have to follow the Unplug the power recovery procedure and try again. I do not know how any additional degree of robustness in K3 Utility could correct for that condition. For an analogy of what is happening, I think of a water pipe. There is a clean pump (akin to K3 Utility) that checks and puts clean water (the firmware data bits) in the pipe. Further down that pipe is an opening (akin to the Microham) where dirt and other unwanted stuff is inserted. No way could one expect clean water out of the far end under that situation - and it is not the pump's fault. Bottom line - don't load firmware through a Microham device and expect good results. 73, Don W3FPR On 2/6/2011 2:41 PM, Craig - AE6RR wrote: It would be nice if the upgrade installation software was a bit more robust and didn't just give up if it gets a bad record (the records do have checksums or some other validity check, I hope). If it would try again after a bad record, it could probably recover. 73, - Craig, AE6RR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
On 2/6/11 3:36 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: I do not know how any additional degree of robustness in K3 Utility could correct for that condition. Simple... Don't write ANYTHING to the K3 EEPROM (I assume) until the K3 has received the ENTIRE firmware file w/o errors. Blocks with errors can always be resent 73, Ross N4RP -- FCC Section 97.313(a) “At all times, an amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.” __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
The PIC18F8722 microcontroller used has 128KB of flash program memory and a bit less than 4KB of RAM. Its a Harvard architecture machine, not the Von Neumann model. Your simple suggestion is infeasible. There is no place on chip to buffer the firmware in its entirety. Dick, K6KR On Feb 6, 2011, at 14:53, Ross Primrose N4RP n...@aiko.com wrote: On 2/6/11 3:36 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: I do not know how any additional degree of robustness in K3 Utility could correct for that condition. Simple... Don't write ANYTHING to the K3 EEPROM (I assume) until the K3 has received the ENTIRE firmware file w/o errors. Blocks with errors can always be resent 73, Ross N4RP -- FCC Section 97.313(a) “At all times, an amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.” __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3
Hi Jack, Would you please be so kind as to explain what you mean by holding onto a run frequency. Also why the 8 pole vs the 5 pole, if you dont mind. Don KD8NNU On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 6:09 AM, Jack Brabham wrote: Larry, The 250hz 8 pole is amazingly good in a RTTY contest and appears to me to be about as narrow as can be used. The 500 hz 8 pole Inrad is a little more versatile but not quite as good at holding onto a run frequency. I use the 1.8kc for SSB contesting but I think the Inrad 1.5 kc would be better and plan to pick one up before the fall SSB contests. 73 Jack KZ5A On 2/6/2011 7:01 AM, Larry stowell wrote: I just got back to the Frost Fest and played with a K3 I'm 95% sure I'm going buy a K3. I want to start and build. I have to start with the K3/100 as 10 watts won't drive my amp. I have a SteppIR so the tuner isn't needed. My question what is the minimum filters. I don't do CW, I do RTTY contests and voice contests. Thanks 73 Larry K1ZW/4 Durham, NC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Dick, Would it be possible to check each record or block of data for validity (checksum, CRC, etc.) and acknowledge (ACK) or request a resend (NAK) from the PC before writing it to flash? If a data block is corrupted a resend could be quested multiple times before giving up, declaring an error and bricking the radio. Another option would be to validate the serial connection with some test data before starting the actual download. As a bare minimum, I would suggest a warning box that would popup when a download is started. Something like: Do not attempt this with a microHAM USB interface or any other non-compatible interface - Click OK to proceed. I do highly commend Elecraft for including a bootstrap loader in the firmware which allows the user to correct the problem without having to send the radio back to the factory which is the case with many other upgradeable products. 73, - Craig, AE6RR -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dick Dievendorff Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 1:08 PM To: n...@aiko.com Cc: Elecraft; d...@w3fpr.com Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download The PIC18F8722 microcontroller used has 128KB of flash program memory and a bit less than 4KB of RAM. Its a Harvard architecture machine, not the Von Neumann model. Your simple suggestion is infeasible. There is no place on chip to buffer the firmware in its entirety. Dick, K6KR On Feb 6, 2011, at 14:53, Ross Primrose N4RP n...@aiko.com wrote: On 2/6/11 3:36 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: I do not know how any additional degree of robustness in K3 Utility could correct for that condition. Simple... Don't write ANYTHING to the K3 EEPROM (I assume) until the K3 has received the ENTIRE firmware file w/o errors. Blocks with errors can always be resent 73, Ross N4RP -- FCC Section 97.313(a) At all times, an amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
With all the email traffic on the K3 and the microKEYER II / updating software, I felt compelled to respond. I have the K3, the P3, and the microKEYER II. For the past two years I have used the microKEYER II as the transport for upgrading the K3 and for four months for the P3. I upgrade on every beta. I have not had one failure in this time frame. Who knows, however, when things might change? Now I understand why microHAM says no, but I can tell you that it's all in setting up the urouter for the upgrade -- you cannot use the same settings you use with normal CAT. That said, YMMV. If you want a PDF of the instructions I've created for others, please respond direct. 73, Dan -- N3ND __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] P3 and K2 SOLD
Thank you for the numerous reponses. The K2 and the P3 have been sold. See you on the air with my other K/2 and my K3. Great products. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/P3-and-K2-SOLD-tp5998606p5998606.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
We do check each block with a checksum. We do have a per block ACK. I can't tell if a Microham device us inline... Dick On Feb 6, 2011, at 15:43, Craig - AE6RR ae...@pacbell.net wrote: Dick, Would it be possible to check each record or block of data for validity (checksum, CRC, etc.) and acknowledge (ACK) or request a resend (NAK) from the PC before writing it to flash? If a data block is corrupted a resend could be quested multiple times before giving up, declaring an error and bricking the radio. Another option would be to validate the serial connection with some test data before starting the actual download. As a bare minimum, I would suggest a warning box that would popup when a download is started. Something like: Do not attempt this with a microHAM USB interface or any other non-compatible interface - Click OK to proceed. I do highly commend Elecraft for including a bootstrap loader in the firmware which allows the user to correct the problem without having to send the radio back to the factory which is the case with many other upgradeable products. 73, - Craig, AE6RR -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dick Dievendorff Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 1:08 PM To: n...@aiko.com Cc: Elecraft; d...@w3fpr.com Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download The PIC18F8722 microcontroller used has 128KB of flash program memory and a bit less than 4KB of RAM. Its a Harvard architecture machine, not the Von Neumann model. Your simple suggestion is infeasible. There is no place on chip to buffer the firmware in its entirety. Dick, K6KR On Feb 6, 2011, at 14:53, Ross Primrose N4RP n...@aiko.com wrote: On 2/6/11 3:36 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: I do not know how any additional degree of robustness in K3 Utility could correct for that condition. Simple... Don't write ANYTHING to the K3 EEPROM (I assume) until the K3 has received the ENTIRE firmware file w/o errors. Blocks with errors can always be resent 73, Ross N4RP -- FCC Section 97.313(a) At all times, an amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Hi all, I have loaded virtually every firmware version that ever came out without a single incident, using several different USB adapters (never had a real serial port with the K3) and several computers. So I don't have problem with this at all. With this said, it does appear that a few things could be improved when there *is* a problem with the communications. The idea of testing the serial communications before committing to the update is a good one. Also it does seem that the utility could be improved in it's ability to recover from errors and give more meaningful messages to the users. Bootloaders are inherently dumb and they need to be in order to keep them small. To expect it to be able to cope with unexpected commands is simply expecting too much. AB2TC - Knut PS. The PIC processor with 128kb of flash and 4kB of RAM, oboy that seems like a flashback to another century to me. I am amazed at the Elecraft programmers being able to cram the current functionality into this extremely limited space. Dick Dievendorff wrote: We do check each block with a checksum. We do have a per block ACK. I can't tell if a Microham device us inline... Dick snip -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Fwd-K3-Failed-DSP-Firmware-Download-tp5996916p5998672.html Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
From what I have been reading about the protocol used, it seems it is not at all robust. Someone else said this as well. The ACKs and NAKs are a good start. These are at times being lost it appears. The utility should have a timer that lets it resend a frame if there is not ACK or NAK that gets back to the utility. If that is done, then each frame will also have to have a sequence number so the radio can recognize a duplicate frame it has already ACKed that got lost. Alternately, a load address for the data would do it by just overwriting the same place with the resent data. 73 - Mike WA8BXN __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Dick On Feb 6, 2011, at 15:08, Dick Dievendorff die...@comcast.net wrote: The PIC18F8722 microcontroller used has 128KB of flash program memory and a bit less than 4KB of RAM. Its a Harvard architecture machine, not the Von Neumann model. Your simple suggestion is infeasible. There is no place on chip to buffer the firmware in its entirety. Dick, K6KR On Feb 6, 2011, at 14:53, Ross Primrose N4RP n...@aiko.com wrote: On 2/6/11 3:36 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: I do not know how any additional degree of robustness in K3 Utility could correct for that condition. Simple... Don't write ANYTHING to the K3 EEPROM (I assume) until the K3 has received the ENTIRE firmware file w/o errors. Blocks with errors can always be resent 73, Ross N4RP -- FCC Section 97.313(a) “At all times, an amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.” __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
The serial communications are tested before sending firmware. There is a per block checksum test and Ack. There is no on chip storage of sufficient to buffer very much firmware. The program store is 128KB and the available RAM is less than 4K. I can work on the error messages, and specific suggestions are welcome. I'm perhaps too close to this or stayed too close to the early prototype's message text. 73 de Dick, K6KR On Feb 6, 2011, at 16:27, ab2tc ab...@arrl.net wrote: Hi all, I have loaded virtually every firmware version that ever came out without a single incident, using several different USB adapters (never had a real serial port with the K3) and several computers. So I don't have problem with this at all. With this said, it does appear that a few things could be improved when there *is* a problem with the communications. The idea of testing the serial communications before committing to the update is a good one. Also it does seem that the utility could be improved in it's ability to recover from errors and give more meaningful messages to the users. Bootloaders are inherently dumb and they need to be in order to keep them small. To expect it to be able to cope with unexpected commands is simply expecting too much. AB2TC - Knut PS. The PIC processor with 128kb of flash and 4kB of RAM, oboy that seems like a flashback to another century to me. I am amazed at the Elecraft programmers being able to cram the current functionality into this extremely limited space. Dick Dievendorff wrote: We do check each block with a checksum. We do have a per block ACK. I can't tell if a Microham device us inline... Dick snip -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Fwd-K3-Failed-DSP-Firmware-Download-tp5996916p5998672.html Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: K3 Failed DSP Firmware Download
Hmmm..seems like this failed FW load is caused by operator forgetfullness..don't think that's a word...by owners of Microham products. I sure don't need windoze' to remind me to turn something off or check some other device is present and running etc, etc, etc. Maybe I live in the dark ages in Oz but never felt a need to purchase other' devices to use with my K3 either. Maybe Elecraft could include a large sheet of paper in each K3 shipment that states the warning for Microham products when wanting to do a download but please no message on the LCD of the K3 and no more Windoze warnings either. Never had an issue with FW downloads with either my PC or eeC PC netbook both running XP and pretty much all have been from the ftp site and Beta versions..YMMV 73's Gary On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 10:02 AM, Dick Dievendorff die...@comcast.net wrote: The serial communications are tested before sending firmware. There is a per block checksum test and Ack. There is no on chip storage of sufficient to buffer very much firmware. The program store is 128KB and the available RAM is less than 4K. I can work on the error messages, and specific suggestions are welcome. I'm perhaps too close to this or stayed too close to the early prototype's message text. 73 de Dick, K6KR On Feb 6, 2011, at 16:27, ab2tc ab...@arrl.net wrote: Hi all, I have loaded virtually every firmware version that ever came out without a single incident, using several different USB adapters (never had a real serial port with the K3) and several computers. So I don't have problem with this at all. With this said, it does appear that a few things could be improved when there *is* a problem with the communications. The idea of testing the serial communications before committing to the update is a good one. Also it does seem that the utility could be improved in it's ability to recover from errors and give more meaningful messages to the users. Bootloaders are inherently dumb and they need to be in order to keep them small. To expect it to be able to cope with unexpected commands is simply expecting too much. AB2TC - Knut PS. The PIC processor with 128kb of flash and 4kB of RAM, oboy that seems like a flashback to another century to me. I am amazed at the Elecraft programmers being able to cram the current functionality into this extremely limited space. Dick Dievendorff wrote: We do check each block with a checksum. We do have a per block ACK. I can't tell if a Microham device us inline... Dick snip -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Fwd-K3-Failed-DSP-Firmware-Download-tp5996916p5998672.html Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- Gary VK4FD - Motorhome Mobile http://www.qsl.net/vk4fd/ K3 #679 For everything else there's Mastercard!!! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report for February 6th 7th, 2011
Good Evening, My grey day turned blustery and then rainy a short time ago. After the second net I was in a big hurry to get something to eat so rushed off. I think it was the smell of bread dough rising which was driving me crazy :) Luckily I had moved it off the wood stove because that finally caught well and was putting out some heat. The dough was behind the stove and rising nicely. Punched it down and then rolled it into a bread pan. At 450 degrees it did not get done for dinner but rather a short time later. It was Very Good! The bands were both OK. Not stellar but good enough to support a fair number of check ins. On forty meters there was quite bit of QSB and the noise was rising steadily throughout. For some reason I got the state NTS coordinator to check in on twenty. He was not all that strong but then he is on the other side of the mountain not far from the Columbia. At the last SeaPac hamfest he had a hotdog feed which allowed the NTS folks to meet face to face. Scary bunch :) On to the lists = On 14050 kHz at 2300z: W7IZ - Scott - OR K1THP - Dave - CT - K3 - 686 K4JPN - Steve - GA - K2 - 1422 W8OV - Dave - TX - K3 - 3139 N0AR - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866 KB3FBR - Joe - PA - K2 - 6178 KD0R - David - KS - K2 - 6708 NK6A - Don - CA - K3 - 4569 On 7045.5 kHz at 0100z: W8OV - Dave - TX - K3 - 3139 K1THP - DAVE - CT - K3 - 686 K6PJV - Dale - CA - K3 - 1183 K0DTJ - Brian - CA - K3 - 4113 W0RSR - Mike - CO - K2 - 5767 XE2 - Frederico - Tijuana Baja Mexico AI6II - Mike - CA - K3 - 4454 K6JSS/0 - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866 KB3FBR - Joe - PA - K2 - 6178 K6IP - Armand - CA - K3 - 2988 N7KRT - Jeff - TX - K2 - 5471 There was a football game today. The game began after the first net and halftime began shortly after the second net began. So, those of you who were interested in its outcome were not put out too much. Half time is normally quite boring so I am very happy I was otherwise occupied ;) Listening to the game on the radio was fun. Since the mountain I live on is in the way of all the local TV stations I am very lucky to not have any reception. Until next week stay well, 73, Kevin. KD5ONS (Net Control Operator 5th Class) - __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report for February 6th 7th, 2011
On 2/6/2011 7:54 PM, Kevin Rock wrote: Good Evening, My grey day turned blustery and then rainy a short time ago. After the second net I was in a big hurry to get something to eat so rushed off. It was 72F [22.22C ... see, we here in the Colonies and even out on the western frontier can do metric], and this really cool football game was on the TV from Arlington TX. I can't hear you on 20 this time of year and no one steps up to QSP on 20 or 40, and you're up and down on 40 too, it's pretty long by Z these days. So, bottom line, I didn't try. I don't think there's a football game next week, we'll see. Spartan Sprint is on Monday, 0200Z-0400Z, Made For Elecraft. 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011 - www.cqp.org __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Elecraft SSB Net results (2-6-10)
We had a good net this morning with 31 participants over a 24 minute period. There was some splatter from 316 for the first half of the net, but we managed OK. We had five K2s this week, two of them QRP! Here is the list of participants. Station NameQTH Rig S/N WB6CLZ MikeCA K3 4522 W8OVDaveTX K3 3139 KO5YKen NM K2 7095 K6EQRoger CA K3 4629 W7QHD KurtAZ K2 1538 W0RSR MikeCO K2 5767 W5ETJ GaryTX K3 3227 K4GCJ Gerry NC K3 1597 W7NMD Palmer AR K3 3779 K4TMCaryVA K3 3448 W8YMO Harry OH K3 166 W4PFM PaulVA K3 1673 K6DSW Don CA K3 3138 KA1OZ DickMA K3 859 W4RKS Jim AL K3 3618 AE6IC FredCA K3 2241 KA0NCR Arnie NE K3 185 K6UONormCA K3 755 KD1TH PaulNH K3 4882 AE6RH Ron CA K3 1997 WB9JNZ EricIL K3 4017 W0NTA DickCO K3 1208 KE5GBC MikeTX K3 5047 KE4WY Jim KY K3 4864 ZL1PWD Peter NZ K3 139 AB7CE Roy MT K2 40 QRP KB3FBR Joe PA K2 6178QRP K0CRT Chuck CO Kenwood K8DJC Nelson OH K3 560 KE5MO Larry TX K3 4499 NS7PPhilOR K3 1826 73, Phil, NS7P __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Want to Buy a K3
I have a fully loaded K3 / 100 watt sn3418 for sale. Perfect working and cosmetic condition. Non smoker. K3 / 100 comes with the following options: KAT3 internal ATU, KRX3 second receiver with matched 2.7Khz 5 pole filter, KXV3A 2nd RX, IF out, transverter interface option, 2.7KHz 5 pole SSB filter, 250Hz 8 pole cw filter, 400Hz 8 pole cw filter, Serial to USB cable. Asking price $3000.00. 73 Maarten N1DZ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
