Index: HRDTransceiver.cpp
===================================================================
--- HRDTransceiver.cpp	(revision 4231)
+++ HRDTransceiver.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@
   vfo_A_button_ = find_button (QRegExp ("^(VFO~A|Main)$"));
   vfo_B_button_ = find_button (QRegExp ("^(VFO~B|Sub)$"));
   vfo_toggle_button_ = find_button (QRegExp ("^(A~/~B)$"));
-  Q_ASSERT (vfo_toggle_button_ >= 0 || (vfo_A_button_ >= 0 && vfo_B_button_ >=0));
+  //Q_ASSERT (vfo_toggle_button_ >= 0 || (vfo_A_button_ >= 0 && vfo_B_button_ >=0));
  
   split_mode_button_ = find_button (QRegExp ("^(Spl~On|Spl_On|Split)$"));
   split_off_button_ = find_button (QRegExp ("^(Spl~Off|Spl_Off)$"));
@@ -266,11 +266,25 @@
     {
       // put the rig into a known state
       auto f = send_command ("get frequency").toUInt ();
-      auto m = lookup_mode (get_dropdown (mode_A_dropdown_), mode_A_map_);
+      auto m = USB; // default to USB if no mode select available
+      try 
+      {
+        m = lookup_mode (get_dropdown (mode_A_dropdown_), mode_A_map_);
+      }
+      catch (error const&)
+      { // defaults to m=USB
+      }
       set_button (vfo_B_button_ >= 0 ? vfo_B_button_ : vfo_toggle_button_);
       auto fo = send_command ("get frequency").toUInt ();
       update_other_frequency (fo);
-      auto mo = lookup_mode (get_dropdown (mode_A_dropdown_), mode_A_map_);
+      auto mo = USB;
+      try
+      {
+        mo = lookup_mode (get_dropdown (mode_A_dropdown_), mode_A_map_);
+      }
+      catch (error const&)
+      { // defaults to mo=USB
+      }
       set_button (vfo_A_button_ >= 0 ? vfo_A_button_ : vfo_toggle_button_);
       if (f != fo || m != mo)
         {
@@ -281,7 +295,14 @@
       else
         {
           update_rx_frequency (send_command ("get frequency").toUInt ());
-          update_mode (lookup_mode (get_dropdown (mode_A_dropdown_), mode_A_map_));
+          try 
+          {
+            update_mode (lookup_mode (get_dropdown (mode_A_dropdown_), mode_A_map_));
+          }
+          catch (error const&)
+          {
+            // nothing to do if there is no mode select
+          }
         }
     }
 
@@ -386,7 +407,7 @@
       qDebug () << "HRDTransceiver::get_dropdown bad response";
 #endif
 
-      throw error {tr ("Ham Radio Deluxe didn't respond as expected")};
+      throw error {tr ("Ham Radio Deluxe didn't respond as expected.  get_dropdown failed")};
     }
 
   Q_ASSERT (reply.left (colon_index).trimmed () == dd_name);
@@ -571,7 +592,7 @@
       qDebug () << "HRDTransceiver::is_button_checked bad response";
 #endif
 
-      throw error {tr ("Ham Radio Deluxe didn't respond as expected")};
+      throw error {tr ("Ham Radio Deluxe didn't respond as expected.  is_button_checked failed")};
     }
   return "1" == reply;
 }
@@ -627,8 +648,15 @@
     {
       update_rx_frequency (send_command ("get frequency", quiet).toUInt ());
     }
-
-  update_mode (lookup_mode (get_dropdown (mode_A_dropdown_, quiet), mode_A_map_));
+  try {
+  	update_mode (lookup_mode (get_dropdown (mode_A_dropdown_, quiet), mode_A_map_));
+  }
+  catch (error const&)
+  {
+#if WSJT_TRACE_CAT
+      qDebug () << "HRDTransceiver::poll failed:" << hrd_->errorString ();
+#endif
+  }
 }
 
 QString HRDTransceiver::send_command (QString const& cmd, bool no_debug, bool prepend_context, bool recurse)
@@ -765,6 +793,6 @@
       qDebug () << "HRDTransceiver::send_simple_command unexpected response";
 #endif
 
-      throw error {tr ("Ham Radio Deluxe didn't respond as expected")};
+      throw error {tr ("Ham Radio Deluxe didn't respond as expected. send_simple_command failed")};
     }
 }