K3: COM1 and COM3 question

[David Windisch]

CONTENTS DELETED

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[Mike Reublin]

I'm not sure what the question is. The com port number only matters to the computer,
not the radio. The radio has no knowledge of com port numbers.

73, Mike NF4L

On 11/2/2011 10:49 AM, David Windisch wrote:

> Hi, all concerned:
>
> Operationally, all has been well with 2 K3s and P3s in the station over the
> last several years.
> Been thru  multiple successful firmware upgrades, yearly recals, and so on,
> with no external adapters or port-sharing software being used, simply the K3
> and P3 utilities, dummy loads, and XG2 for the usual housekeeping.
>
> I've long ignored that one K3 has always communicated thru COM1 to its
> computer and the other thru COM3 to its computer.
>
> Afaik they ain't broke; anybody have an explanation, please?
>
> Brgds,
> Dave Windisch, N3HE
>
>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-COM1-and-COM3-question-tp6955511p6955511.html
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[Jim Dunstan]

At 07:49 AM 11/2/2011 -0700, you wrote:

>I've long ignored that one K3 has always communicated thru COM1 to its
>computer and the other thru COM3 to its computer.
>
>Afaik they ain't broke; anybody have an explanation, please?
>
>Brgds,
>Dave Windisch, N3HE

Hi

No problem, and not unusual.  The computer OS assigns the COM number to
devices,
in this case the Serial Ports, and assures they operate without conflict
with any other device in/attached to the computer.

Generally the serial port is often but not always set as COM1.  If you
attach a device to the serial port and it works right
away ... then they are both set to the same COM number.  If the COM numbers
are not the same they will not communicate
and you will have to change the number either at the computer or the
device/program.

Communications between computer and device using COM1 to COM1 is the same
as COM3 to COM3.  Now if you swap
computers/radios in your shack you will also have to change the COM# on the
radios (best place to make the change).

Jim, VE3CI



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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Jim,

Sorry to disagree, but there is no way to set the COM Port on either the
K3 nor the P3.
Setting the baud rate - yes, but the computer (or the computer
application software) determines which COM port is to be assigned to a
particular connector or cable.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/2/2011 4:30 PM, Jim Dunstan wrote:
> Generally the serial port is often but not always set as COM1. If you
> attach a device to the serial port and it works right away ... then
> they are both set to the same COM number. If the COM numbers are not
> the same they will not communicate and you will have to change the
> number either at the computer or the device/program. Communications
> between computer and device using COM1 to COM1 is the same as COM3 to
> COM3. Now if you swap computers/radios in your shack you will also
> have to change the COM# on the radios (best place to make the change).
> Jim, VE3CI
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[David Gilbert]

That is simply not true.  The K3 has no idea what COM port on the
computer it is talking to.  Please describe how you change the COM port
designation on the K3.

Dave   AB7E


On 11/2/2011 1:30 PM, Jim Dunstan wrote:

Hi

No problem, and not unusual.  The computer OS assigns the COM number to
devices,
in this case the Serial Ports, and assures they operate without conflict
with any other device in/attached to the computer.

Generally the serial port is often but not always set as COM1.  If you
attach a device to the serial port and it works right
away ... then they are both set to the same COM number.  If the COM numbers
are not the same they will not communicate
and you will have to change the number either at the computer or the
device/program.

Communications between computer and device using COM1 to COM1 is the same
as COM3 to COM3.  Now if you swap
computers/radios in your shack you will also have to change the COM# on the
radios (best place to make the change).

Jim, VE3CI


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[Greg - AB7R]

I suspect he means going into device manager and changing the COM port
designation for the port the radio is connected to.  That's the only thing
that makes sense to me at least.

73
Greg



On Wed, Nov 2, 2011 at 2:59 PM, David Gilbert <[hidden email]>wrote:

>
> That is simply not true.  The K3 has no idea what COM port on the
> computer it is talking to.  Please describe how you change the COM port
> designation on the K3.
>
> Dave   AB7E
>
>
> On 11/2/2011 1:30 PM, Jim Dunstan wrote:
>
>  Hi
>
> No problem, and not unusual.  The computer OS assigns the COM number to
> devices,
> in this case the Serial Ports, and assures they operate without conflict
> with any other device in/attached to the computer.
>
> Generally the serial port is often but not always set as COM1.  If you
> attach a device to the serial port and it works right
> away ... then they are both set to the same COM number.  If the COM numbers
> are not the same they will not communicate
> and you will have to change the number either at the computer or the
> device/program.
>
> Communications between computer and device using COM1 to COM1 is the same
> as COM3 to COM3.  Now if you swap
> computers/radios in your shack you will also have to change the COM# on the
> radios (best place to make the change).
>
> Jim, VE3CI
>
>
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[Jim Dunstan]

At 05:38 PM 11/2/2011 -0400, you wrote:

>Jim,
>
>Sorry to disagree, but there is no way to set the COM Port on either the
>K3 nor the P3.
>Setting the baud rate - yes, but the computer (or the computer
>application software) determines which COM port is to be assigned to a
>particular connector or cable.
>
>73,
>Don W3FPR

I am sure you are correct.  I don't own a K3.  But the original post
mentioned two K3 operating positions each
controlled by separate computers.  One computer uses Com1 on the RS232 port
and the other uses Com3.

There was no question ... but a request for an explanation.

Perhaps you can provide the explanation.

Thanks

Jim, VE3CI


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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Jim,

Let me try an explanation as simple as I can put it.

The COM port numbers are set at the computer end.  First the OS assigns
port numbers to the physical COM ports that are present on that computer.

You connect a cable and a terminal device (the K3 or P3 or several of
them) each to a physical port on that computer - you have to know which
connector on the computer corresponds to COM1 through COM nnn - normally
a computer with one true serial port will have COM1 on that connector -
for those with multiple true serial ports, you have to know which number
corresponds with each port - that information is normally silkscreened
on the motherboard.  For add-on cards, consult the card instructions.
With USB adapters, you can usually find the relationship in Device
Manager - the numbers are usually higher.  If you don't know which
adapter is which, unplug it and see which port numbers go away, then
plug it back in and see which numbers appear.

After you know which port numbers are assigned to which serial
connector, then you can go to the software application and tell it to
talk to a particular device over a particular COM port (the one you have
cabled to your device).  Some applications will scan through the
available ports to try to find what it thinks is a valid open port with
the desired device connected (and powered on) at the other end of the
cable.  The software application will seize the port and makes it busy
to all other applications.  The operating system passes whatever flows
on that port over to the application.

The terminal device does not know which computer port it is connected to
- it sees data coming in over the TXD signal line and responds on the
RXD signal line - the computer and application sorts out which device it
is talking to.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/2/2011 6:25 PM, Jim Dunstan wrote:

> At 05:38 PM 11/2/2011 -0400, you wrote:
>> Jim,
>>
>> Sorry to disagree, but there is no way to set the COM Port on either the
>> K3 nor the P3.
>> Setting the baud rate - yes, but the computer (or the computer
>> application software) determines which COM port is to be assigned to a
>> particular connector or cable.
>>
>> 73,
>> Don W3FPR
> I am sure you are correct.  I don't own a K3.  But the original post
> mentioned two K3 operating positions each
> controlled by separate computers.  One computer uses Com1 on the RS232 port
> and the other uses Com3.
>
> There was no question ... but a request for an explanation.
>
> Perhaps you can provide the explanation.
>
> Thanks
>
> Jim, VE3CI
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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>

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