K3 Serial Communication

[Julian, G4ILO]

I have been trying to help a fellow list member to get Fldigi for Windows working on his K3. I sent him my Fldigi rig control file for the K3, but it is still not working. He has reported that KComm does not talk to the K3 either. However the Elecraft Firmware Utility works OK. This is apparently using the Elecraft approved KUSB adapter.

At this point, I can see only two possible explanations for the problem:
1. there is a flaw in my logic for testing whether there is communication between the software and the radio;
2. the USB to serial adapter being used is in some way incompatible with the way KComm and Fldigi for Windows use the serial port.

1. When KComm connects to the K2 or K3 radio, it sends the command "PS;". It expects to receive the response "PS1;" to show that there is communication with the radio. My Fldigi control file makes the same assumption. Its initialization string is "K22;K31;PS;" and it expects to get a "PS1;" back to show that communication is working. Is it possible that "PS1;" could NOT be sent back when "PS;" is sent, in some circumstances?

2. In order to determine whether Fldigi and/or KComm have a compatibility issue with USB serial adapters we need more people who are using such adapters and with other software (including the EFU) to try Fldigi and/or KComm and report whether they work or not.

[David Fleming-2]

If the K3 Utility is working properly with the USB/Serial adapter then any other software should work too. The PS; command should indeed return PS1;. This can be tested by using the "Command Tester" in the K3 Utility. I'm sure you've already confirmed that the data bits, parity, stop bits and baud are set correctly (8,N,1). Make sure the K3 baud is set to the same as the software (the K3 utility automatically detects the correct baud rate). I suspect a baud mismatch. Aren't you using FLDigi and KComm successfully with the K3?

David, W4SMT

--- On Mon, 12/8/08, Julian, G4ILO <[hidden email]> wrote:

> From: Julian, G4ILO <[hidden email]>
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Serial Communication
> To: [hidden email]
> Date: Monday, December 8, 2008, 8:18 AM
> I have been trying to help a fellow list member to get
> Fldigi for Windows
> working on his K3. I sent him my Fldigi rig control file
> for the K3, but it
> is still not working. He has reported that KComm does not
> talk to the K3
> either. However the Elecraft Firmware Utility works OK.
> This is apparently
> using the Elecraft approved KUSB adapter.
>
> At this point, I can see only two possible explanations for
> the problem:
> 1. there is a flaw in my logic for testing whether there is
> communication
> between the software and the radio;
> 2. the USB to serial adapter being used is in some way
> incompatible with the
> way KComm and Fldigi for Windows use the serial port.
>
> 1. When KComm connects to the K2 or K3 radio, it sends the
> command "PS;". It
> expects to receive the response "PS1;" to show
> that there is communication
> with the radio. My Fldigi control file makes the same
> assumption. Its
> initialization string is "K22;K31;PS;" and it
> expects to get a "PS1;" back
> to show that communication is working. Is it possible that
> "PS1;" could NOT
> be sent back when "PS;" is sent, in some
> circumstances?
>
> 2. In order to determine whether Fldigi and/or KComm have a
> compatibility
> issue with USB serial adapters we need more people who are
> using such
> adapters and with other software (including the EFU) to try
> Fldigi and/or
> KComm and report whether they work or not.
>
> -----
> Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392  K3 #222.
> http://www.g4ilo.com/ G4ILO's Shack  
> http://www.ham-directory.com/ Ham
> Directory    http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html KComm for
> Elecraft K2 and K3
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://n2.nabble.com/K3-Serial-Communication-tp1629004p1629004.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>
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[Julian, G4ILO]

David Fleming-2 wrote

If the K3 Utility is working properly with the USB/Serial adapter then any other software should work too. The PS; command should indeed return PS1;. This can be tested by using the "Command Tester" in the K3 Utility. I'm sure you've already confirmed that the data bits, parity, stop bits and baud are set correctly (8,N,1). Make sure the K3 baud is set to the same as the software (the K3 utility automatically detects the correct baud rate). I suspect a baud mismatch. Aren't you using FLDigi and KComm successfully with the K3?

I am (indeed I can run them both at the same time using a virtual serial port) however I'm trying to help someone else to get even one of them working. A baud mismatch would certainly cause the problem being experienced, but without being able to check with my own eyes, one has to assume at this point that basics like that have been checked.

One point that has been brought to my attention is that Fldigi can lock the serial port after a failed connection attempt, which may thwart any further attempts until after a restart. I also suspect that if a program sends data to the K3 at the wrong speed, it receives garbage and may go into a huff and refuse to talk. So switching the K3 off and on may also be a good move when trying to resolve serial communications problems.