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KPA500 firmware load fails?

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David F. Reed-2

KPA500 firmware load fails?

My K3 is wired to my KPA500 and KAT500 per the instructions and works
fine with one exception...

I cannot talk to the KPA500 using the utility (version 1.12.3.12) on
COM8 (same port as the K3), but its not "seeing" the KPA500...

Is there something I am missing, like turning off the K3, or connecting
only to the KPA500 to do this, or???

Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: KPA500 firmware load fails?

Dave,

Connect only to the KPA500.

RS-232 communication is point to point - one driving port and one
receiving port.

If you still have the serial cable connected to the K3, it will not
communicate with the KPA500.

By the way, an easy solution to the plugging/unplugging requirement is
to use a 4 port data switch if you only have one computer serial port.
The other solution is to use a different serial port for each device.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/18/2012 7:10 PM, David F. Reed wrote:

> My K3 is wired to my KPA500 and KAT500 per the instructions and works
> fine with one exception...
>
> I cannot talk to the KPA500 using the utility (version 1.12.3.12) on
> COM8 (same port as the K3), but its not "seeing" the KPA500...
>
> Is there something I am missing, like turning off the K3, or connecting
> only to the KPA500 to do this, or???
>
> Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV
>

Dick Dievendorff

Re: KPA500 firmware load fails?

In reply to this post by David F. Reed-2

The KPA500 requires its own distinct COM port connection, directly from your
PC to the KPA500 back panel RS-232 PC connection (the 9-pin D shell).

There's no RS-232 pass-thru from the K3 thru the KAT500 to the KPA500. That
cable is the 15-pin ACC cable, and does not carry RS-232 data.

We do this for the P3/K3 combination, because the P3 needs to send serial
port commands to the K3, but that's the extent of the K-line's serial port
pass-thru.

Dick, K6KR

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of David F. Reed
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2012 4:11 PM
To: elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 firmware load fails?

My K3 is wired to my KPA500 and KAT500 per the instructions and works fine
with one exception...

I cannot talk to the KPA500 using the utility (version 1.12.3.12) on
COM8 (same port as the K3), but its not "seeing" the KPA500...

Is there something I am missing, like turning off the K3, or connecting only
to the KPA500 to do this, or???

Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV
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David F. Reed-2

Re: KPA500 firmware load fails?

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm-4

Thanks Don; so I assume that means that I cannot daisy-chain the RS-232
port from the PC to the KPA500 to the K3? It sort of looks like I should
be able to from the way the back of the KPA-500 is labeled by the two
serial ports.

Is that correct? (I understand the KAT500 is on its own serial port).

Thanks & 73 de Dave, w%SV

On 11/18/12 6:22 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Dave,
>
> Connect only to the KPA500.
>
> RS-232 communication is point to point - one driving port and one
> receiving port.
>
> If you still have the serial cable connected to the K3, it will not
> communicate with the KPA500.
>
> By the way, an easy solution to the plugging/unplugging requirement is
> to use a 4 port data switch if you only have one computer serial
> port. The other solution is to use a different serial port for each
> device.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 11/18/2012 7:10 PM, David F. Reed wrote:
>> My K3 is wired to my KPA500 and KAT500 per the instructions and works
>> fine with one exception...
>>
>> I cannot talk to the KPA500 using the utility (version 1.12.3.12) on
>> COM8 (same port as the K3), but its not "seeing" the KPA500...
>>
>> Is there something I am missing, like turning off the K3, or connecting
>> only to the KPA500 to do this, or???
>>
>> Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV
>>
>

David F. Reed-2

Re: KPA500 firmware load fails?

In reply to this post by Dick Dievendorff

Thanks Dick, that answers the question I posed in my reply to Don.

73 de Dave, W5SV

On 11/18/12 6:24 PM, Dick Dievendorff wrote:

> The KPA500 requires its own distinct COM port connection, directly from your
> PC to the KPA500 back panel RS-232 PC connection (the 9-pin D shell).
>
> There's no RS-232 pass-thru from the K3 thru the KAT500 to the KPA500. That
> cable is the 15-pin ACC cable, and does not carry RS-232 data.
>
> We do this for the P3/K3 combination, because the P3 needs to send serial
> port commands to the K3, but that's the extent of the K-line's serial port
> pass-thru.
>
> Dick, K6KR
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of David F. Reed
> Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2012 4:11 PM
> To: elecraft Reflector
> Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 firmware load fails?
>
> My K3 is wired to my KPA500 and KAT500 per the instructions and works fine
> with one exception...
>
> I cannot talk to the KPA500 using the utility (version 1.12.3.12) on
> COM8 (same port as the K3), but its not "seeing" the KPA500...
>
> Is there something I am missing, like turning off the K3, or connecting only
> to the KPA500 to do this, or???
>
> Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

Dick Dievendorff

Re: KPA500 firmware load fails?

In reply to this post by David F. Reed-2

The two serial connectors on the KPA500 are for connection to a PC and a
Kenwood radio for its band information. There's no RS-232 passthru there,
either...

73 de Dick, K6KR

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of David F. Reed
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2012 4:27 PM
To: [hidden email]
Cc: elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 firmware load fails?

Thanks Don; so I assume that means that I cannot daisy-chain the RS-232 port
from the PC to the KPA500 to the K3? It sort of looks like I should be able
to from the way the back of the KPA-500 is labeled by the two serial ports.

Is that correct? (I understand the KAT500 is on its own serial port).

Thanks & 73 de Dave, w%SV

On 11/18/12 6:22 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Dave,
>
> Connect only to the KPA500.
>
> RS-232 communication is point to point - one driving port and one
> receiving port.
>
> If you still have the serial cable connected to the K3, it will not
> communicate with the KPA500.
>
> By the way, an easy solution to the plugging/unplugging requirement is
> to use a 4 port data switch if you only have one computer serial port.
> The other solution is to use a different serial port for each device.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 11/18/2012 7:10 PM, David F. Reed wrote:
>> My K3 is wired to my KPA500 and KAT500 per the instructions and works
>> fine with one exception...
>>
>> I cannot talk to the KPA500 using the utility (version 1.12.3.12) on
>> COM8 (same port as the K3), but its not "seeing" the KPA500...
>>
>> Is there something I am missing, like turning off the K3, or
>> connecting only to the KPA500 to do this, or???
>>
>> Thanks & 73 de Dave, W5SV
>>
>

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Phil Salas

Re: KPA500 firmware load fails?

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm-4

I use this USB/RS232 4-port adapter:

http://www.amazon.com/FT4232HL-Professional-Retention-Certified-Microsoft/dp/B004ETDC8K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353285837&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+rs232+4port

$45 and works great. Since my K3, KPA500 and PowerMaster all use RS232
interfaces, I went ahead and used the RS232 adapter for the KAT500 as well.
So all four pieces of ham gear connect to this one 4-port adapter. The
computer sets up the four outputs sequentially, corresponding to the 1/2/3/4
marking on the four RS232 connectors on the USB adapter.

Phil – AD5X

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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: KPA500 firmware load fails?

In reply to this post by David F. Reed-2

Dave (and all).

That RS-232 (XCVR) connector on the back of the KPA500 is to support
Kenwood transceivers.

Yes, you are correct - RS-232 cannot be daisy-chained - it is point to
point only. The only exception is for devices like SteppIR which can
work in "listen-only" mode.
Multiple receivers can monitor what is going on, but multiple drivers on
any signal will cause confusion and failure (and possible damage to the
drivers).

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/18/2012 7:27 PM, David F. Reed wrote:
> Thanks Don; so I assume that means that I cannot daisy-chain the
> RS-232 port from the PC to the KPA500 to the K3? It sort of looks like
> I should be able to from the way the back of the KPA-500 is labeled by
> the two serial ports.
>
> Is that correct? (I understand the KAT500 is on its own serial port).
>

______________________________________________________________
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