Elecraft › [K3]

Prolific drivers and Mac OS

Classic

List

Threaded

8 messages Options

Randy Cook

Prolific drivers and Mac OS

I am using an iMac 2.66ghz with 10.6.3 (64 bit Snow Leopard w/latest updates) and MacLoggerDX with my K3. I have a cheap USB to serial cable purchased on eBay for US6.50, and free shipping. It utilizes the Prolific chipset. Seller was Sureelectronics.

I recently purchased a new one to replace a version that was 2 years old. I had a thumbscrew break off during a shack reorganization (my fault). They are not always iinline, and care is need when connecting to the K3. I would not recommend these if you are removing the cable often.

>From a software point of view, there have been no problems. I run the communications at 19.2kb.

YMMV

Randy K6CRC
[hidden email]
K3 s/n 2051

On Apr 8, 2010, at 9:00 AM, [hidden email] wrote:

> After having numerous issues with drivers and listening to suggestions on
> website, I found two of my cheapies failed! They weren't that old but the
> chips headed to the poles. I stepped up to the plate and bought new brand
> name chips, the Elecraft with with the prolific chip, and a Keyspan which is
> to me the best device out there.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Bill
> K9YEQ
> K2 and KX1 field tester, K3 and modules
> -----Original Message-----
>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 64 bit prolific driver for Snow Leopard
>
>
> Interesting.... doesn't load at all for me on my Macbook Pro (10.6.3) in
> either 32 or 64 bit mode. The original driver off Sourceforge (0.3.1, 10.4
> Universal) works fine tho.
> Could be my adapter, a Bill-n-Ted's Excellent USB->RS232 from BestBuy. But
> I'd think it'd be the same chipset and should work...
>
> Not a big deal to me since I only care if it works at all hi hi. But if
> anyone else notices this or if there's some other trick needed to get this
> one to work, post it here and I'll have a go.

______________________________________________________________
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

lstavenhagen

Re: Prolific drivers and Mac OS

Well, for what it's worth, I'm still trying to get over my prejudice that computers and HF rigs don't mix but that's going with extreme difficulty recently hi hi. I've been experimenting with grounding schemes, chokes and so on with exasperating results with my macs and the K3. At this point, totally ironically, the only thing useful involving a wire between the computer and the rig has been my USB->RS-232 adapter to run the K3 utility. Everything else involves too much RFI to be able to use the rig/computer for any intended purpose and the cables always seem to hop back out of the rig and back into the storage boxes.
Maybe a Faraday cage around the computer would be the next thing to try. Moving to a location where I can put up a real antenna a long ways from the rig would probably help too, but that's impractical right now hi hi.

So I've about thrown in the towel on this (again) hi hi and am about to surrender and just go back to computerless HF ops. The K3's built-in PSK/RTTY decoder/encoder works surprisingly well now that I'm learning how to use it and I need to practice my CW sending anyway.

As for the prolific drivers on MacOS X, the 32 bit releases work great with no problems using my Bill-n-Ted's Excellent adapter from BestBuy. I havn't worked on the apparent problem with the recent 64 bit version, tho, because the 32 versions already work fine. And the error messages I get when trying to load it suggest it's a perms thing and not a problem with the driver itself.

PS, I did try this with the non-commercial version of MacLoggerDX and everything I tried out with it also worked perfectly with no problems. I just couldn't hear any signals because of the noise hi hi.

73,
LS
W5QD

Rick Prather

Re: Prolific drivers and Mac OS

Wow! what Mac are you using?

I have my iMac (2008 2.8 GHz C2D ) sitting next to my K3 and it is on all the time.

The only noises in the radio that I have experienced are:

A slight hum in the Line In - probably caused by them not being on the same plug and/or not bonded together. Solved it with one of the audio isolators that Radio Shack sells for about $15. Will work on the grounding later.

I get birdies from the ethernet cable - solved by disconnecting it and using Wi-Fi.

I hear some nasty birdies from my networked laser printer - I just turn it off when not using it.

Other than those solved problems I don't have any interference between the Mac and the K3.

I don't know how I could operate "computerless" these days!

Rick
K6LE

On 4/9/2010, at 5:46 , lstavenhagen wrote:

>
> Well, for what it's worth, I'm still trying to get over my prejudice that
> computers and HF rigs don't mix but that's going with extreme difficulty
> recently hi hi. I've been experimenting with grounding schemes, chokes and
> so on with exasperating results with my macs and the K3. At this point,
> totally ironically, the only thing useful involving a wire between the
> computer and the rig has been my USB->RS-232 adapter to run the K3 utility.
> Everything else involves too much RFI to be able to use the rig/computer for
> any intended purpose and the cables always seem to hop back out of the rig
> and back into the storage boxes.
> Maybe a Faraday cage around the computer would be the next thing to try.
> Moving to a location where I can put up a real antenna a long ways from the
> rig would probably help too, but that's impractical right now hi hi.
>
> So I've about thrown in the towel on this (again) hi hi and am about to
> surrender and just go back to computerless HF ops. The K3's built-in
> PSK/RTTY decoder/encoder works surprisingly well now that I'm learning how
> to use it and I need to practice my CW sending anyway.
>
> As for the prolific drivers on MacOS X, the 32 bit releases work great with
> no problems using my Bill-n-Ted's Excellent adapter from BestBuy. I havn't
> worked on the apparent problem with the recent 64 bit version, tho, because
> the 32 versions already work fine. And the error messages I get when trying
> to load it suggest it's a perms thing and not a problem with the driver
> itself.
>
> PS, I did try this with the non-commercial version of MacLoggerDX and
> everything I tried out with it also worked perfectly with no problems. I
> just couldn't hear any signals because of the noise hi hi.
>
> 73,
> LS
> W5QD

lstavenhagen

Re: Prolific drivers and Mac OS

As I've said to others privately, it's most likely my indoor antenna. So I'm likely just complaining with the solution already in hand hi hi. Because I live in apts., I've always been restricted to indoor ants so this goes back a long ways even back into my PC days.

That said, my macbook pro (the newest generation with the one piece Al shell) is somewhat quieter than my couple generations old macbook with the plastic case. That thing really rips up the rigs.

The fix would clearly be to buy a house and put up a good outside ant., a solution thats far far outside my budget hi hi. Meanwhile, the workaround will probably be to just use the built-in decoder/encoder in the K3 for digital modes.

But like I said, I'm having no software problems at all, even the demo of MacLoggerDX works great with my Bill-n-Ted's Excellent adapter and cocoaModem similarly with the audio cables.

I might schlep the K3 out portable once with my laptop and just get the ant as far away from the rig as I can to troubleshoot that aspect of it.

73,
LS
W5QD

M0XDF

Re: Prolific drivers and Mac OS

In reply to this post by lstavenhagen

I don't have any problems with RFI and my K3/Mac at all and I do have some RF in my shack.
I do use a microHam DigiKeyer. But I would have thought any opto coupled connection and audio transformer isolated connections would be fine.
73 de M0XDF, K3 #174
--
A person usually has two reasons for doing something: a good reason and the
real reason. -Thomas Carlyle, historian and essayist (1795-1881)

On 9 Apr 2010, at 13:46, lstavenhagen wrote:

Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: Prolific drivers and Mac OS

In reply to this post by lstavenhagen

Largely the issue of RFI can be more related to antenna location and the
radio/computer location. The closer the two are the more problems are
likely to arise. The signal strength at a specific location is defined by
the inverse square law. Double the distance and the RF field decreases by a
factor of 4.

I realize that some must use indoor antennas. In this case, RFI is a tough
solution. Common mode chokes on every cable, both ends, is likely a must.
Keep cables as short as practical. Make sure all pieces of equipment are
bonded together and I don't suggest just relying on the shield or drain in
the cables to accomplish this task. If one needs a ground between two
pieces of equipment, then one must run a wire between the two. Do not daisy
chain pieces of equipment together. Establish a common point such as the
power supply case ground terminal {it does have one doesn't it?} and each
piece of equipment. The power supply ground terminal should end up with a
number of ground connections where each piece of equipment will only have
one ground connection.

I make my ground jumpers from #10 or #12 primary auto wire, crimp a good
quality VACO terminal on the ends and then solder the terminals. Crimping
is only good for the mechanical connection and does not provide a reliable
low resistance connection.

Once done and the station is clean, one might be surprised to find that many
of the birdies are no longer heard or are of much lower level too.

73
Bob, K4TAX

----- Original Message -----
From: "lstavenhagen" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2010 7:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Prolific drivers and Mac OS

>
> Well, for what it's worth, I'm still trying to get over my prejudice that
> computers and HF rigs don't mix but that's going with extreme difficulty
> recently hi hi. I've been experimenting with grounding schemes, chokes and
> so on with exasperating results with my macs and the K3. At this point,
> totally ironically, the only thing useful involving a wire between the
> computer and the rig has been my USB->RS-232 adapter to run the K3
> utility.
> Everything else involves too much RFI to be able to use the rig/computer
> for
> any intended purpose and the cables always seem to hop back out of the rig
> and back into the storage boxes.
> Maybe a Faraday cage around the computer would be the next thing to try.
> Moving to a location where I can put up a real antenna a long ways from
> the
> rig would probably help too, but that's impractical right now hi hi.
>
> So I've about thrown in the towel on this (again) hi hi and am about to
> surrender and just go back to computerless HF ops. The K3's built-in
> PSK/RTTY decoder/encoder works surprisingly well now that I'm learning how
> to use it and I need to practice my CW sending anyway.
>
> As for the prolific drivers on MacOS X, the 32 bit releases work great
> with
> no problems using my Bill-n-Ted's Excellent adapter from BestBuy. I havn't
> worked on the apparent problem with the recent 64 bit version, tho,
> because
> the 32 versions already work fine. And the error messages I get when
> trying
> to load it suggest it's a perms thing and not a problem with the driver
> itself.
>
> PS, I did try this with the non-commercial version of MacLoggerDX and
> everything I tried out with it also worked perfectly with no problems. I
> just couldn't hear any signals because of the noise hi hi.
>
> 73,
> LS
> W5QD
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://n2.nabble.com/Prolific-drivers-and-Mac-OS-tp4872457p4876847.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:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

Alan Bloom

Re: Prolific drivers and Mac OS

In my experience, often the primary source of computer RFI is the router
and the cables connected to it. I have to turn off my router and modem
if I want to operate on HF from the same room as the computer. No
problem with the computer itself.

Al N1AL

On Fri, 2010-04-09 at 21:00 -0500, Bob McGraw - K4TAX wrote:

> Largely the issue of RFI can be more related to antenna location and the
> radio/computer location. The closer the two are the more problems are
> likely to arise. The signal strength at a specific location is defined by
> the inverse square law. Double the distance and the RF field decreases by a
> factor of 4.
>
> I realize that some must use indoor antennas. In this case, RFI is a tough
> solution. Common mode chokes on every cable, both ends, is likely a must.
> Keep cables as short as practical. Make sure all pieces of equipment are
> bonded together and I don't suggest just relying on the shield or drain in
> the cables to accomplish this task. If one needs a ground between two
> pieces of equipment, then one must run a wire between the two. Do not daisy
> chain pieces of equipment together. Establish a common point such as the
> power supply case ground terminal {it does have one doesn't it?} and each
> piece of equipment. The power supply ground terminal should end up with a
> number of ground connections where each piece of equipment will only have
> one ground connection.
>
> I make my ground jumpers from #10 or #12 primary auto wire, crimp a good
> quality VACO terminal on the ends and then solder the terminals. Crimping
> is only good for the mechanical connection and does not provide a reliable
> low resistance connection.
>
> Once done and the station is clean, one might be surprised to find that many
> of the birdies are no longer heard or are of much lower level too.
>
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "lstavenhagen" <[hidden email]>
> To: <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Friday, April 09, 2010 7:46 AM
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Prolific drivers and Mac OS
>
>
> >
> > Well, for what it's worth, I'm still trying to get over my prejudice that
> > computers and HF rigs don't mix but that's going with extreme difficulty
> > recently hi hi. I've been experimenting with grounding schemes, chokes and
> > so on with exasperating results with my macs and the K3. At this point,
> > totally ironically, the only thing useful involving a wire between the
> > computer and the rig has been my USB->RS-232 adapter to run the K3
> > utility.
> > Everything else involves too much RFI to be able to use the rig/computer
> > for
> > any intended purpose and the cables always seem to hop back out of the rig
> > and back into the storage boxes.
> > Maybe a Faraday cage around the computer would be the next thing to try.
> > Moving to a location where I can put up a real antenna a long ways from
> > the
> > rig would probably help too, but that's impractical right now hi hi.
> >
> > So I've about thrown in the towel on this (again) hi hi and am about to
> > surrender and just go back to computerless HF ops. The K3's built-in
> > PSK/RTTY decoder/encoder works surprisingly well now that I'm learning how
> > to use it and I need to practice my CW sending anyway.
> >
> > As for the prolific drivers on MacOS X, the 32 bit releases work great
> > with
> > no problems using my Bill-n-Ted's Excellent adapter from BestBuy. I havn't
> > worked on the apparent problem with the recent 64 bit version, tho,
> > because
> > the 32 versions already work fine. And the error messages I get when
> > trying
> > to load it suggest it's a perms thing and not a problem with the driver
> > itself.
> >
> > PS, I did try this with the non-commercial version of MacLoggerDX and
> > everything I tried out with it also worked perfectly with no problems. I
> > just couldn't hear any signals because of the noise hi hi.
> >
> > 73,
> > LS
> > W5QD
> > --
> > View this message in context:
> > http://n2.nabble.com/Prolific-drivers-and-Mac-OS-tp4872457p4876847.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:[hidden email]
> >
> > 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:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

lstavenhagen

Re: Prolific drivers and Mac OS

One other thing that complicates it is I use battery power only for the rig (my giant Werker 88ah deep cycle SLA) so the power supply isn't always at the same potential as anything else plugged into the wall. Sometimes I notice some of the line-like noise I occassionally have reduces when I put the battery charger on it....

Also, with my macbook, there's no apparent way to ground it - it's just a bunch of boards tossed into a little plastic case as far as I can tell. My macbook pro does have the Al shell around it, tho there's no grounding lug on the outside anywhere. I might have to get more creative here if I have to throw in the towel on the macbook.

So I have a fair bit more to do on this. I'm going to have another go with it this weekend and see what kind of results I can get (and I still should go ahead and get a sound card as well).

tnx es 73,
LS
W5QD