COM ports, HRD, Kenwood software....

[W1GUH]

I HATE COMPuTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I bought this USB to COM port i/f a while ago, bought it home...hooked up...installed just fine....plugged in my FT-817...started HRD..and...

SUCCESS!!!

Big, beautiful freq. display...can control everything. Super! Looks good..works good. I'm happy.

So then I get Kenwood software for my 'F6A a few months later.

Got the i/f cable..plugged everything in, set the menu, start Kenwood software. GRONK!!!! Can't communicate.

OK...does HRD still work?

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(blood pressure going up)

Check all the COM settings on both ends (Well, Kenwood doesn't let you do that. You get to guess what rate)

Nope....nope...nope....


Meanwhile...

I find out at work that once you configure a COM port on the USB, ya gotta use the same USB hole...OK...cool.

Juet tried THAT.

NOPENOPE. Kenwood refuses read the HT, HRD refuses to "read the frequency."

Of course, there are no really informal error message....nothing to give me a clue what's hapenning.

Shit.

OK....enough IT BS for one day. Don't want HRD anyway.

PISSANDMOANPISSANDMOANPISSANDMOANPISSANDMOANPISSAN DMOANPISSANDMOANPISSANDMOANPISSANDMOAN

[NQ6U]

If it makes you feel any better, after two years (with no changes other than normal Windows updates) my copy of HRD decided to start throwing up continual Javascript errors. It wouldn't be so bad if I could figure out why but the error messages give no real information.

[WØTKX]

Kenwood does funny shit for comports. Never cared for the comms with HRD and the TS-850SAT.
It works, but chokes above 4800 baud. For some reason, it works great with the N4PY software.

[n2ize]

Sounds like some compatability/driver issue. Google it. You can't be alone.

[N1LAF]

How about testing the port with a terminal program. Connect pins 2 and 3 of the DB9 connector together, and see if the what you send to the port, comes back from the port. Forget Hyper terminal, its junk.

[W1GUH]

How about testing the port with a terminal program. Connect pins 2 and 3 of the DB9 connector together, and see if the what you send to the port, comes back from the port. Forget Hyper terminal, its junk.

GMTA! Yep....will be writing C# COM port test program -- something that'll get me down into the guts and show me what the heck's going on! Should be a fun little project! Had a custom i/f program started...can draw from that.

[WØTKX]

PuTTY will do it too.

[N8YX]

Which chipset in the USB/Serial converter?

There were a couple of threads on the HRD forum that described a problem similar to yours. Some of the drivers for certain converters are prone to funny behavior, as 'IZE alluded to.

[WØTKX]

That's why I like the Keyspan units. Work as advertised, no flakiness.

[W1GUH]

Thanks for all the info. Yep....glad I'm not alone. Just about ready to test the tester with the radio. I'm done with the part that opens the port and sets the paraeters. Now, to see it the radio can hear it!