I have read the same discussions about problems with serial-port keying, and like Guy, have never understood why some people experience timing problems while others do not.
However, the point at issue here is much more specific: VP8NO's observation that his KIO3B-USB connection in his older K3 had keying problems whereas his hardware RS232 connection did not. I was only trying to balance that with the observation that the KIO3B's USB port *is* capable of providing good serial-port keying in the absence of any other problems. 73 from Ian GM3SEK >-----Original Message----- >From: Elecraft [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of >Guy Olinger K2AV >Sent: 13 March 2016 19:29 >To: Ian White >Cc: Elecraft Reflector >Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KIO3B > >This seems to be the same ole age old problem of relying on a PC keying CW >over a single lead on the RS232 connection or its stand-in (USB). > >Over and over ad nauseum, literally thousands of times, this has been >discussed everywhere since before USB existed. Parallel port keying...if >you don't know what a parallel port is, don't feel bad, that's how old this >problem is...it first surfaced so long ago I can't remember how far back. >Parallel port keying seemed to be far less susceptible, with cleaner code >formation. But we all know what happened to parallel ports, if you even >know what one is. > >I have not, in my entire life, heard a satisfying answer as to why the >difference. > >The very large sample size conclusion: Some people can do that and sound >perfectly crisp, no matter what. Some will get infrequent odd scattered >distortions, that are not enough of a problem to worry about. Others are >driven to distraction with distortions sometimes bordering on hilarious. >Some computers have spells of it that come and go, seeming to correspond >to >phases of the moon, alignment of planets, or giraffe mating season. > >Some now have excellent results with straight, normal RS232, but USB >routed >functions screw up. Others via USB lines do perfectly well. Others STILL >can't use the serial line approach AT ALL. Back in the day, slow CPU speed >and limited memory were often associated with the poor performance. > >SOMETIMES, NOT ALWAYS, upgrades to the CPU and memory would fix it. >Many >just gave up and went PERMANENTLY to WinKey (way, way cheaper than >motherboards and memory) based solutions, myself included. > >The N1MM integration of WinKey devices is at this point flawless. And the >ability now to create tailored PTT, that changes with code speed from a >MicroHam box with embedded WinKey, is priceless. > >There has NEVER, in all this decade of fighting this problem, been a silver >bullet solution that fixed the RS232 or USB key line problems. Over the >years I have literally seen hundreds of extended email threads about >dragged-on investigations by earnest and intelligent ham investigators who >never uncovered any solution except throwing bigger and better CPU's at >the >problem, HOPING for better performance. > >Some people having the problem, while others with similar or identical >equipment having none, simply means nothing. It has always been that way. >One swears that he did this or that and the problem went away, and it >really did go away when HE did that, he's not lying or deluded. But others >try the same solution and nothing changes. > >Blaming key line over RS232 or USB problems on anything other than >poltergeist is just plain unfair. It just could be that one insulted Murphy >just one too many times. > >I understand that people are trying to make cabling go away. Completely >understand. Been there, done that, failed. Back to WinKey, permanently. No >more wasting time, except my 432nd (or is it 610th, or 326th? I forget) >lifetime email on this frustrating problem. > >I have other poltergeist to work on that have no convenient WinKey solution >standing by. > >73, and I DO wish you good luck on this one, but don't count on it. PC's >and their constantly thrashing drivers and system program code just have >too many moving parts. > >Guy K2AV > >On Sun, Mar 13, 2016 at 1:46 PM, Ian White <[email protected]> >wrote: > >> Same here too, well formed CW from both a K3 and a K3S using the KIO3B >> board configured for USB. N1MM+ keys the virtual DTR line (no Winkey). >> >> 73 from Ian GM3SEK >> >> >> >-----Original Message----- >> >From: Elecraft [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of >> >Jim Miller >> >Sent: 13 March 2016 15:42 >> >To: [email protected] >> >Cc: [email protected] >> >Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KIO3B >> > >> >Clean CW here well over 30 wpm. >> > >> >GL >> > >> >Jim ab3cv >> > >> > >> > >> >On Sunday, March 13, 2016, Mike Murray <[email protected]> >wrote: >> > >> >> Interesting observation, especially since I've been considering the >> KIO3B >> >> in an effort to reduce my current rat's nest of cabling. Has anyone >> else >> >> noted this problem and/or found a solution? >> >> >> >> Mike - W0AG >> >> >> >> My non-PC specialist conclusion is that either the driver supporting >> the >> >> > KIO3B or all the USB routing action within the KIO3B is causing the >> >> damage. >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:[email protected] >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> Message delivered to [email protected] >> >______________________________________________________________ >Elecraft mailing list >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >Post: mailto:[email protected] > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >Message delivered to [email protected] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
