Instead of buying a new adapter, you might consider upgrading your K3 with a KIO3B interface board that contains a built-in USB port. There are several other enhancements in the KIO3B that may make it a "no-brainer" upgrade!
73, Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- From: Elecraft [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jan Ditzian Sent: Monday, July 18, 2016 4:26 PM To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Test serial-to-USB converter Don, Thank you for the suggestions. I do not have another FTDI cable, but it seems that this is the way to go, and I can order one from Elecraft (since I understand that cheaper alternatives my result in a cable that is incompatible with recent drivers). As for why the serial to serial did not work: I also had a size adapter in there, so that may have been at fault. The most straightforward test would be replacement. If that works, I will contact MDS for a replacement converter as well. Thank you, Jan, KX2A On 7/18/2016 7:05 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: > Jan, > > The best way to test a USB to serial converter is by substitution with > a known good one, or by substitution of a known good working serial > device connected to the questionable converter cable. > > Yes, a power surge or a lightning event can damage serial interfaces > as well as USB interfaces. > > Since your USB ports on the computer seem to work, borrow a known good > USB to serial converter and try it out - preferably one with an FTDI > chipset. > > If you have any other devices that use a serial COM port interface, > see if they work with your USB to serial adapter - if so, the adapter > is probably OK, but remember that in the event of a power surge, > multiple failures are possible even though in normal troubleshooting > we assume only a single failure. > > You can test the USB to serial converter with a 'scope and an RS-232 > breakout box, but you have to know the proper RS-232 levels to > understand what is happening. A null modem loopback cable can be > helpful if you have to proper driving software application for that > testing. I did that during my years of PC modem testing, but that was > more than 30 years ago and the software ran under DOS - not helpful now. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > On 7/18/2016 6:36 PM, Jan Ditzian wrote: >> I have a K3 that lost communication with my computer. It uses an >> Elecraft serial-to-USB converter and cable. This probably happened >> during a known power surge. I also lost communication to my MDS >> rotor, which uses a built-in USB cable, which I believe may also be a >> serial-to-USB arrangement. I checked things out a bit, and I can >> tell that my USB ports all seem to work. I also tried the K3 with >> another computer and was unable to communicate with it. However, I >> also tried a direct serial-to-serial cable from the K3 to the first >> computer, which has a serial port, and was also unable to >> communicate. I am now unsure of the location of the problem. I am >> willing to go with whatever works. >> > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2016.0.7688 / Virus Database: 4627/12638 - Release Date: > 07/18/16 > > ______________________________________________________________ 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]
