connecting to the RRC boxes

[M0BPQ]

I have got a used set of RRC MKII boxes. They have been used by a club mate with his K3 and I do not know how he set up IP addresses etc

I have connected to the radio box and updated the firmware and set the IP addresses just fine via the setup manager. However, I cannot connect to the control (head unit) box. I have used two laptops and a single set of cables that have been proven OK with a web switch and the radio box.

The symptoms with the head unit box are:

When plugged into my Ethernet hub, the power light flashes indicating the Ethernet connection is not there. (The cables test as good!). I cannot connect via a web interface using the standard IP address.

When I try to connect via USB the setup manager does not recognise the box at all. It seems that the box starts to cycle the boot sequence – the power light flashes once then the lights on the AUX/MIC connector flash once. That sequence continues ad infinitum.

Holding the rest button for 10 seconds makes no difference. 

I have two set of RRCs working just fine already, so I have some experience. Is the control box damaged? What am I doing wrong?

73
Steve
M0BPQ

[dj4mz]

Hi Steve,

I've seen that also when trying to downgrade the firmware of my boxes. Connect your PC to the console port (COM1) of the boxes using a serial cable and use hyperterm to see what the box is doing (COM1 has the following settings: 38400 baud, 8 bits, No parity, and 1 stop bit.).

vy 73
Simon, DJ4MZ

[Jan (Microbit)]

It seems the firmware of the box either is corrupt or is facing some condition which causes it to reboot. When that happens neither USB nor web interface are accessible. If you do like Simon suggested you will be able to see printouts telling how far it comes in the upstart sequence and possible some error messages. If it is a faulty firmware then it's possible to update it from within the terminal using xmodem.

[M0BPQ]

Thanks for the response guys. I will dig out a machine with a real serial port and give it a go. I will post the "print out" here for a response.

73
Steve

[M0BPQ]

Guys, here is the output without the USB plugged in:
€
==========================================
** 1285/1258 Bootloader V1.5            **
** Booting application                  **
==========================================
** Press capital x for xmodem apploader **
==========================================
Company : Microbit
Product : 1258
Hardware: 4
Software: 0.0.2.7
Compiler: 4.1.1 (WinARM)
Build   : Feb 18 2010 14:43:50
ROM/RAM : 282256/41740
ethRAM  : 2848 (max 3kB!)
USBRAM  : 0
ResetSrc: b [3]
Uptime  : 0
=========================
HW-device     = 0
CW-pot        = 1023
Debug level   = 2
Control panel = 1
Program mode  = 4 - Generic Yaesu/Kenwood
PID           = 0
=========================
U2LCR=83
U3LCR=83
enable       : 1
speedWpm     : 0
iambic       : 1
paddleReverse: 0
weight       : 30
sideToneHz   : 700
sideToneDb   : 45
lfDelayMs    : 0
keyDelayMs   : 100
audio = BOTH_OPEN
KSZ8041NL PHY detected
USB: Got new addr:0

DynDns: Init:0(1)0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And with USB plugged in.

Debug level   = 2
Control panel = 1
Program mode  = 4 - Generic Yaesu/Kenwood
PID           = 0
=========================
U2LCR=83
U3LCR=83
enable       : 1
speedWpm     : 0
iambic       : 1
paddleReverse: 0
weight       : 30
sideToneHz   : 700
sideToneDb   : 45
lfDelayMs    : 0
keyDelayMs   : 100
audio = BOTH_OPEN
KSZ8041NL PHY detected
USB: Got new addr:0
**USB Suspend Event
**USB Resume Event
**USB Reset
**USB Suspend Event
**USB Resume Event
**USB Reset
**USB_GetDescriptor Rec=0 H=1 L=0
**dumpSetupPacket(EVT_SETUP): bmRequestType=80h bRequest=06h wValue=0100h wIndex
=0000h wLength=0040h
**dumpSetupPacket(EVT_SETUP): bmRequestType.Recipient=00h bmRequestType.Type=00h
 bmRequestType.Dir=01h

**dumpSetupPacket(EVT_IN): bmRequestType=80h bRequest=0

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The good news is that I have fixed it. I used hyerterminal to reset the settings and then altered the ip address to something my router could handle. I was then able to do a firmware upgrade over the browser interface. This update fixed the USB problem.

Thanks for the pointer gents. Now to get my TS-2000 working with this beastie.

73 Steve
M0BPQ

[Jan (Microbit)]

Great you got it working!

My comment is that you were(are?) on a very old version, 2.7, and somehow the settings got screwed up. That in its turn caused a lot of USB debug printouts which was too much to handle causing a reset. Never firmware versions have much less such printouts in order to avoid that possibility of failure.

[M0BPQ]

Thanks Jan. Good to see you have resolved the printo out issue in newer FW releases. I bought this RRC pair used and I know that they haven't been used for 9 months - hence the old FW!
73
Steve