Remote Rig

RRC 1258 Support in English => Hardware, Cabling, Installations => Topic started by: EI3KD on 2014-12-16, 17:00:55

Title: Can't get virtual COM1 (COM7) & COM2 (COM5) to work via usb
Post by: EI3KD on 2014-12-16, 17:00:55

Hi,

I have a working setup on my RRC-1258 MkII pair, as follows:

COM1 is a physical connection at both ends, providing FT857D CAT - this is working fine (Mode3, 4800 8-N-2, no rts/cts).
COM2 is a physical connection at both ends, providing Rotator control - this is working fine (Mode3, 4800 8-N-1).
COM3 is being used via usb at the control end as USB-COMFSK in "Mode8, Winkeyer" - working fine using virtual port COM8.

I decided to remove the physical hardware (usb-serial) connections for COM1/2 at the control end and use all three ports via the box's usb connection. I changed the control settings so that "Use USB Com Port as COMx" was set to yes for COM1 and COM2, but neither virtually-assigned port (COM7 and COM5) will work with the same software that works fine using the hardware connections. I checked that the physical ports on the control box stopped working when they were configured for usb, as expected. I also tried changing the properties of the virtual ports to match the hardware port settings, but no luck.

I've tried to get this working on WinXP and W7-64 machines using the latest firmware and setup manager software as of today, but no joy. Any ideas please?

Regards, Mark

Title: Re: Can't get virtual COM1 (COM7) & COM2 (COM5) to work via usb
Post by: sm2o on 2014-12-17, 09:43:52

Hi
What PC-Software are you trying with ? I have not heard about any software which not work over the Virtual serial ports.

73 de mike

Title: Re: Can't get virtual COM1 (COM7) & COM2 (COM5) to work via usb
Post by: EI3KD on 2014-12-17, 11:01:05

Hi Mike,

it is with any software - I've tried HRD, VqLog, N1MM+, WinTest, my own Rotator control, etc. All of those work without any trouble when using the physical port connection(s).

On my W7-64 machine I have "Advanced Serial Port Monitor" software installed... with that running I can see the virtual port is being set up by the software, some commands are being sent, but nothing ever comes back as a reply.

It must be something simple I've missed but I can't think what it is.

Regards, Mark

Title: Re: Can't get virtual COM1 (COM7) & COM2 (COM5) to work via usb
Post by: Jan (Microbit) on 2014-12-18, 08:41:51

Which mode are you using for COM1/COM2?

Title: Re: Can't get virtual COM1 (COM7) & COM2 (COM5) to work via usb
Post by: EI3KD on 2014-12-18, 09:51:10

Hi Jan,

both COM ports are running Mode-3, char-timeout.

Regards, Mark

Title: Re: Can't get virtual COM1 (COM7) & COM2 (COM5) to work via usb
Post by: Jan (Microbit) on 2014-12-18, 11:42:50

Oh dear!

You have just found a bug using that mode and USB ports! Well done!

We are looking into how to fix it!