New mainboard stuck & won't recognise

[K3RTA]

I've replaced my mainboard on a low-band rig and it worked nicely. I went to upgrade to the Beta firmware but wasn't seeing a serial number at start-up, so I flashed the generic file for 18 zeros per the website. After that, two things happened: (1) the S/N shows, but won't go away even after cycling power, and (2) the rig is no longer recognised by the PC as a valid comm port ["USB Not Recognized"] and I can't flash firmware.

Could anyone please help me un-brick this?

Tnx & 72

Tnx & 72

[dl6sez]

Hello OM,

that the S/N only shows is normal. I think you should try to remove some USB to serial drivers (FTDI, Prolific and CHA341) on your windoof than reinstall CHA340g driver (CHA341 named) and look for the port at Decive manager again.
Maybe you now use a power only USB cable...

73 de Chris and hny 2024

[K3RTA]

?


The radio did at first appear as a valid USB device, which is why I was able to flash the firmware based upon 18 zeros. If I were using a power-only USB cord, that wouldn't have been possible.

Thanks, anyway.

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
Note down the serial number that shows on the display accurately, then reflash inputting the serial number that appeared on the display that you noted down. After that the transceiver will operate normally..... Job done!

[VE3RRD]

Do a reset before you try to load the correct firmware (press main knob while applying power) and see if that works.

[K3RTA]

Do a reset before you try to load the correct firmware (press main knob while applying power) and see if that works.

Well, that was a good idea. I'm afraid that didn't do anything. The rig still only show the S/N, and the driver that worked for the USB connection no longer works with the device.

Thanks.

[K3RTA]

Hi.
Note down the serial number that shows on the display accurately, then reflash inputting the serial number that appeared on the display that you noted down. After that the transceiver will operate normally..... Job done!

If only the hardware would cooperate... The USB connection that did work for flashing in the generic program no longer works after doing so. I can't reflash amything and the radio is stuck on its serial number after several hard resets.

[VE3RRD]

If you can program via ISP (using an Arduino UNO for example), you can download the latest Beta firmware by checking the "for ISP upload only" and not use the transceiver's USB port.
https://dl2man.de/wp-content/uploads/20 ... /beta.html

[K3RTA]

If that's what has to happen, then I guess I get to learn something I've never done, using tech I've never had luck with, to achieve something the radio should have been able to do already.

I've had two of these rigs before [sold one, burned one up] and none of this was necessary. This is idiotic, to have to build a contraption to do what the MicroUSB is supposed to do but so be it.

Tnx.

[DL2MAN]

This is idiotic,

Are you one of those guys, that´s yelling at the weather ?
Some things are just out of our control.
Like your PC, your cables, even part quality.
Bad things happen ! People here were really trying to help you, and you keep complaining, that you need to learn something new....
We´re radio amateurs ! Tech Stuff is part of our hobby and should be dealt with !

Now good luck. The forum is still here to support you to learn something new.

73 Manuel; DL2MAN

[K3RTA]

This is idiotic,

Are you one of those guys, that´s yelling at the weather ?
Some things are just out of our control.
Like your PC, your cables, even part quality.

I suppose that's a fair assessment. The design is second to none and I've enjoyed my time with these little radios in the past. It's the manufactured product that lost its function that I find bothersome, not your work.

So, yeah, I'm venting in the wrong way. For that, I apologise. I'm going to follow the advice offered here and on your regular pages and try to grow my experience and skill a little.

Thanks.


-Ted
K3RTA

[K3RTA]

Tech Stuff is part of our hobby and should be dealt with !

Now good luck. The forum is still here to support you to learn something new.

Happy new year.

Thank you for getting me out of my comfort zone. I've made up an Arduino UNO ISP programmer per your page and - surprising for my experience with trying to work with PID motor control sketches in the past - did get a successful bootloader to upload with this handy circuit. I don't know that this was or wasn't the problem I was having but it seemed a good step to take. All ending messages are consistent with what the instructions show.

Despite this, the radio continues to display only its serial number. It won't go away with a hard reset or by re-powering. Also, the radio by itself on the uUSB port is not recognised by the driver that was working before. That is to say that the PC here was fine with the website's suggested driver and was used to flash "K3RTA_truSDX-beta_000000000000000000_Firmware.hex" into it 2 weeks ago. Ever since then, it's as if the driver that had worked, is null and void. I can't try flashing my specific .hex file with my s/n until I see a com port on the radio.

If what I'm experiencing is a sign of the 2021 problem with bad ATmega328's, I guess I have to try soldering deer-tick sizd legs and swap a processor. Before I do that, has flashing the generic .hex file above been known to make a processor go and quit communicating, to your knowledge?

I'm really trying to learn and I appreciate your collective guidance here.

Thanks, all.


=Ted
K3RTA

[VE3RRD]

Did you try loading the firmware via the ISP port instead of the USB port as I mentioned earlier?

[K3RTA]

I did. Because I'm a little dumb, I'd like to detail the process used: After flashing the bootloader, I dropped the AVRdudes settings from those outlined for a bootloader flashing, to what the firmware upload settings look like. I swapped the baud rate back to what the firmware upload rate uses (19200) and the program wouldn't flash. I put the rate back to 115200 - the ISP's preferred rate? - and I get a message of a successful firmware flash. That was nice.... except that repowering the the unit still shows only a blank screen with serial number. A hard reset didn't help, either.

Maybe it's just a bad board. It happens.