[WriteLog] KAM Transmit on RTTY?

[Don Hill AA5AU]

Not sure what the problem is with the KAM these days.
I just pulled one out of the closet that my dad gave me back in
May.  It's one of the original KAM's.  Not the 98 or Plus model.

I plugged it into my COM 2, connected a DB 9 to DB 25 serial
cable.  Applied power and in RTTYrite, selected COM 2 and 
KAM and it came right up.  Hmmm.

First to look at is your writelog.ini file.  Under [PORTS] in my writelog.ini
file I have this showing for COM 2:

COM2:=9600,N,8,1,x

The book says you should use 9600 first.  I remember I had another
original KAM many years ago.  It was my first commercial TNC.  It
would work on 9600 only.  Never could talk to it at any other speed.

I remember I upgraded the EPROM in it to 6.0 or 7.0 - one of them
dot ohs... and I remember using it with WriteLog.  It would initialize
but would not be in the correct state after that.  In order to put it to the
correct state and get it to copy RTTY, I had to click either FSK-Norm!
or FSK-REV! and it would start working.  You can tell when this happens
because after it first initializes, the bar indicator would stay all the way to
the right (I think).  After click either FSK-REV! or FSK-Norm!, the bar
indicator would go back to the center where it should be with no audio
coming into the unit.

If you are still having problems, try changing around the Port setting in
the writelog.ini file.  Try each of the following but not at the same time
of course:

COM2=9600,N,8,1,
COM2=9600,N,8,1
COM2=9600,N,8,
COM2=9600,N,8

Perhaps you will hit on something.

Something else that pops into mind is something about the cable used.  I
remember I used to go into a 25 pin serial port on my old computer.  If I
used a cable that was pin-for-pin connected all the way through, it would
not work.  However, if I used a cable that had only the essential wires needed,
then it worked.  Are you using a 25 pin or 9 pin serial port on your computer?

I have seen several posts saying there were problems with the KAM 98 or
the KAM Plus, but I've never seen any definitive fix.  If you find the fix, let
me know and I will post it on my WriteLog website so that next time we 
come across this problem, we will have somewhere to look.

Thanks & GL,
Don AA5AU
http://www.aa5au.com
http://www.geocities.com/writelog



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Carroll" <rlcarroll@rcn.com>
To: "'Bill Wortman'" <wortman@mrcwdc.com>; <writelog@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2002 8:13 PM
Subject: RE: [WriteLog] KAM Transmit on RTTY?


> Bill--
> 
> My condolences.  I battled this problem off and on for a long time with
> two KAMS.  They work fine with other programs.  I could never generate
> enough momentum to get the problem solved.  I suppose most folks use
> soundcards these days.  I moved to a HAL DXP38P which does work
> correctly with Writelog.  If you get the problem solved please let me
> know.  You are correct--no problem receiving but random letters dropped
> on transmission.
> 
> Bob W2WG
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: writelog-admin@contesting.com
> [mailto:writelog-admin@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bill Wortman
> Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2002 3:12 PM
> To: writelog@contesting.com
> Subject: [WriteLog] KAM Transmit on RTTY?
> 
> While Writelog v10 is said to run KAM on RTTY, I have not managed to 
> transmit RTTY successfully.  My experience, and others from past 
> Writelog archives, is that it skips characters on transmission but is 
> fine on Rx.  Can someone who has been successful with this 
> combination let me know know the appropriate writelog.ini parameters 
> and the needed COM settings for the KAM.  My failed efforts were at 
> 2400 baud and the KAM refuses to initialize for any other speed even 
> if it has been preset to that alternate speed in advance.
> 
> Bill N6MW
> -- 
> William R. Wortman
> Mission Research Corporation
> 8560 Cinderbed Rd, Suite 700
> Newington, VA 22122
> Telephone (703)339-6500 ext 114
> Fax (703)339-6953
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> 
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