This discussion of the firmware updating process brings to mind the phrase "under-engineered".
Too bad this problem doesn't also cause a short first "dit" at 80 wpm, in which case I'm sure it's remedy would be a top priority for Elecraft. 73 Jack KZ5A On 2/6/2011 6:02 PM, Dick Dievendorff wrote: > The serial communications are tested before sending firmware. There is a per > block checksum test and Ack. There is no on chip storage of sufficient to > buffer very much firmware. The program store is 128KB and the available RAM > is less than 4K. > > I can work on the error messages, and specific suggestions are welcome. I'm > perhaps too close to this or stayed too close to the early prototype's > message text. > > 73 de Dick, K6KR > > On Feb 6, 2011, at 16:27, ab2tc<[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi all, >> >> I have loaded virtually every firmware version that ever came out without a >> single incident, using several different USB adapters (never had a real >> serial port with the K3) and several computers. So I don't have problem with >> this at all. With this said, it does appear that a few things could be >> improved when there *is* a problem with the communications. The idea of >> testing the serial communications before committing to the update is a good >> one. Also it does seem that the utility could be improved in it's ability to >> recover from errors and give more meaningful messages to the users. >> Bootloaders are inherently dumb and they need to be in order to keep them >> small. To expect it to be able to cope with "unexpected" commands is simply >> expecting too much. >> >> AB2TC - Knut >> >> PS. The PIC processor with 128kb of flash and 4kB of RAM, oboy that seems >> like a flashback to another century to me. I am amazed at the Elecraft >> programmers being able to cram the current functionality into this extremely >> limited space. >> >> >> Dick Dievendorff wrote: >>> We do check each block with a checksum. We do have a per block ACK. I >>> can't tell if a Microham device us inline... >>> >>> >>> >>> Dick >>> >>> <snip> >>> >> -- >> View this message in context: >> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Fwd-K3-Failed-DSP-Firmware-Download-tp5996916p5998672.html >> Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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 > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > ______________________________________________________________ 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
