Aea Pk 232

[KB1PTH]

I recently picked up a Aea Pk-232 packet modem in hopes for working with apes and pactor. Had to wait for parts and when I got them I hooked it up. The baud light came on and I was a blue to try it hooked to the computer. When I installed it into the shack the baud light refuses to light and I can not get my computer to. Next tot it any more. Any one have any ideas or do I have 40 dollars in transistors hanging around. Thanks
KB1PTH

[5B4AJB]

Does the PK232 do Pactor?
I thought it didn't have that mode, maybe there's been a firmware upgrade since I was playing around with those machines, I bought a KAM because it had Pactor.

Do you mean APRS & Packet? if so, then you should have no problems making it work with a multitude of sotware...

[KB1PTH]

Well I have not got as far As trying pactor but what I read was it would work with pactor. The problem for me is that when I start the modem the four led's light up MULT SEND STA and CON. And that is all I can get it to do. I have re read the manual with out success. I had it working at first I plugged in the db-25 cable turned it on and baudot lit up I had it working. Moved it into the shack from the work area and now all the first four leds light up And I can not get any of my software to link to it. Any help on this would be great.

[5B4AJB]

You did configure the Serial port on the computer you plugged it into?

The usual settings are 9600 Baud, 8 bits, No parity, 1 stop bit.
Depending how many wires your lead has determines what kind of handshaking to select.
Although you can have a hardware lead and still use software handshaking.


Not sure what OS you have, but for Windows 7 you have to:-

Click Start then Control Panel
Start Device Manager
Open Ports (COM & LPT)
Double click the port you plugged it into (COM1)???
Select the Port Settings tab
and edit the page:-

Bits per second 9600
Data bits 8
Parity None
Stop bits 1
Flow control None


Just a minute! now that you've done that, I seem to remember the default Baud rate is NOT 9600.
On my KAM it's 2400 and you have to press * on the keyboard's numpad to start it up.

You'll have to go through the manual and double check the default values for the serial port.
If it is indeed a very old machine, it might be worth resetting it by taking out the battery.
I can't even remember if the PK232 had battery backed RAM or not...

Anyway, in short, you have to set the computer to the PK232's serial settings before you can change anything.

[KB1PTH]

You did configure the Serial port on the computer you plugged it into?

The usual settings are 9600 Baud, 8 bits, No parity, 1 stop bit.
Depending how many wires your lead has determines what kind of handshaking to select.
Although you can have a hardware lead and still use software handshaking.


Not sure what OS you have, but for Windows 7 you have to:-

Click Start then Control Panel
Start Device Manager
Open Ports (COM & LPT)
Double click the port you plugged it into (COM1)???
Select the Port Settings tab
and edit the page:-

Bits per second 9600
Data bits 8
Parity None
Stop bits 1
Flow control None


Just a minute! now that you've done that, I seem to remember the default Baud rate is NOT 9600.
On my KAM it's 2400 and you have to press * on the keyboard's numpad to start it up.

You'll have to go through the manual and double check the default values for the serial port.
If it is indeed a very old machine, it might be worth resetting it by taking out the battery.
I can't even remember if the PK232 had battery backed RAM or not...

Anyway, in short, you have to set the computer to the PK232's serial settings before you can change anything.

Well I got it working. It will work for a while and then four leds come on and I have to shut it off and discounect the battery with a outside switch some one add thorugh it history. I have a strange feeling it had this problem before. and then restart it. Also by the way, Do you use the Airmail client software any.
Thanks
KB1PTH

[5B4AJB]

I have A KAM, not a PK232, they are quite similar, but they are different.

The software I use depends what I want to do, but I have
Hostmaster, KA Gold, Winpack, and of course Windows terminal emulator amongst others.

The Windows Terminal Emulator has helped me out of a few scrapes in the past because it sends the keypress as soon as you press the key, not as a line after you press return.

You might still be able to find PK Gold, which was very good multimode software at the time.
Any basic terminal emulator will do enough if you learn the TNC command set.


Sounds like a capacitor has gone somewhere if it works for a while then stops. Look for signs of leakage or bulging. Might be worth replacing all the big ones as a precaution.

Not heard of Airmail, but it looks like a mailbox. You have a HF/VHF/UHF packet mailbox built into the PK232, but you'll need this software for a mailbox using other modes.