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JUMA PA100-D firmware update problem

PostPosted: 10 Aug 2015 13:44
by OH5YU
Using an Aten UC232A USB to serial converter on Windows 7, I get the following error message from Ingenia Bootloader when trying to connect for a firmware update: dsPIC identification failed, error code –5. The serial connection works fine for (Kenwood) transceiver and Pro.Sis.Tel rotor controls. The obvious thing to check of course is the wiring between the JUMA PA and the serial port. This I have done as carefully as I can, also remaking the connecting cable.

A curious thing is that while my other USB to serial converter made by Belkin also works with my other RS232 contollable equipment, the Ingenia Bootloader thinks it is used by other software although it is not. The Aten converter seems to be using the Prolific chipset, if that is significant.

Does anyone have ideas on how to proceed? As I am using the JUMA PA with a KX3 radio, I am anxious to get the newest firmware which would give me automatic band changes.

73, Juhani OH5YU

Re: JUMA PA100-D firmware update problem

PostPosted: 11 Aug 2015 06:25
by 5B4AIY
Hi, Juhani,
This problem is usually caused when attempting to use the Ingenia loader without first settings the permissions. I am attaching a document I wrote some time ago explaining how this should be done.

First make sure your serial port is working correctly. Before attempting to update your firmware it is important that you can communicate with the amplifier. Use a terminal program, set the PA-100D serial port protocol to the test mode, and see if you can communicate, for example by dumping the EEPROM contents.

Please pay special attention to the requirement to replace the original configuration file with the new file, ibldspiclist.xml.

Equally when using Windows 7, ensure that the permissions are set correctly as explained in this document. This should solve your problem. You can download the latest PA-100D firmware from this website. The latest version is 2.0a Build 3.
73, Adrian, 5B4AIY

Re: JUMA PA100-D firmware update problem

PostPosted: 14 Aug 2015 16:59
by OH5YU
Adrian,

Thank you for the update guide you posted. It is invaluable. Now I finally have working communication between my Windows 7 PC and JUMA 100-D PA as shown by I and E command responses using the PuTTY software.

I have made sure the Ingenia bootloader executable permissions are set to Windows XP (SP3) compatibility mode and "run as administrator" is selected. Also, the configuration file in the Ingenia folder has been replaced with the one that adds device id dsPIC6014A to the original one. Unfortunately, I still get the same Ingenia error code as soon as the flash writer starts on the PA after powering it on. What other thing might I be missing still? The JUMA PA configuration settings are serial protocol = JUMATRX2 and baud rate the same 38400 as for the PC COM port.

Re: JUMA PA100-D firmware update problem

PostPosted: 15 Aug 2015 05:57
by 5B4AIY
Hi, Juhani,
When using the Ingenia loader, the bootloader in the PA-100D uses an automatic speed detection algorithm, so that it is normally not necessary to select a port speed. However, sometimes the USB to RS232 convertor does not operate correctly at the highest speed, 115kb and you may have to try a slower speed. I am assuming that you have checked that the PA-100D serial port is operating correctly, in particular that the transmit data idle voltage is about -9V, showing that the MAX-232 interface chip is working correctly. I also suggest attempting to communicate with the amplifier using your terminal program at 115,200 baud and see if this works. I am also assuming that when you power up the PA-100D in the flash writer mode you see the message:

JUMA PA-100 Flash
Writer Started..

on the LCD. You can safely test this by this by holding the OPER button pressed, and then briefly press the PWR button. The message should be displayed for about 5 seconds, and then the amplifier should drop into its normal operating mode. If the message is displayed, this indicates that the bootloader initialization code is there.

I would then suggest when starting the Ingenia loader to configure it to run at a slower speed and see if you receive the message:

detection success
dsPIC6014a detected
firmware version 1.1

displayed on the PC.

If this message is not displayed, and the PA-100D simply times-out and drops into its normal operating mode, then this means that the boot loader and the Ingenia loader are not communicating. This is what error code -5 means. Try using a slower speed, 38,400 baud, for example.

Since you can communicate via a terminal program, the serial cable and the jumper settings used in this test should then work with the Ingenia loader. See if you can locate a Windows-XP machine and try that although I have to say that so far in four years I have not had a failure with Windows 7 when the permissions are set correctly. In the final analysis, you may have to re-flash the microprocessor with the full HEX loads file including the boot loader code. This requires an entirely different procedure, which I can give you if you wish.

73, Adrian

Re: JUMA PA100-D firmware update problem

PostPosted: 24 Aug 2015 18:49
by OH5YU
Problem solved by using a USB to serial adapter using the FTDI chip. The one I use is StarTech.com's ICUSB232F. For those interested, the terminal emulator I use for testing PC to JUMA PA communications is PuTTY found on this web site: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/.

Thanks a million to Adrian for taking your time to give advice :D :D Now, I am looking forward to finding out how automatic band control with a KX3 transceiver will work and to using all the configuration parameters available with the 1.06 firmware version.

73, Juhani OH5YU

Re: JUMA PA100-D firmware update problem

PostPosted: 27 Aug 2015 08:22
by 5B4AIY
Hi, Juhani,
I'm glad you were able to sort out the problem. There have been several other cases where, although it has been possible to communicate with the transceiver or linear amplifier with a terminal program, that this communication was not possible using the Ingenia loader, and the problem has turned out to be the USB to RS-232 convertor chipset. I too have experienced this, but have found that both the Prolific and the FTDI chipsets have worked without a problem, and thus I would definitely recommend these.

With regard to the firmware version, I would also recommend you use the latest version, 2.0 as this uses a much more robust EEPROM checksum algorithm. As you are updating from an original version of the firmware there will be a checksum error on initial power up after loading the new firmware, and you will have to re-calibrate as the measurement system is different. Therefore, I would suggest that you use the latest firmware and save yourself the trouble of restoring your calibration and configuration settings if you do decide to update from version 1.06 to version 2.0 at a later date. There are also minor improvements to some low-level routines in this later version.

In any case, I'm glad to have been of some assistance, and I hope you like the new firmware and its features and facilities.

73, Adrian, 5B4AIY