Port

Connect your P3 via a 9-pin straight-through serial (RS-232) cable to your computer.

If your computer does not have an available serial port, you may use a USB to Serial Adapter such as the Elecraft KUSB.

Port tab image

COM Port

Choose the Computer serial port that is connected to your P3. Click the down arrow to show the list of available ports and then select the port you have connected to your P3.

Refresh Port List

Click to update the list of available ports, which may be helpful if you plug in a USB to Serial Adapter after the program has started.

Test Communications

Reopens the serial port and verifies that the P3 Utility can communicate with your P3 and determine its RS-232 speed.

If you change the RS-232 speed using the P3 front panel use this button to allow the P3 Utility to discover the new speed.

If the P3 is turned on and has an illumnated front-panel LCD screen, it should respond to Test Communications with an "Information" dialog indicating that your P3 is running the "Main" program.

If your P3 is in its "Boot Loader" state, it should respond to Test Communications with a "Warning" dialog indicating that the P3 is in its boot loader.

A P3 in its boot loader, modems, null modem cables, and defective serial cables can echo whatever is sent to them. The P3 Utility cannot tell what device is attached without sending a block of firmware. If firmware load fails on the first block, it is very likely that the communications cable is not correctly attached to your P3, the cable is defective, or the wrong serial port has been chosen.