RigExpert Antenna Analyzers -
Troubleshooting
Stand-alone operation
1. Problem: The analyzer comes up in
a language I cannot read. How to switch it back to English?
Resolution: Reset the analyzer to the factory defaults by pressing the following keys:
AA-200/230/230PRO/500/520: "0" "0" "2" "ok"
AA-30/54: "0" "0" "0" "2" "ok"
AA-170/600/1000: "0" "0" "0" "0" "2" "ok"
2. Problem: AA200/AA-500 does not seem to display SWR or other parameter properly.
Resolution: Please use the Meter test mode as described in the User's manual. You will find out if analyzer's RF output stage and detectors are working properly. If the analyzer is OK, inspect the antenna connector to make sure the contact is good.
See also: Replacing output amplifier chip in RigExpert AA-200/AA-500
Resolution: Reset the analyzer to the factory defaults by pressing the following keys:
AA-200/230/230PRO/500/520: "0" "0" "2" "ok"
AA-30/54: "0" "0" "0" "2" "ok"
AA-170/600/1000: "0" "0" "0" "0" "2" "ok"
2. Problem: AA200/AA-500 does not seem to display SWR or other parameter properly.
Resolution: Please use the Meter test mode as described in the User's manual. You will find out if analyzer's RF output stage and detectors are working properly. If the analyzer is OK, inspect the antenna connector to make sure the contact is good.
See also: Replacing output amplifier chip in RigExpert AA-200/AA-500
3. Problem: Keys on AA200/AA-500 seem to be mixed up.
Resolution: Please update the firmware (latest version is available in the Downloads section). After updating, the analyzer will ask for pressing the "Menu" key to set up the keypad properly. If this does not work, use a previous version of the firmware, then a newer one.
New: Firmware versions 834 and later are made in two versions for two keypad types. Using one of them should solve the problem. (After updating, these versions will not ask to press the "Menu" key.)
Computer connection
1. Problem: Windows detects "Unknown Device" when
you
connect the analyzer to the USB port.
Resolution: Check the USB cable first. Try replacing the cable, plugging it into another USB socket or another PC.
2. Problem: When you connect the analyzer to the PC, Windows detects it but can not install the driver (displaying error messages such as "Driver is not found").
Resolution: Make sure the necessary drivers are installed from the supplied CD. If the CD is lost, you may download its content from this website (please notice the instructions). Alternatively, download the latest version of VCP (Virtual COM Port) drivers from the USB chip manufacturer's website, www.ftdichip.com. You may need to re-plug the analyzer after installing the driver.
3. Problem: The supplied software (AntScope, ListRE, LCD2Clip) does not work even though the driver seems to be installed.
Resolution: Open the Device Manager and make sure that Windows correctly installed the Virtual COM port for the analyzer. Open the Ports (COM & LPT) branch, then search for USB Serial Port COMx (where x is an actual COM port number). Make sure there are no multiple COM ports with equal numbers in the system; re-assign conflicting numbers, if necessary. Additionally, check for question-marked devices under Ports (COM & LPT) and Universal Serial Bus controllers branches. If found, remove these devices and re-plug the analyzer to let Windows re-install the driver.
4. Problem: After connecting a RigExpert analyzer to the PC, the software is unable to work (no virtual COM port available so the analyzer is not detected).
Resolution: In several cases (especially in case of a "clean" installation) the driver does not create a virtual COM port (driver bug). To force the virtual COM port creation, open the Device Manager, open the USB controllers branch and double-click USB Serial Converter. At the Advanced tab, check Load VCP and press OK. Alternatively, re-install the software (latest version is available in the Downloads section of this website) to do the same programmatically. You will need to re-plug the analyzer after this procedure.
5. Problem: The ListRE program displays serial port number for the analyzer. However, the LCD2Clip does not work, saying no analyzer is connected to the PC.
Resolution: Please try re-programming the USB chip inside the analyzer. Download and run the the REFTDI program, select the device type from the list and click Program (if programming fails, click Erase first). Re-plug the analyzer after finishing. Additionally, check conflicting COM port numbers in the Device Manager, as described above.
6. Problem: The AntScope program does not work reporting "COMM Error" messages. Other programs (ListRE, LCD2Clip) work fine.
Resolution: Make sure the analyzer is in PC mode.
7. Problem: Neither AntScope nor LCD2Clip work, reporting that the COM port cannot be open. The above hints do not help.
Resolution: The specified COM port seems to be open by another program. Some programs do this silently. Fortunately, there is a way to see which program holds this COM port:
1. Download and unzip the handle.exe program.
2. Download the ListVCP.bat file into the same folder.
3. Run ListVCP.bat and watch the output:
4. Notice the exe
file name . In the example above, the program which holds the COM
port
is Hotsync.exe (marked
bold
in this example).
5. Close this program and start over with AntScope or LCD2Clip.
8. Problem: When a RigExpert analyzer is connected to an Apple Mac computer, operating system halts, or does not allow sending/receiving data to/from the analyzer.
Resolution: Re-program the USB chip's EEPROM memory with a REFTDI.EXE program from the Downloads page of our website (Windows-based PC is required for this procedure).
9. Problem: When a RigExpert analyzer is connected to an Windows-based computer, screen shots cannot be taken by the LCD2Clip program, or data memory of the analyzer cannot be read.
Resolution: Re-program the USB chip's EEPROM memory with a REFTDI.EXE program from the Downloads page of our website.
Resolution: Check the USB cable first. Try replacing the cable, plugging it into another USB socket or another PC.
2. Problem: When you connect the analyzer to the PC, Windows detects it but can not install the driver (displaying error messages such as "Driver is not found").
Resolution: Make sure the necessary drivers are installed from the supplied CD. If the CD is lost, you may download its content from this website (please notice the instructions). Alternatively, download the latest version of VCP (Virtual COM Port) drivers from the USB chip manufacturer's website, www.ftdichip.com. You may need to re-plug the analyzer after installing the driver.
3. Problem: The supplied software (AntScope, ListRE, LCD2Clip) does not work even though the driver seems to be installed.
Resolution: Open the Device Manager and make sure that Windows correctly installed the Virtual COM port for the analyzer. Open the Ports (COM & LPT) branch, then search for USB Serial Port COMx (where x is an actual COM port number). Make sure there are no multiple COM ports with equal numbers in the system; re-assign conflicting numbers, if necessary. Additionally, check for question-marked devices under Ports (COM & LPT) and Universal Serial Bus controllers branches. If found, remove these devices and re-plug the analyzer to let Windows re-install the driver.
4. Problem: After connecting a RigExpert analyzer to the PC, the software is unable to work (no virtual COM port available so the analyzer is not detected).
Resolution: In several cases (especially in case of a "clean" installation) the driver does not create a virtual COM port (driver bug). To force the virtual COM port creation, open the Device Manager, open the USB controllers branch and double-click USB Serial Converter. At the Advanced tab, check Load VCP and press OK. Alternatively, re-install the software (latest version is available in the Downloads section of this website) to do the same programmatically. You will need to re-plug the analyzer after this procedure.
5. Problem: The ListRE program displays serial port number for the analyzer. However, the LCD2Clip does not work, saying no analyzer is connected to the PC.
Resolution: Please try re-programming the USB chip inside the analyzer. Download and run the the REFTDI program, select the device type from the list and click Program (if programming fails, click Erase first). Re-plug the analyzer after finishing. Additionally, check conflicting COM port numbers in the Device Manager, as described above.
6. Problem: The AntScope program does not work reporting "COMM Error" messages. Other programs (ListRE, LCD2Clip) work fine.
Resolution: Make sure the analyzer is in PC mode.
7. Problem: Neither AntScope nor LCD2Clip work, reporting that the COM port cannot be open. The above hints do not help.
Resolution: The specified COM port seems to be open by another program. Some programs do this silently. Fortunately, there is a way to see which program holds this COM port:
1. Download and unzip the handle.exe program.
2. Download the ListVCP.bat file into the same folder.
3. Run ListVCP.bat and watch the output:
C:\TOOLS>handle -a VCP Handle v3.02 Copyright (C) 1997-2005 Mark Russinovich Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com Hotsync.exe pid: 404 194: \Device\VCP1 C:\TOOLS>pause Press any key to continue. . . |
5. Close this program and start over with AntScope or LCD2Clip.
8. Problem: When a RigExpert analyzer is connected to an Apple Mac computer, operating system halts, or does not allow sending/receiving data to/from the analyzer.
Resolution: Re-program the USB chip's EEPROM memory with a REFTDI.EXE program from the Downloads page of our website (Windows-based PC is required for this procedure).
9. Problem: When a RigExpert analyzer is connected to an Windows-based computer, screen shots cannot be taken by the LCD2Clip program, or data memory of the analyzer cannot be read.
Resolution: Re-program the USB chip's EEPROM memory with a REFTDI.EXE program from the Downloads page of our website.