Cannot initialize Pactor.

[Pacey16]

Hi, Can anyone help me, I am attempting to set up my new computer with my Pactor Ptc 11 pro after the demise of my original computer with no luck. I have loaded Airmail 3.5 and followed the setup wizard, setting the model of modem and ensuring the proper Com port, I have tried 2 Serial to USB adaptors thinking the original may be at fault, one strange thing is that both adaptors revert to 9600 baud rate but I recall this when I set up with my old Computer.
The Modem is hooked up properly to the Icom 802 as before with the radio powering the Modem, I have managed to update the firmware on the Modem. All lights on the Modem flash at 3 seconds intervals and the screen displays DSP READY. When I open the Terminal window there is no response from the Modem and I receive an error message on the computer which states "PTC - 11 pro initialization failed, check controller set up and try again.
I have also tried to use an old Windows 8 laptop with identical results.
I am in Rio Dulce Guatemala and do not know anyone who can help me.

[Brian.D]

When I was working with satellite systems, we followed the Rule of 4 P's - Power, Pointing, Parameters, and Parts. In this case...

The first P is valid, everything powers up.

The second P refers to pointing the dish at the satellite, but here it might involve pointing the software to the correct port.

The third P, Parameters, is the biggest. Double check to ensure that BOTH devices are set to see and talk to each other. This is probably to issue. Just verify each setting.

The fourth P is probably not an issue. So I don't think there is anything wrong with the parts. They just need to be able to talk to each other.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Pacey16

Hi, Can anyone help me, I am attempting to set up my new computer with my Pactor Ptc 11 pro after the demise of my original computer with no luck. I have loaded Airmail 3.5 and followed the setup wizard, setting the model of modem and ensuring the proper Com port, I have tried 2 Serial to USB adaptors thinking the original may be at fault, one strange thing is that both adaptors revert to 9600 baud rate but I recall this when I set up with my old Computer.
The Modem is hooked up properly to the Icom 802 as before with the radio powering the Modem, I have managed to update the firmware on the Modem. All lights on the Modem flash at 3 seconds intervals and the screen displays DSP READY. When I open the Terminal window there is no response from the Modem and I receive an error message on the computer which states "PTC - 11 pro initialization failed, check controller set up and try again.
I have also tried to use an old Windows 8 laptop with identical results.
I am in Rio Dulce Guatemala and do not know anyone who can help me.

Hi. Serial to USB adapters are an easy target as they are problematic, and the counterfeit Prolific chip protection detection in windows just stops communication. Can you lay your hands on a Keyspan USA-19HS? It's a consistent known good device.

If you look through the PTC-IIpro manual (a darn good modem by the way) you'll find the manual commands. Open a terminal window and try to communicate with the modem. Don't use terminal in Airmail - a regular operating system terminal window. I suspect that will fail based on your description but you should try.

Do you get an autospeed display after DSP ready?

[Pacey16]

Auspicious, Thanks for the info, I have downloaded the manual and will read this tonight, but no I don't get any other display after DSP READY. I will update when I try your recommendation.

[Auspicious]

Holler if that doesn't work and I'll scratch my head some more.


Check the dip switches on the back. I think all but #1 should be off. I defer to the manual.

[Dsanduril]

If the text display doesn't display " AUTOBAUD / press CR" after everything else has started up then that usually means that at some point a set baud rate has been applied. [Edit] the other option is that something else has immediately connected and sent a CR or Esc character to negotiate the baud rate[/edit].

The SERBaud command allows the PTC-IIpro to be set to a certain baud rate and to avoid the automatic baud rate recognition after switching on the PTC-IIpro. The PTCIIpro doesn’t display AUTOBAUD / press CR, but will start directly!

If that's the case you may have to re-set the terminal program (either Airmail or a direct terminal) to each of the available baud rates and walk through them until you get a connection. Could be at some point the baud rate was fixed, and if you don't know at what value the only way in is to walk through a connection attempt at each value.

For reference, the PTC II Pro can be fixed at any of the following:

2400, 3600, 4800, 7200, 9600, 12000, 14400, 16800, 19200, 28800, 38400, 57600, 76800, 115200.

[Brian.D]

Pacey16, did you ever solve the issue?

[Pacey16]

Sorry for the lapse, I had a computer engineer look at it and he was unable to solve the problem. He tells me it is stuck in a Bootloop, what scs call the light show, all the lights continue to flash every 3 or so seconds while initializing.
He tells me he managed to check the flash and the ROM and they seem to be good, the only thing he could find is that the battery is very low but he tells me that this is not the problem?
On the scs website in the FAQ they talk about the lightshow after updating the firmware (which I had done while trying to connect a few days ago, but I am sure I had the lightshow before then) They ask that you switch a dipswitch but I cant see any on my modem?
The Engineer recommended that I contact SCS myself and see what they say.
Any ideas welcome at this stage.

[AA3JY]

Farallon Electronics 415-331-1924

[Brian.D]

Wow, sorry to hear. Did you try to reinstall the new firmware? What about the license? Is it valid? I don't know, I use winlink with a signalink USB external sound card. Doesn't have all the bells and whistles your modem has.


Good luck, sir!

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by AA3JY

Farallon Electronics 415-331-1924

Clay is correct.


Gary Wood garywood@farallon.us
Farallon Electronics
55 Belvedere St.
San Rafael, CA 94901 USA
+415 331 1924 x112


Gary may have a suggestion but most likely he'll ask you to ship him the modem to look at.

[Pacey16]

I picked up a 2nd hand PCTll pro with a Keyspan serial adaptor, it is working well but the baud rate always reverts back to 9600 so I am not able to receive weather fax, all my 3 adaptors do the same?

[Auspicious]

That's a Windows problem, not the modem.

[Brian.D]

Agreed. Sounds like you still have a negotiation issue between the PC and the Modem. They cannot seem to agree on a communication speed. You might have a noisy link between the two.

I know you know this, but wanted to just mention it. Fax is analog and operates in Lines Per Minute using mark and space audio tones. This is the precursor to digital 1's and 0's. So B/s or b/s really are not the issue unless you are running 1 b/s.

[Pacey16]

Yes just a simple windows issue, thanks for the help.