Jeff, I admire your persistance. I think what has raised the ire of many of us is that you have steadfastly refused to take our advice. What your trying to do is relatively straightforward, but you have made it infinitely harder for yourself by ignoring some basic principles. Firstly, there's plenty of existing code that works available on the web for doing your serial comms - get the basics working first. Then you can build on this. Whenever I'm trying a new microprocessor, the first thing I normally do is get it to flash a led and send stuff out the serial port. If I can't get that happening, then its worthless to continue. I then procede a task at a time, if I have a lcd, then I get the lcd operating. Once I have my basics operating, then I start to knit everything together. If something doesn't work, I take a step backwards and look to resolve it. If I get stuck with a problem at least I have narrowed it down.

Your example of getting a jet engine to work - jet engines are fundamentaly simple. Air goes in one end, some fuel is burnt and the hot stuff comes out the other end. I would liken your micro efforts to trying to fire the combustor without getting the oil pressure happening. I'm sure you know that having no oil pressure is certain death to the jet engine (as it is to most engines). My point here is concentrate on the fundamental issues, then look at the greater picture. You'll find your efforts will converge much faster. For a while I didn't understand the operation of the combustor in a jet engine until I read the the air is moving faster than the flame can burn, therefore you have to slow down part of the air flow for it to burn and heat the majority of the air flow. Imagine if I tried making a combustor without that fundamental knowlege. I could have persisted for years. If you're not converging in on the problem, then stop, have a read and try something new.

I won't wish you luck in your endeavours as no luck is involved - more like good judgement. As for trying 16bit PWM, the numbers may sound good, but the reality might bite you! Theres no magic involved in this stuff, especially if you understand how it works.