6i25 encoder not working right.

Hey folks. Im working on getting an MPG and other IO going on my ethercat setup, using the 6i25. Ive got the MPG switches selecting axis and x1 x10 x100 correctly. (thanks to this site  wapl.es/cnc/2020/02/23/linuxcnc-jog-wheel-setup.html/  ) and my encoder B phase seems to work according to the hal meter. i cant get any action out of the A. I then switched the settings to use the other DB25 and the same behavior is there. only the B encoder input is doing anything. I ohmed my wiring all the way back to the mesa itself and its good. I can get the B inputs to trigger as expected with a direct jumper between ground and pin 12 of each db25 but even a jumper between ground and pin 11 wont kick A on either DB25. I starting to wonder if theres a mismatch between the pinout and the firmware or something. im using prob_rfx2. Any clues would be great. 

edit... im a nitwhit and was not flashing the firmware into the mesa. it had who knows what firmware from the factory. now im jogging XYZ no worries. trying to add A and B axis.