ADF4350 PLL register programming

anyone have experience with this chip. Programming the registers is pretty wonky...
have to go much slower than data sheet, double and triple load the 5 registers, etc. sometimes program R1 alone, the reprogram all 5 registers before they "take". wondering if I have a bad batch of boards, or it is just a non-standard SPI implementation?

waveforms look excellent on a scope.

Saw some odd discussion on another board that maybe the chip is loading data on the falling edge of clock, not the rising edge? Odd that the ADF435x usb software causes a non 50% duty cycle clock, so there is both a rising and falling edge of clock in each data bit. (i.e. non-standard spi implementation)

used ADF435x software AND our own microchip software, getting nowhere. Neither work. Customer is hopping mad.

Using the ADI supplied EVAL-4350EB1Z evaluation boards. 3 eval boards not working.

analog devices PLL chip.

starting to make sum progress. Our S/W is now working, was making a mistake calculating MOD. and the data IS loading on the rising edge of clock, we use 50% duty cycle clock.

Still have trouble with the vendor supplied ADF435x software. on start up, have to manually program R1 register, before I can program "all registers", then it wakes up.