As far as I know (the info is in the manual), you can only write the QCX hex file to a 328P chip that was prepared for the QCX by the author of the software (Hans, QRPLab). You cannot write the hex file to a brand new chip. Neverheless you should still be able to connect your ISP to the 328P of the QCX. I tried tried just for curiousity with an old U3S 328P: You will be able to write the hex file, it will verify, but when you start up the QCX with the hex file that you transferred to the brand new chip, you will get a message?? on the QWCX display that you must have to use a proper QCX control chip to upgrade the software. Your problems seem to have little to do with the QCX itself, but with the ISP software and the connection to the QCX board. However I am no specialist of microcontroller handling and can be wrong, but I know there are fancy things like fuse bits and stuff of that kind that has to be set right first before you can try to laod new firmware. I am almost sure you know that yourself.
73 Klaus
DL2QB / WN2Z
Klaus Beckers