ham radio deluxe use special cat cable for ptt

It is called virtual because much of the serial COM port functionality is achieved with software. This interface is often referred to as a Virtual Com Port (VCP) which replaced “real” DB-9 Com ports found on computers into the 1990s. It is likely it used the Silabs CP2101 or a similar device made by FTDI. You may have used an adapter with a USB connector on one side and a DB-9 9 pin serial connector on the other side. It is a bridge between USB and serial data. We will review the functions and setup of the USB UART Bridge first.Ī “Bridge” may sound complicated but all this device does is accept bi-directional USB and produces bi-directional serial data.

All three plus SignaLink use a USB/CODEC from the Ti PCM290XB family. (SignaLink does not have a serial CAT interface). Kenwood, Icom, and Yaesu use a USB UART Bridge from the SiLabs CP210X family. This is important as it shows how separate and independent they are when setup, access, and drivers are considered. If there wasn’t an internal Hub each of these devices would have a separate USB cable to the PC. They are a USB UART Bridge and an audio CODEC. There are two devices connected to the Hub inside the radio. It does not require configuration or drivers and is transparent to the user.

Just like a Hub, you might use on your desk its function is to provide multiple USB ports with only one cable from the PC or Laptop. Once the USB cable is connected to the radio the first device in the data path is a USB Hub. The good news is Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu and even SignaLink share a similar architecture, often down to the same device part numbers and software drivers. It helps to have a basic understanding of the computer interface within the radio.

A number of people have had difficulty setting up their radios using the USB interface for WSJT-X and FT-8.

Ham radio deluxe use special cat cable for ptt