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Old 10-05-2008, 12:52 PM   #6
N7OQ
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Yuba City, Ca
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wa8yxm View Post
The RS-232 kit sounds interesting.. I've used a few RS-232 adapters over the years, even tested one (Beta test) which I gave a very negative review (it was a 3-line, the task it was marketed for needed a 10 line interface).

I'm not all that happy with3.3volt kits though as they don't always work.. I have a pair of "prolific" adapters (That's the chip set name) that work for some things, not for others.

I have two more (not a pair) that work for EVERYTHING One is a Belkin Don't know the other.. The Belking interfaces with my TS-2000 normally (As does one prolific but only for T/R control via a home made opto-isolator interface)
Well this uses a ft232r chip that was featured in a QST article for a cheap USB radio interface and I found this one already on a break out board and at a very cheap price and all the hard work is already done. If you want 5volt level no problem you can change a jumper. There is already several people who are selling USB radio interfaces using this chip at more than double the price. Now to use it as a rs232 port you would have to add a line level converter like a MAX232.

Now if the Radio industry would get with the times and start selling radios that use USB instead of RS232 than that would be much better. The Telescope industry is the same way, I just bought a new state of the art LX200R GPS telescope and what does it have but two rs232 ports.
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