Control End ways to talk to the radio (CAT)

[K9TM]

I tried to search for this with no luck, so if this has come up before my apologies and please point me to the previous post.

It seems that the common method to have software at the control end talk to the radio is using COM2 (RS232).

It appears that if USB is used at the control end a virtual COM port is created which can allow this to occur over USB at least as far as the control point CPU is concerned.

Is there a way to use ethernet at the control end to talk to the radio (instead of RS232 or USB virtual COM)?

It shouldn't matter but I figure someone's going to ask: radio is Kenwood; PC for control is Mac; software is by me.
Yes I can have a USB to RS232 dongle and plug that into COM2 but if I don't have to mess with that why over complicate things.
My understanding is that Microbit only has virtual com port drivers for MS-Windoze.

Thanks & 73, Tim K9TM

[dj0qn]

Hi Tim,

No, you can not use ethernet to control a radio using an RRC. You can use either the COM2 serial port, or the built-in USB virtual port. A separate USB to serial converter is not necessary.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[K9TM]

<DJ0QN>A separate USB to serial converter is not necessary.

My computer does not have RS232 ports.
Microbit does not offer USB drivers for Mac.

How do I connect a Mac to the RRC without a USB to serial dongle???

Perhaps Microbit uses FTDI chipset and I can use their driver or you know some other method?

73, Tim K9TM

[dj0qn]

Sorry, I didn't know you were using a Mac, I missed that before answering on my phone. To see if the chipset
is support on the Mac, you can just plug it in and see what happens. However, I think the Microbit guys wrote
before that the Mac is not supported.

Then I guess you need a USB to serial converter and I also recommend one with a FTDI chip.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[K9TM]

No worries Mitch thanks for the reply... I only use FTDI based USB<->RS232 dongles and have a few on the shelf.  I already pulled one down from the shelf and have my Mac talking to my radio by this method but always trying to optimize the setup and would prefer not to have to use the dongle.

73, Tim K9TM

[roland]

Mac is not supported.