I have used several different USB to serial adapters and up until this time,
have not had a problem. Currently I have Comm 1 set up to control the TNC
for APRS. Comm 2 (additional serial port via an extra serial port board
that I installed in the system) is used to control two digital mode
interfaces. Those two interfaces are connected to the same Comm 2 port
using a Y adapter (although only one radio can be used at a time). Then I
have two USB to serial adapter cables - one goes to the TenTec Jupiter and
the other to a Kenwood TS-2000 - these are used for PC control of the radios
What I have found is that I cannot control both radios at the same time.
Although the PC sees Comm 3 and 4 if both cables are connected at the same
time with both radios on, the controls programs can't seem to work at the
same time. So I can only use one radio at a time and can only plug in one
of the USB to serial adapters at a time.
I also have another system with a USB to serial adapter that connects to the
Argonaut V for rig control, and use the Comm 1 of the other system for the
PTT function for digital modes. That works fine.
The N4PY software is used on both systems to control the TenTec Argo and
Jupiter. In addition, with both systems, I have been able to load and read
the memories on the Argo and Jupiter using the USB to serial adapters
without a problem.
Having said all that, I cannot understand why the TenTec firmware updating
program will not work with the adapters. I am not a programmer, but I
suspect it is some sort of timing issue or handshaking issue that keeps the
firmware program from communicating properly with the radios.
Duffy
www.wb8nut.com
-------Original Message-------
From: tentec@contesting.com
Date: Friday, October 24, 2003 08:18:02 AM
To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] New Jupiter Software version 1.25
> I finally got it to work using a standard serial port on an XP laptop
> computer. Obviously it seems that the problem was not Win ME, but the USB
> to Serial adapter cable - which works fine with everything else in the
shack
> including control of the Jupiter. For some reason, TT's firmware update
> program does not want to work with it.
That's not suprising. I have found that those USB serial ports are not 100%
compatible with all software. I ordered one and found that it wouldn't work
with the N4PY Pegasus control software, but it did work with my rotator
control program (forget which one). I diagnosed the problem and emailed the
manufacturer. They said they were aware of the problem and sent me a
different adapter with new driver software. That solved the problem with the
Pegasus, but didn't work with the rotator control.
Bottom line, I only use the USB serial ports for PTT control. I sure wish
ham equipment would go to either USB or preferably ethernet.
Mark
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