[RSM] Serial Port Testing Question

[Jessy Blanchette]

Hi Jack, Happy New Year!

I would try using a free program like Putty
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/ and manually talk with
the rig directly via the serial port.    Double check the rig settings that
the baud rate, stop bits and parity are all correct.

In the session if you type "IF;"<enter> the rig should respond with a long
message with the encoded state of the rig, "FA;"<enter> should return the
VFO A information (FA00014250000;).  Elecraft copied uses the same plain
command style (so this also works for the K3 folks)

Not sure if the Kenwood can do it, but on the K3 you can set up the rig to
auto report the state of the rig (IF;) every second from the config menus.
 Using putty you would see this like a heartbeat,  and if the output is all
garbage looking it's likely a mismatch of baud rate etc.

Hope that might help with your diagnosis.

73 Jessy :)



On Sun, 25 Jan 2026 at 12:59, Jack Parker <vhfplus at gmail.com> wrote:

> I hope this is not too far off topic but Shelley and I would like to get
> back on for some contests (RTTY/CW focus) so thought we would ask.
>
> Can anyone suggest a means of testing whether a serial comm port on a
> rig is functional? In my case it is a Kenwood TS-570D with a male DB9
> connector on the rear panel. I have a USB/RS232 adapter (no, not an
> FTDI) that is recognized by all our computers but will not talk to the
> rig with either N1MM Logger+ or N3FJP's ACLog. My test bench is
> non-existent, save for a hand held DMM.
>
> Unless a command string can be generate manually, I am pessimistic any
> solution is possible. Any suggestions are appreciated, even if they lead
> to a negative result.
>
> --
> 73, Jack, VA4JP/K0JP
> Steinbach, MB
>
>
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