[TenTec] Why Ethernet?

[AC5E at aol.com]

Well, I agree about Ethernet for networked computers. My sales and order 
fulfillment system at work has 21 workstations, and two servers. The inventory 
system has its own server and five workstations.  And as CEO,CFO, and tech wonk I 
have to keep all that up. Even when the pickers insist on deleting inventory! 
 But.....

Sooner rather than later someone is going to cut costs and put a <$5.00 USB 
interface in place of the RS232 port on rotor controllers. And the next 
generation of auto-tune amps. And the next generation of all the other computer 
controlled shack accessories. Because the USB port is cheaper to build in than the 
legacy serial port; because it will take less effort to convert programs to 
use USB or Firewire than Ethernet;  and because nearly every computer built in 
the last three years has either or both USB and Firewire. While an increasing 
percentage have no "legacy" serial or printer ports at all. 

To further complicate life many if not most modems already have a singe 
ethernet port built in. But most of us want to use the shack computer  for internet 
access. Meaning at least one more card  -  or a separate router.  Meaning one 
more piece of equipment taking up space I have dedicated to something else, 
and a whole bunch more cables to try to keep sorted in the restricted space in 
back of the equipment.  Or give it up and go to thin Ethernet - I don't think! 


A single daisy chained USB line could serve the rig, amp, antenna tuner, 
keyer, and whatever else you might have hooked to your computer. And do it with 
short branch cableing.  So a USB port would currently be more useful to "Joe 
Average Hamm" than an RS232 port if the rig and accessory manufacturers 
modernized their equipment. Something that's going to happen fairly quickly the way 
'232 driver chips are disappearing from the catalogs. 

Since USB/RS232 adapters are still fairly common and fairly cheap the 
transition to the newer mode  would be much easier, allowing a mix of  USB, or 
Firewire, and "Legacy" RS232 equipment.  Without obsoleting the equipment we already 
have, or requiring a major upgrade of most late model computers. 

On the rig side - RS232 seems to do an adequate job of doing what needs to be 
done. The alternatives might do it faster - but how much faster do you need 
to update the frequency on your rig?  Or change bands remotely?  '232 works at 
57 kbytes or some such - and I saw a demonstration of Firewire carrying 
streaming video.  

I did some looking and I don't find RS232 to Ethernet adapters. I suppose 
someone makes an adapter of some sort, as there are plenty of  stand alone print 
servers. I failed to locate any - but I didn't have time to look through all 
33,000 odd hits, either.  But they must be fairly rare if even a casual scan 
failed to turn up any. 

That means converting the shack from what I have to Ethernet would be an 
expensive proposition.  I would have to consider the situation very carefully 
before I placed an order for an Ethernet enabled rig - and not much thought at all 
to placing an order for a Firewire or USB ported rig. 

Of course, it appears the ideal solution would be to do both. Spend the extra 
three bucks or whatever and add both USB and Ethernet to the next generation 
high end rigs. You can have your cake and eat it too. 

73  Pete Allen  aC5E