[TenTec] Argonaut V CAT interfacing

[Bob Towers]

Steve,

Many thanks for your help... My comments are appended to yours:

On 18/06/2006 at 13:03 n8kom at wowway.com wrote:

>Hi Bob,
>
>For CAT interface - serial communications between the Argo V and the PC - it is simply a 9-pin RS-232 cable, the same used for most all RS-232 serial computer devices. - No special cable or box is needed.  

There are two 9-pin configurations possible:

a) TxD-TxD and RxD-RxD (pins 2-2 and 3-3)
b) TxD-RxD and RxD-TxD (pins 2-3 and 3-2), the null-modem setup

additionally there is loopback handshaking, RTS connected to CTS. I know that the Argo V doesn't have handshaking, but unless RTS and CTS are high, the COM port won't send. In MixW, I can set RTS and CTS as always on, which should do the trick.

I still don't know which of (a) or (b) is correct for the Argo V. I would normally expect (b) because the communication is two-way. However, my K2 uses configuration (a), which Elecraft say is special for the K2. I've interfaced other rigs and they used configuration (b).

>MixW (I think) allows the ArgoV to be selected from the setup menu for CAT control of frequency, mode, and PTT. 

It does. PTT can be switched via the RTS line or via software. Via software saves a wire.

>The audio interface cable (that Ten Tec sells for the Argo V) is simply a 5 pin DIN connector that breaks out to RCA jacks for the audio in, audio out, and PTT.  

Yes, I've done that already and it works fine. Audio out is 1 volt(!) so I've put a pot. in the line to get it down to manageable levels.

73

Bob
2M0KDZ