[WriteLog] USB / Serial converters

[Don Hill AA5AU]

Hi Dallas!

I started to reply privately but decided others might benefit from my
experiences.

I don't think the F5U109 will do FSK.

Instead of using USB serial adapters for two radios (you would be 3-6 adapters
maybe depending on your application), I strongly suggest looking at other
options.

For a single radio application, if you want to use USB, I would suggest looking
at the Microham USB microKEYER.

For two radios, I would suggest adding a 4 or 8-port 32-bit PCI serial card if
you have an open PCI slot in the PC.  I added a Byterunner PCI-400HS-9 card in
my Dell 4600 with the spider cable  and it works great.  Actually, I first added
a Byterunner PCI-200H (or might have been the L model) and that gave me 3 COM
ports (there was one COM port already in the PC).  I decided I wanted more COM
ports so I installed the PCI-400HS-9 in the slot next to the PCI-200 and now I
have seven COM ports (COM 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 & 10).  Installation of the
Byterunner cards was very easy once I figured out I had to run the "Add new
hardware" routine for each port.

In other words, if you install the 4 port board, XP will recognize the new
hardware and prompt you to run the new hardware wizard.  When finished, only one
COM port is installed.  Restart the PC and it prompts you to run the new
hardware wizard again.  Run it again and the 2nd COM port is installed.  Do this
for each port on the board.

I have owned several Byterunner serial boards going back to the days of ISA
slots and I have always been 110% satisfied with them.  The great thing about
the Byterunner boards is that all the COM ports on the board share the same IRQ
but can still be used at the same time (this is not as important with XP as it
is with Win98).

If I had it all to do again, I would purchase the Byterunner PCI-800H-CB which
gives you 8 ports and a nice break-out box for your connections.  At $192, it
appears to be a good deal.  The other boards I've mentioned are considerably
more inexpensive.

http://www.byterunner.com for Byterunner

http://www.microham.com for the USB micro Keyer.

I've tested the micro Keyer and it's a nice unit but I think you would need two
for SO2R.  My findings at http:/rttycontesting.com/microham/mk.htm

Dallas, give me a call on the phone if you need additional information.  Maybe
one of these days I'll make a club meeting.

73, Don AA5AU

-----Original Message-----
From: writelog-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:writelog-bounces at contesting.com]
On Behalf Of K1DW at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 12:49 PM
To: writelog at contesting.com
Subject: [WriteLog] USB / Serial converters

 
Am trying to interface CW, RTTY, PTT and Radio Control using Writelog (version
10.36G) in a SO2R configuration.  My computer is a Dell 4500 running XP with
only two USB ports.  Right now I am just trying to get one  USB working with a
CW, PTT and RTTY interface. Then will expand to other  features.  I built the
AA5AU serial  interface and am trying to get it working with one USB / Serial
port converter  (BELKIN F5U109).  I want to use FSK  rather than ASFK for many
reasons with PTT and CW with the PTT feature.  
1)      How do I configure the Setup in Writelog for using  USB / serial 
converter? 
2)      In the future can I use a USB 1 to 4 expander to  create additional 
USB accessible ports with the appropriate USB to serial  converters? 
3)      Will the expander control two radios (frequency /  band) and two USB 
/ serial port converts to operate two CW, RTTY and PTT  interface? 
4)      Is this overall plan feasible or over ambitious?  
Dallas  K1DW at aol.com
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