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USB FTDI cable/null modem to SteppIR not talking

N8FNR
N8FNR Member ✭✭

Answers

  • KENT HUFFORD
    KENT HUFFORD Member ✭✭
    edited June 2020
    What did you do with pin 3?
  • N8FNR
    N8FNR Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Not doing anything with pin 3. The instructions I found here were for only pins 2 - 2, 5 -5 and 7 - 9. https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/usb-cables-with-old-steppir-controller
  • KENT HUFFORD
    KENT HUFFORD Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
  • KENT HUFFORD
    KENT HUFFORD Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
  • N8FNR
    N8FNR Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
    I will give that a try. Thanks!
  • Frank  WA3NHK
    Frank WA3NHK Member
    edited August 2018
  • Henning - DL6DH
    Henning - DL6DH Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Hi, you just need the pins 2, 3 and 5. Do not care about the rest, they will come into the game when using Flow control. I do not know any modern serial device needing hardware flow control any more... 73 Henning
  • N8FNR
    N8FNR Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Tried the above 2-3, 2-3, 5-5 and 7-9 on the controller side. Still no communication (sigh).
  • Jon_KF2E
    Jon_KF2E Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Try plugging it into the data out port on the steppir.
  • N8FNR
    N8FNR Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
  • Frank  WA3NHK
    Frank WA3NHK Member
    edited August 2018
    Zack....you said you connected 7 & 9 together on the "controller" side.  Do the same on the connector facing the radio as well.  Also make double sure that your bit rate and parity config are consistent.
  • Geoff AB6BT
    Geoff AB6BT Member ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Just curious...why would you connect RTS to RI?
  • Frank  WA3NHK
    Frank WA3NHK Member
    edited August 2018
    Actually, I had a minor brain burp.  Pins 7 and 9 need to be made common on the steppir controller connector only.  They can remain unconnected at the radio end of the serial cable.  The steppir controller uses them for some sort of TTL-level pass-thru. within the connector  Not entirely sure why, but it's mentioned in a flex PDF regarding the different USB cable options.
  • WD4EGF
    WD4EGF Member ✭✭
    edited August 2018
    The USB Cable manual mentions crossing pins 2 and 3... 2/3 on this end go to 3/2 on that end, as well as the 7/9 connection at the Steppir end.  5 to 5 for ground too, though the manual doesn't say that explicitly.  Looks like the CAT command comes from the Ant Controller, requesting the freq as per the source you setup in the radio, so the serial cable has to have both send and receive circuits in place.

    Good Luck, Don
  • Frank  WA3NHK
    Frank WA3NHK Member
    edited December 2018

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