Flex-6000 USB port to N3FJP Rig Interface

N5DUP

So I am trying to get my Flex-6400 interfaced with the computer that is running AC Log. I already have my IC-7610 interfaced to it. The USB-A to USB-A cable I have is not working. Device Manager in Windows 10 doesn’t even see it. In the Flex video on USB use on the Flex 6000 series radios Mike made a comment that a USB cable with the prolific chipset will not work and that it needed to be a FTDI cable. I did find some USB A to USB A FTDI cables but they are kind of expensive. If any of you are running a Flex 6XXX radio and AC Log rig interface with a USB to USB cable, do you mind sharing with me what brand cable you used and if it was indeed a FTDI USB-A to USB-A cable?

Thanks,

Paul - N5DUP

KD0RC

Hi Paul, you don't need a USB cable at all. ACLog will operate over the LAN. In ACLog, Settings, Rig Interface, select FlexAPI and click the Test button. It should find the radio and start showing your frequency. Click the Done button and you are good to go.

N5DUP

Worked like a hose! Once again, BIG THANKS, Len!

Paul - N5DUP

KD0RC

Glad to help!

Craig_KØCF

To expand on what Len has written, the USB ports on the back of the Flex are send only – they have no ability to receive data. They are intended to provide control to antenna switches, antenna tuners, SteppIR antenna controllers and the like.

For logging or other software that is not designed to interface to radios on the LAN, SmartSDR CAT is provided as a standard part of SmartSDR. It enables defining virtual COM ports to connect WITHOUT CABLES to many different software packages. Functions offered on these virtual COM ports include rig control, PTT operation, access to the built-in WinKey emulator, and OTRSP, a protocol for Single Operator 2 Radio configuration. You can define many ports and may have multiple rig-control ports for various support software. There is information on CAT in the User Guide, and a separate SmartSDR CAT User Guide is available for download from the FlexRadio website.

73, Craig  KØCF

N5DUP

Thank you, Craig. As a new user of the Flex-6000 series radios and the software suite for them, it’s all a little confusing. I appreciate you taking the time post that explanation. It helped me and I hope it might help others. I do now have the radios interfaced to my N3FJP software and my SPE amp and it’s working great. Thanks again.

Paul

N5DUP