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Flex 6500, FTDI CABLE, NULL CABLE, SteppIR SDA 100 Loses Communication

Erika - KØDD
Erika - KØDD Member ✭✭✭
edited October 2024 in Peripherals & Station Integration

Hi ALL. I have a 6500 on v3.8.19 two real FTDI Cables out of digikey. One FTDI BCD goes to my current coax switch controller a EA4TX Remote Box. it always works no matter which USB port it is connected to.
The other is a new cable. with a homemade db9 to db9 swapped 2 to 3, 3 to 2, gnd 5. Pins 7 to 9 jumpered on the SDA 100 side.
From a cold start on the radio. I have to unplug the FTDI cable from the USB port on the 6500 and plug it back in. It starts talking and the controller takes off tuning. Antenna not connected.
I've tried pulling the cable off my home brew null modem adaptor nothing works until pulling radio and back on. Anybody have an idea? Defective FTDI cable? K0DD

Answers

  • David Decoons, wo2x
    David Decoons, wo2x Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    hi Erika,

    The Hawaii remote station is using the original SDA100 controller. We’re using a USB to serial FTDI cable with a SteppIR S12 cable connected to Data In port on controller.

    Here is the USB cable interface guide

    https://www.flexradio.com/documentation/usb-cable-interface-guide-pdf/


    check out page 12.

    73 Dave wo2x

  • David Decoons, wo2x
    David Decoons, wo2x Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    Alternately by using a null modem adapter also, Wei have moved the SDA100 controller to the Node Red Pi. This allows control and monitoring of the antenna from any web browser, making remote operation easy.

    73 Dave wo2x

  • Erika - KØDD
    Erika - KØDD Member ✭✭✭

    Hi Dave, Thank You for your care. I had previously downloaded the SDR interface guide and had bought the USB FTDI cable from Digi-Key. I had built a null modem adaptor with the info you had provided for somebody else. I did go through the page 12 info again, and was also looking at the page 11 station setup… Noticed that it showed using Powered USB hubs. One of my inner circle of friends had also mentioned using a USB powered hub. BUT it should stay working without the hub. I already have one here in my goodies box, took it out and with it in the system the cold boot drop out issue went away. It is solidly working now. OK that's weird. I started up and shut down the system several times test last evening and today Everything seems good. Thank You. Erika DD

  • David Decoons, wo2x
    David Decoons, wo2x Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    glad it is working. Strange about needing powered hub.

    73 Dave wo2x

  • Erika - KØDD
    Erika - KØDD Member ✭✭✭
    edited October 2024

    So was the unplug and plug it back in without the hub to get the ftdi cable to be recognized after shut down. Makes me wonder if that cord is defective.

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