Re: [Flexradio] Looking for help on interface between 5K and SteppIR control
Larry,I bought a cable from SteppIR. After looking at its connections, I cut the ends off, soldered on two new ends, and was satisfied. This indicates my prior level of satisfaction with my purchase of the SteppIR cable. I second the use of DDutil. Besides just following the band and frequency like the connection to PowerSDR without using DDutil, DDu adds control of all of SDA100's features except on and off. It adds the transmit inhibited function in software, rather than having to buy an additional SDA100 card for about $70. Once you learn DDu's functionality, you can also control many of your rotor(s), amp(s), logging program(s), digital mode program(s), and other shack items., and you can even do it remotely. Without DDu, you can only receive radio control commands from one source, and you'd need a Y cable to send it to another source. Y cables are ugly, nasty things. DDu is incredibly well supported, and free. If you have any soldering ability ( I do not, but I did it anyway) the connections for a null modem cable in this useage are pin 2 on end #1 to pin 3 on the other end, and pin 3 on end number 1 to 3 on the other end. Pins 5 and 5 are also connected. You do not jumper pins 7 and 9 on one end in this application. The cable when not using DDU may be different. With this null cable and DDu, you plug the cable into the bottom DD9 plug on the back of the SDA 100. (If you were to go direct without DDU, you'd plug into the top connector)_ The downside is that DDu adds another level of complexity to the already steep learning curve of switching to the PowerSDR ergonomics. If I may be so bold, why not manually control the SteppIR while you learn PSDR, the new SteppIR, VSP manager, VAC, and all the other things that can be seamlessly integrated into the Flex' operation? DDu has an excellent Yahoo group, like Flex. Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 21:51:00 -0400 From: la...@w8lig.com To: flexradio@flex-radio.biz Subject: [Flexradio] Looking for help on interface between 5K and SteppIR control At Dayton I purchased the DB18E SteppIR antenna and the SDA100 control panel. During the purchase I was asked about the interface cable between the 5000A or PSDR and the SDA100. Of course not having any chance to use the new radio I was not equipped to answer that and SteppIR was not sure either. So after the purchase I walked over to the Flex booth and discussed with people there. It was difficult to obtain an answer as there were tons of people all trying to get a look at the new radio or discuss something about their radio. I'm looking for someone to point me in the right direction. I took from the conversation at Dayton that I may only need a serial cable to the computer and DDUtil to accomplish this. I would hope someone on this forum has gone down this path and may be willing to assist this newbe. -- Larry W8LIG ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/ ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
[Flexradio] Looking for help on interface between 5K and SteppIR control
At Dayton I purchased the DB18E SteppIR antenna and the SDA100 control panel. During the purchase I was asked about the interface cable between the 5000A or PSDR and the SDA100. Of course not having any chance to use the new radio I was not equipped to answer that and SteppIR was not sure either. So after the purchase I walked over to the Flex booth and discussed with people there. It was difficult to obtain an answer as there were tons of people all trying to get a look at the new radio or discuss something about their radio. I'm looking for someone to point me in the right direction. I took from the conversation at Dayton that I may only need a serial cable to the computer and DDUtil to accomplish this. I would hope someone on this forum has gone down this path and may be willing to assist this newbe. -- Larry W8LIG ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] Looking for help on interface between 5K and SteppIR control
Larry You really only need a 3 wire null modem cable to go between the Computer and the Steppir box. Then, in the Steppir controller, indicate you are using a Kenwood rig and set the speed to whatever you use for that port. Then, the problem is to send the CAT information from PowerSDR to the serial port that you will be connecting the null modem cable to. There are several solutions. The most common is to use DDUtil which is a utility that can connect to PowerSdR and do amazing things with the CAT info. Second idea is to use Virtual Serial Port Emulator, a program from Eterlogic and copy the output from the CAT port to the physical port you have connected the null modem cable to. I am sure there are other ways to bridge the output from PowerSDR to the serial port (an easy one is just to assign that as your CAT output port).' All this sounds much more complicated than it really is! I believe you can buy a null modem cable from Steppi's website that will work, I have a customer who did that and it worked fine. 73 Neal -Original Message- From: flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz [mailto:flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz] On Behalf Of Larry Bryan Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2012 9:51 PM To: flexradio@flex-radio.biz Subject: [Flexradio] Looking for help on interface between 5K and SteppIR control At Dayton I purchased the DB18E SteppIR antenna and the SDA100 control panel. During the purchase I was asked about the interface cable between the 5000A or PSDR and the SDA100. Of course not having any chance to use the new radio I was not equipped to answer that and SteppIR was not sure either. So after the purchase I walked over to the Flex booth and discussed with people there. It was difficult to obtain an answer as there were tons of people all trying to get a look at the new radio or discuss something about their radio. I'm looking for someone to point me in the right direction. I took from the conversation at Dayton that I may only need a serial cable to the computer and DDUtil to accomplish this. I would hope someone on this forum has gone down this path and may be willing to assist this newbe. -- Larry W8LIG ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/ ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
