USB to Serial Cable

brisk13026 · Post by **brisk13026** » Sat May 14, 2005 11:51 pm

For those of you like me who have a laptop w/o a serial port, looking for a reasonable priced solution, check this out. eBay #6767817525. Its a HP USB to serial cable that's only about 7" long, not 2+ feet like many others. I just bought one because my aging Gateway Solo 2200 is starting to circle the drain. I just tested it out with my new Dell Inspiron running Windows XP. It took only a few minutes for XP to locate a generic driver w/ selectable COM ports (very imprortant)on the internet. I have sucessfully modified programming on my TK730HG using KPG7D, and have done the same on my TK3140 using the KPG74 software. For $12.00 shipped to your door, it was worth it.

hydrashok · Post by **hydrashok** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:53 am

Thanks! Just bought two of 'em.

...just curious, how well do they work if you have to boot your system to DOS? I believe some of the KPG progs require a boot up to DOS.

I did, however, successfully program my FT-90 (Yaesu HAM) using one of the USB to Serial cables. I *THINK* I programmed some of our department's TK-380s from a dos window inside WinXP, but I can't recall?

Boomer740 · Post by **Boomer740** » Sun May 15, 2005 11:42 am

Interesting... I've had miserable results with a similar scanario using a SIIG (nine pin) USB-serial adapter and my HP Pavilion running Windoze XP. I've tried programming X30 and X90 series mobiles, the 880 mobile, and the 380 portables with this setup using factory software and cables to no good result. Sometimes the software can see the radio but locks up during uploading or downloading, other times the software can't see the radio at all.

I had assumed it was an issue with XP. Maybe it's my adapter...?

Paul

SeanS · Post by **SeanS** » Sun May 15, 2005 12:58 pm

and have done the same on my TK3140 using the KPG74 software. For $12.00 shipped to your door, it was worth it.

Nice, I tried to program my TK2140 with a Belkin USB to Serial with my new HP Laptop. It would not even autodetect the port.

Yet it works fine with both Uniden BC780 and BC246T scanners. Probably something to do with the Kenwood 25pin Serial.

Sean

Splat · Post by **Splat** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:14 pm

Boomer740, knowing HP stuff, I'd say it's probably something with the laptop. I bought one of these http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/defaul ... EDC=438481 after numerous recommendations for them. I've not had any problems so far. I recommended it to a few of my buddies and they've no problems either. You think you're special?

All I can say is check your settings, both in the BIOS and Windows.

hydrashok · Post by **hydrashok** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:33 pm

Boomer740 wrote:Interesting... I've had miserable results with a similar scanario using a SIIG (nine pin) USB-serial adapter and my HP Pavilion running Windoze XP.

I had assumed it was an issue with XP. Maybe it's my adapter...?

...I wonder, do you have to boot the PC into DOS before you can program a SIIG like you do some Kenwoods? I don't KNOW that you have to boot to DOS on any Kenwoods, but I've heard it. My chief even asked me to build him a computer using WAY old parts just for programming our TK-380s.... I think I programmed one from my laptop running WinXP, but I can't really remember?

Splat · Post by **Splat** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:37 pm

It won't work under DOS unless you have USB drivers meant to run in DOS. Go to http://www.bootdisk.com for more info.

brisk13026 · Post by **brisk13026** » Fri May 20, 2005 12:52 am

Even though it may be a no-no, I've always run my KPG software in the Windows environment. I have reprogramed my own TK730HG and 830HG several times along with some of my company's TK280's and yet to expirence a problem. Granted, the dos help files are useless, but then again are any help files really any help?

Boomer740 · Post by **Boomer740** » Fri May 20, 2005 10:19 am

Up until Windoze XP I had always run my Kenwood software in a window, and never had any trouble with it.

My HP laptop, the one I have to use the USB-to-serial adapter on, has all sorts of trouble with the Kenwood software, yet my IBM T-30 (which has a built-in db9 serial port) has no trouble at all communicating with the radios in question and up/downloading data to/from them. They both run XP O/S. I didn't have to make any special environments for the software in the T-30, I just copied the executable to the hard disk, made a shortcut, and started using it.

I don't have a problem running the software in a window in XP on my HP laptop, and the software doesn't seem to have trouble identifying the COM port on the machine (even though it's using the USB-serial adapter), my problem mostly lies in an inability to move data back and forth between the radio and the computer.

Thanks for the link, splat. I'll try and pick up one of these cards and see if the situation improves any.

Paul

Splat · Post by **Splat** » Fri May 20, 2005 11:53 am

Paul, you won't.... let's make that "shouldn't"... have any problems with the USB/Serial converter in Windows since USB runs fine in Windows. It'll run well in DOS too, as long as you have the correct DOS drivers for it. As for running your DOS s/w in a DOS emulated window, I do not and recommend others against it because I've seen what can happen. I wish you continued luck.

hydrashok · Post by **hydrashok** » Sat May 21, 2005 4:29 am

Splat wrote:because I've seen what can happen.

(in my best Crissy Snow impression) "What?"