[Elecraft] Announcing the new Serial Box USB with built-in FTDI USB-to-Serial adapter

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

"The Serial Box" (S-BOX) is intended to be the "Swiss Army Knife" of
interface boxes, with many possible configurations and uses, for both
Elecraft and non-Elecraft gear alike.

The S-BOX is now available in a new model, the Serial Box USB (S-BOX-USB),
which has a genuine FTDI USB-to-Serial adapter built in, providing a single
virtual serial port.

See https://bit.ly/S-BOX for new photos, details, and pricing.  A
compatible USB cable is included with every new S-BOX-USB ordered.

The original S-BOX remains in production and may be ordered instead, if you
already have an FTDI USB-to-Serial adapter, or enough real serial ports
available for rig control and keying.

To review, both models eliminate serial Y-cable confusion and complexity.
They make it particularly easy to connect any modern transceiver to *both* your
computer *and* an Elecraft / SPE  / ACOM amplifier *and* a SteppIR
controller / KRC2 / ShackMaster SM-8, all at the same time, with automatic
band changes for all connected devices, and no serial port "collisions."

Both the S-BOX and S-BOX-USB can be used to connect a PC or MAC to the KX2,
KX3, K3, or K3S.  They also can be used to connect the KPA500 and KPA1500
to a KX2, KX3, and most non-Elecraft transceivers, with automatic band
switching.  KUSB, KXSER, KXUSB, or KX2ACBL?  Not really needed if you have
an S-BOX.  Economical phono and standard serial cables can do it all, no
soldering required.

The four open-collector keying circuits inside the S-BOX provide
computer-generated CW, FSK, and PTT keying to one or two transceivers, with
good timing, even when using a USB connection (if FTDI, not Prolific).
This works with any transceiver, including the KX2 and KX3, which do not
provide internal CW keying circuits like the K3 and K3S.

Finally, RemoteHams software users are finding it especially convenient to
use the S-BOX to remotely power up a K3 and amplifier, using the "Use RTS
as Power" feature built-in to the RemoteHams RCForb
<http://download.remotehams.com/> software -- RemoteRig hardware is *not*
 required.

For the latest eHam.net reviews of the S-BOX, see:

https://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/13971

Thanks for your support.

73,
Bob, N6TV
https://bit.ly/S-BOX
https://bit.ly/Y-BOX