[FADCA] USB to Com Port

[Chuck Hast]

On 9/7/06, Ray Cook <WD4SEN at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> I am getting ready to put up some FPAC switches here in Clay county, I have
> a computer with two USB ports and a card with 4 more USB ports.
>
> I need to find some adapters that go from USB to com port.
>
> I know there are several brands out there, and I have been told some do not
> work well..so I am relying on your experiences for choices of brands.
>
> IF you have a source for these adaptors I would appreciate that information
> too..
>

I am running a cheap $9 one, it is considered non-standard because it does
not support the rs-232 control lines, but under kiss or 6pack those lines do
not appear to be a issue since the system is sending packets to the TNC,
in the case of polled kiss or 6pack if the TNC can not accept a packet because
it is full or busy, it rejects the packet until it is ready for it so
it has it's own
internal flow control. As far as I can see from the kiss protocol there is no
control line support in the kiss code so even if they worked it does not appear
that they would be used. There was the ability to use the CD line in kiss to
signal to the kiss driver that the channel was busy but I was never able to
get it to work in a satisfactory way. 6pack took care of all that as
it does it's
own handling with control packets between the 6pack device and the computer.

Hey, if the cheap one does not make you happy try the next one up... This
is ham radio, we gotta have fun, even with something as mundane as a
USB device!!! I have gone through several layers of exchanges before I got
what I was looking for, I used to feel guilty about doing exchanges but some-
where along the way I lost it... I guess I learned from my wife who is
a fearless
exchanger/returner...

-- 
Chuck Hast  -- KP4DJT --
To paraphrase my flight instructor;
"the only dumb question is the one you DID NOT ask resulting in my going
out and having to identify your bits and pieces in the midst of torn
and twisted metal."