[Ham-Mac] radio programming from Parallels

[Wendell Wyly - W5FL]

I Installed Parallels Desktop RC3 running XP Pro on an Imac20 (Intel  
dual proc) today.  It is a nice improvement over their November 2006  
release version sold by the local Apple retail store, and includes a  
concurrence mode that puts the XP windows directly on the mac  
desktop.  This allows them to be resized and overlaid just as though  
they were a mac application.  I hope to run DX4Win logging software  
and WriteLog for contesting soft ware on the mac.  There are also  
several improvements to the usb ports operation in the RC3 version.

I was just starting to order a quad version of the Keyspan usb-19s  
but now wonder if the quad Prolific or FTDI usb to serial converters  
might be ok as they are less expensive and I need them for both os X  
and XP applications.  I was considering using the microHam MICROKEYER 
(built in usb to serial ports). This paired with a USBGEAR USBG-X4S  
External soundcard that has Line IN, Line OUT, and Mike IN powered by  
usb port to get full cw, ssb, and digital modes with voice recording,  
keyer and memories on the imac.  This seems to work better than using  
a remote desktop to a PC to run the windows amateur radio applications.

Hal, do you or anyone have any comments on this configuration,  
particularly on the best type of usb to serial converters or the  
external sound card approach?  I have only had the imac for a couple  
of weeks, so appreciate any suggestions or ideas from those with a  
lot more experience.  Serial Ports also needed for Davis  
WeatherStation, Magellan GPS, and other similar applications.  I was  
using six serial ports on the old hot windows box.


On Feb 25, 2007, at 8:43 PM, Hal Mueller wrote:

> Last night I successfully used BuTel's ARC396 (for Uniden scanner),  
> FTB1050 (for Yaesu VX-150), and VX-7 Commander (for Yaesu VX-7)  
> from Parallels (running XP Pro) on a MacBook Pro with a Belkin  
> F5U103 serial-USB converter.
>
> First, I tried to use a Keyspan USA-19HS.  The problem is that  
> Keyspan Mac drivers take over all Keyspan