[Yaesu] Controll external equipment with a FT-8900.

[Anders Janis]

Have just ordered a FT-8900. I wonder if anyone have tried using the 
packet connector to activate other equipment?

Do the "ground-to-TX-pin" in the packet connector stay hi even when the 
PTT is pushed? If yes, how much current drawn from the "ground-to-TX-
pin" to ground is needed to shift the radio into TX?

The thing I want to do is to use the voltage in the "ground-to-TX-pin" 
to drive a hi ohmic amp (without using so much current that the radio 
goes into TX) to switch on other equipment as GPS, modems or a PA.

The system must be fully atomatic. If I controll the extras with a 
switch, I will sooner och later forget it switched on and drain the 
battery. If this is possible it would be so neat!

It's a bit sad that thy haven put a ACC-connector on the ft-8900 with 
on-off info, main band data and so on. Would have improved the 
flexibility a lot I think. 

What do you think? If not, any other ideas? 

/Anders