Hi Gary,
Yes the USB to serial adapters work, but they are not all equal. I have found the ones with the FTDI chip and drivers to be the most reliable. In my computer upgrade I installed a USB to serial port and also got a PCI to dual serial port card (very cost effective).
The new computer came with no serial ports, but I am using three serial ports for digital work. First one for 9600 bps modem to WiSP software. Second for SatPC32 to LVB tracker and rotor control Third for SatPC32 to FT-847 for Doppler tracking.
Granted, I had to install/uninstall theUSB/serial driver about 8 times before it worked. The PCI card with two serial ports worked the first time. Once I got the drivers installed correctly I have had no trouble and used the serial ports with multiple devices without a problem for the last month.
73, Gould, WA4SXM
----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary" w4gns@isp.com To: "Gould Smith" gouldsmi@bellsouth.net Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 7:27 PM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Digital sats with less
Question on the computer to TNC hook up .Do the USB to serial adapters work ? If not ,how are you guys interfacing, using modern computers ,without a serial port? 73 W4GNS
At 12:49 PM 8/31/2006, you wrote:
Hello All,
While re-configuring my digital station the last couple of weeks I have had the opportunity to try some things I normally wouldn't. I was surprised the last couple of days to find that I could work GO-32 with less that I expected.