LEADENWAH
Member
Must the 996 be programmed only through the small ( proprietary ? ) connection on the front of the radio or can the standard DB 9 serial connection at the rear be used for programming as well?
Can 996 be Programmed by rear serial connector?
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dougjgray
Member
No I believe you can use either one except for firmware updating has to use the front
iMONITOR
Silent Key
In order to use the rear RS232 port for programming you need to use a null-modem serial cable. The difference is that pins 2 & 3 are reversed on one end of the cable.
LEADENWAH
Member
Thanks very much for the replies. I happen to have a null modem cable which must seem like something of a relic these days, but I'm glad that I held on to it.
benjaminfs733
Member
How do I know if any of the serial cables I have are null? I have several. I am having a problem connecting and I believe it may be due to the serial card in my computer, but then again it could be the cable. Thanks for any help.
Do you have an ohm meter or continuity tester? If so then check pin 2 and pin 3. A straight thru or normal cable will have pin 2 to pin 2 and pin 3 to pin 3. A null modem cable or cross over cable will have pin 2 to pin 3.
This assumes both ends are DB 9 connectors.
This assumes both ends are DB 9 connectors.
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By default, the rear port is set to 4800 bps (which makes it compatible with NMEA data coming from a GPS). You should either set the software also to 4800 bps or set the scanner's rear port to a higher speed to match your software setting.
benjaminfs733
Member
Well, I have looked and cannot locate my ohm meter. The frustrating thing is I know that I got this to work about a year ago. I am using Vista and installed a MosChip Multi-IO Controller (about a year ago). I am not sure if the IO controller is operating correctly. When I open the device manager it says the device is working properly, but I am beginning to wonder. I have un-installed and re-installed this and searched for updated drivers. Is there any way to test my IO card before I can get hold of an ohm meter? In Device manager the MosChip is listed as: MosChip Unusable parallel port (LPT3), but I am not sure what that means. (Sorry I know this is a little off topic, but I am about to go crazy). Thanks again.
dougjgray
Member
most serial cables that are are 9 pin female on both ends will be null modem cables or the plugs will say null modem
The MOSChip either isn't installed correctly or it isn't what you think it is. A correctly installed USB --> RS232 adapter will show as a COM port, not an LPT port.
benjaminfs733
Member
Thanks for the great help so far. I got my hands on a volt meter and discovered that one of DB 9 connectors is not null, so that answers that question. The other cables are not the correct male/female orientation to work. So I will try a new cable when I can get one.
As for the MosChip in my device manager I have the following listed:
MosChip PCI Serial Port (COM4)
MosChip PCI Serial Port (COM5)
MosChip Unusable Parallel Port (LPT3) --(I don't know what that means)
This is a card that I installed in my computer with 2 DB9 or Serial Ports on them. According to the device manager all three are functioning properly. I know that this system has worked in the past and it may have been with a DB9 cable that I don't have now. I will try again when I get a new cable. Until then any other suggestions would be great, other wise thanks for the help so far and I will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks again, this is why this site is great!
As for the MosChip in my device manager I have the following listed:
MosChip PCI Serial Port (COM4)
MosChip PCI Serial Port (COM5)
MosChip Unusable Parallel Port (LPT3) --(I don't know what that means)
This is a card that I installed in my computer with 2 DB9 or Serial Ports on them. According to the device manager all three are functioning properly. I know that this system has worked in the past and it may have been with a DB9 cable that I don't have now. I will try again when I get a new cable. Until then any other suggestions would be great, other wise thanks for the help so far and I will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks again, this is why this site is great!
K
kb0nly
Guest
If you can't get a new cable to work i would suspect that serial card, but you can also test it. Make a loopback plug. You just take a DB9 and you put a jumper from pin 2 to pin 3, pin 4 to pin 6, and pin 7 to pin 8 so that the serial port receives everything that it sends.
Back in the old days this is how i tested them, with a loopback plug and the hyperterminal app, vista doesn't have hyperterminal unfortunately but you can download a newer version that is vista compatible.
Just do some google searching on loopback serial port testing and you will find complete how-to's on how to setup hyperterminal for doing this. Basically if the com port works it will echo back everything you type, if not it won't, simple go or no-go test. Man that takes me back in time.
Back in the old days this is how i tested them, with a loopback plug and the hyperterminal app, vista doesn't have hyperterminal unfortunately but you can download a newer version that is vista compatible.
Just do some google searching on loopback serial port testing and you will find complete how-to's on how to setup hyperterminal for doing this. Basically if the com port works it will echo back everything you type, if not it won't, simple go or no-go test. Man that takes me back in time.
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