Pro-106 - Buildng a Programming Cable - Help Please

[robertshaw]

Hi,

Running Win500 and using a Prolific USB to serial converter, I have connected things like this:

USB to Prolific with a DB9 connector >> Pin2 to tip of a 1/8" plug, Pin3 to middle (ring) terminal, Pin5 (signal ground) to sleve terminal. I've reversed Pins 2 and 3 to test, but no success.

Win500 recognizes the Com port, but cannot find the scanner.

I would appreciate any help either on wiring orto understand how Win500 communicated with the Pro-106.

Thanks!

Robert

 

[n5ims]

I believe that the Pro-106 uses TTL Serial, not RS-232 Serial for its communication.

 

[DonS]

The PC/IF jack on the PRO-106 does not present or accept EIA-232-compatible signals.

To connect your USB-serial adapter to the PRO-106, you'll need to a) shift the adapter's -232 signals (+/- 12V) to the 0V/3V levels expected by the scanner and b) invert those signals.

Generally, a USB-serial adapter does a couple of things:
1. handle the USB protocol, which includes sending the payload of "OUT" packets to the serial pins as asynchronous bytes and sending what's received on the serial pins (async bytes) back to the host within "IN" packets.
2. convert the "serial pins" -232 levels to/from the levels used internally by the adapter (could be anywhere from 3V to 5V)

Between the scanner and the adapter, you'd need to create a circuit that does the reverse of #2 above.

It's probably easier to just buy the manufacturer's correct cable for the scanner.

 

[RickS31]

The RS232 standard also uses the other pins for control. That's probably what your USB adapter is waiting for. Specifically DSR Data Set Ready (pin 6) and CD carrier detect (pin 1) These two pins will need to be connected together for sure. As to the other signals (pins 4,7,8) I'm not sure but you can research a null modem cable further to get more info. Try the above first to see if that helps.

And yes, RS232 standard does specify pretty different voltage levels than standard 5 volt logic. Don't know what the 106 is looking for as to voltage levels for 1 and 0.

I haven't got a clue on which connection on the mini plug is used for Tx and which one for Rx.

Further update: It turns out that you would need to connect pins 4, 1, & 6 to fool the adapter. This still doesn't answer the voltage level question and which plug connection is which. Best to buy the GRE or RS cable.

 

[DonS]

The USB adapter would only be waiting for those handshaking signals if the application software that opened the port specified that the signals are to be used. Win500 doesn't do that, of course, since the scanner doesn't support the handshaking signals.

All the scanner and Win500 need are Tx, Rx, and ground. However, you cannot just connect an EIA-232-compliant serial port to the scanner and expect it to work. As stated a couple of times above, the scanner's PC/IF port is not an EIA-232 port. It's an asynchronous serial port, using NRZ encoding, at 0V/3V levels.

 

[robertshaw]

Wow - Thank You!

I barely got downstairs to look at the factory cable's inputs/outputs on the scope only to find these great explanations. Thank you for such a quick and comprehensive view of what's really going on!

Best Regards,

Robert

 

[RickS31]

Thanks Don for your input. This clears up a few functionality questions I've had. I, for one, appreciate your posting.

Rick

 

[jimmyfish]

Hey i have the pro 106 from radio shack where do i find the firmware up dates for it, thanks

 

[robertshaw]

Thank you!

Thanks to all for this great information. The good news is that the Radio Shack cable also will control my Icom IC-7000 ham radio using the Ham Radio Deluxe program!

$35/2 = $17.50 per device. I feel a bit better.