Using PUTTY to talk to radios ?

[merlin]

I'm trying to connect to an XG100P and use a port sniffer. When I look in device manager, I don't see a COM port, but rather a Harris PSPC Radios port. Any idea how I can get PUTTY or a port sniffer to point to that?

In device manager, the Harris PSPC is just an identifier but still enumerates to a logical port number. that is handled by the XG100 driver.
The first tab under 'ports (com&lpt)' should show PSPC radio and a port number. (USB port x or real com1/2)
( mine shows USB serial port (com4))
Not all port sniffers play well. Some can hijack the serial port not letting another device to connect.
The sniffer I use is from ELTIMA, ver 8.0.388.0
Start the sniffer with a new session and connect. You can then run (settings lets you select port if not automatic.)
Now you can connect to the radio with RPM (or other software(terminal or Putty)) All RS232 data to and from the radio is logged in an edit panel.
Copy/paste to a text file and or save the SPM file.
Note: the Eltima software is not free but worth it if you use it a lot.
I have HEX dumps from several Harris, Motorola, and Icom radios.
When you understand that dump, you can get command and parameter messages that you can use with Terminal or Putty directly to the radio.
Hope this helps.
73s

 

[TDR-94]

Has anyone confirmed if any of the Hyperterminal commands work with the XG-100P?

 

[IFRIED91]

Has anyone confirmed if any of the Hyperterminal commands work with the XG-100P?

Would you be brave enough to change any hex data… $1,300something gamble

 

[TDR-94]

Would you be brave enough to change any hex data… $1,300something gamble

Wouldn't be changing any hex data, just querying some specific commands.

 

[IFRIED91]

Wouldn't be changing any hex data, just querying some specific commands.

Such as? I’m just curious to learn myself… not trying to call you out or anything

 

[a417]

throwing serial commands at a device is a reasonably safe activity, my guess is you can figure out what basic commands it responds to.

If you were reckless and intentionally wrote to it, that's on you...but you could probably get a fair amount of information from it.

 

[TDR-94]

I'm just interested in a few specific commands and if the XG-100P accepts commands at all via Hyperterminal.

 

[a417]

I'm just interested in a few specific commands and if the XG-100P accepts commands at all via Hyperterminal.

I'd say go for it, throw commands at it. I don't have one, but anything with a RS-232 serial port deserves to be looked at. Let us know what you find.

 

[TDR-94]

The XG-100P uses a USB cable. I'm unsure if that translates to RS-232 anywhere in the chain.

 

[merlin]

I'm trying to connect to an XG100P and use a port sniffer. When I look in device manager, I don't see a COM port, but rather a Harris PSPC Radios port. Any idea how I can get PUTTY or a port sniffer to point to that?

Putty is effectively taking the place of programming software. You just need the same port and protocol set in Putty that programming software uses (USB I think)
I use a transparent port sniffer to log the serial data to and from the radio using the programming software.
The XG-100 has a very complicated data string to get it to do what you want.
Reading from an address and range takes several steps.
> the initial command
> a command string to enter CAN programming
> then the specific read or write strings
> these strings (Packets) are encapsulated within ascii DLE, and ETX with other hex like ETB and SOH Finally a 2 byte checksum.
It might be a lot easier programming FCC menu into the radio then using HDT to sniff around in the radio.
That brings up my next question post.

 

[TDR-94]

The FCC Menu feature isn't supported by the XG-100P. It will ignore the file if you try to load it into the radio.

 

[rescue161]

If you add a password to the Unity Portable/Mobile Options, a "Channel Info" soft button will become available, which will give you details of the TRS and/or conventional channels that you are currently on. Obviously, if you add the password to the Channel Edit area, you'll have FPP and if you add one to the Maintenance area, you'll have the ability to align the TCXO. Not quite a full FCC Menu, but still some useful tools.

 

[TDR-94]

I still prefer the FCC Menu over the Unity/XL Maintanance Menu.

The Maintanance Menu was basically a carry over from the Falcon II/III handhelds.

 

[rescue161]

Yep, me too.

 

[merlin]

I'm just interested in a few specific commands and if the XG-100P accepts commands at all via Hyperterminal.

My version of Hyperterminal is cut out for talking over modems etc. I have found no way to have it send a custom hex string.
Terminal though, you can build hex strings with macros to send to the radio. It also has some custom baud settings you would need for a given radio. An example screenshot of commands and response using RPM on a J725M (Port Monitor)
The first section just starts the programming routines. the protocol is 9600 N81
The 4th or 5th command changes the baud to a much faster speed and doesn't look to be standard.
The result was bad data and framing error.
The next shot is the macros I sent to the radio getting the same response. I tried jumping commands to read the DSP segment and got no response from the radio.
Now consider, this is a simple H8 CPU. The XG-100 has a dual core MIPS CPU so all of this will be more complex.
The firmware plays a major roll also.
73s

 

[merlin]

I still prefer the FCC Menu over the Unity/XL Maintanance Menu.

The Maintanance Menu was basically a carry over from the Falcon II/III handhelds.

Agree. I have been trying to get HDT working but what paragraph of info I have, I am still experimenting.
I did discover the RS232 programming port won't work so now looking at the serial port for accessories.
I can turn on HDT in the FCC menu, Power cycle turns it off.
Cheers