FLEX-6000 Signature Series – Maestro User Guide
Copyright 2024 FlexRadio, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Page 129
30 USB CABLES
30.1 USB CABLES OVERVIEW
The USB Cables feature provides a means to control external devices such as amplifiers, antenna
controllers, and tuners via USB to Serial data cables connected to the USB ports on the back panel
of the radio. Band data generated by SmartSDR appears on the cable in a form acceptable to the
external device.
This feature is limited to FTDI USB cables which contain embedded circuitry that translates the USB
signals and protocol to one of several serial or parallel data protocols. In some cases, data flow is
bidirectional with a wide selection of speeds and signaling levels.
FlexRadio carries two FTDI cables that can be used to interface with many devices:
ï‚· FTDI USB to Serial Cable DB9M (UT232R-200). For most configurations, only Pins 2, 3, and 5
will be used.
ï‚· FTDI C232HM (C232HM-EDHSL-0). This parallel data cable has an output of 10 pins that can
be used for interfacing with other devices in BIT and BCD modes (described below).
The cable that is used to interface with an external device will vary for each device. One of the
above cables may be sufficient for operation in many cases, while for other devices a proprietary
cable or custom-made cable may also be needed. Detailed information for many commonly used
devices is provided in the USB Cables Interface Guide available in the Downloads section of the
Flex Radio Systems website.
Three main types of cables are supported, CAT, BIT, and BCD, described below. In addition, a
preconfigured cable type is provided for Down East Microwave 2 and 4-meter Low Drive Power
Amplifiers: See http://www.downeastmicrowave.com/product-p/2mldpa.htm for more
information.
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