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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>When I got into “computers” in the early 1980’s,
someone said to “Never buy a computer from a store that sells underwear
or washing machines.” Don’t remember who that was. The idea at the
time was to not buy a “PC junior” from SEARS big box store. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>For some time, I had the impression that PC’s, especially
laptops cannot be purchased with SERIAL ports anymore, just has USB ports. With
the help of some of the APRS forums, I found out that Toshiba, Dell, and HP do
sell laptops with real serial ports… still. Nice ones to great ones.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>However, I went looking at Best Buy, Circuit City, Staples, even
Micro Center… None of them sold any of the three brands with serial
ports. (Two of the four stores sell washing machines <g>)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I could find them on the internet, mostly direct from them. Not
the consumer level that Best Buy sells, but “business/tech class”. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Yea, in the end, all of us will be USB. Right now, many of
us are SERIAL people stuck in a USB world. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>The best things in life might be a GPS that has a serial port
and a USB port and a new laptop with serial ports…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I do like my new D710… <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Kent<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>KQ4KK<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> </span>Below, from Steve Smith, is a VERY
good overview as to why you cannot just connect a USB device to a serial
port wanting device, that is not a computer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“As has been pointed out repeatedly on numerous
APRS-related lists, USB GPS devices are *unusable* with standalone non-PC
hardware like TNCs, TinyTraks, Kenwood APRS radios, etc. <br>
<br>
There is no simple way to convert USB to serial. USB is a protocol with a
master/slave relationship (normally referred to as host & client) in the
hardware. USB devices always require a full-blown computer or equivalent
on the master end running a complex multi-level stack of software to
assign USB devices an identity and to communicate with them. You cannot
connect a non-computer USB "slave" device directly to another
non-computer slave device. There must always be a computer "master"
in the loop. You cannot just wire two differently-shaped connectors
together. <br>
<br>
You would have to insert the equivalent of a small PC(or at least something
with the computing "horsepower" of a PDA or smart phone; i.e.
many times the capability of the Ti nyTrak or GPS CPU) typically
running Windows or Linux between the GPS and a TT to do this conversion. <br>
<br>
Note that the common USB<-->serial converter cables a.k.a.
"dongles" are always plugged into a COMPUTER host or master;
not another non-computer device like a GPS, printer, modem, etc. <br>
<br>
Further, note the nature of USB cables. The wide, flat so-called "A" connector
always plugs into the computer host or master. The smaller square plug
with beveled edges (a.k.a. "B" connector) always faces the client
or slave device. The two different shaped plugs (rather than just male/female
versions of the same plug) are purposely intended to prevent users from
connecting two slaves or two masters directly to each other.<br>
<br>
--<br>
<br>
Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com”<br>
<br>
<span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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