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Serial Ports (RS232) virtual because they do and how to use them (first part)

Hello,

start this series of "notes" or "advice" with a subject absolutely necessary for a full use of our Software Defined Radio inserted into a modern amateur radio station. Certainly this

argument is not a stranger, for many years, radio & PC integration is well established in many articles, blogs, etc. etc.. We

a brief review, however.

When using "everyday" of our station is a normal thing to have our traditional radio connected to PC via RS232 port to the "physical" connection between the radio and various software to manage our station, for example:

- the program LOG
- DX CLUSTER program (often already included in the LOG)
- the program to make connections in the digital modes
- the program for the contest

All of these programs, even if they could work on their own, if given the opportunity to "talk" with our radio, to automate the reading of some parameters such as frequency, mode of issue, etc. etc..

Radio and such software "speak" by means of a language, communication protocol, which is normally available via a RS232 cable: one end of the cable is connected to the serial port of your PC, the other end to the " CAT "on the radio. Well, once set to program the serial port to use and set up the parameters of communication, radio and computers are able to exchange the information necessary to perform the operations required.

And with our Software Defined Radio, which is itself software, to make it work with CAT, where I connect the serial cable?

Good question ...... the answer is easier than you think, that is:

- the type PowerSDR or PERSEUS SDR is a radio in every respect
- as (almost) all radio CAT has a trade protocol
- like all the CAT requires a serial port .... but virtual!

virtual serial ports (Vcom) are true RS232 devices that, once installed on the OS, are seen by the software as a standard serial port "real."

Just then, once in the system we have installed the software for the creation / management of Vcom, directing programs that require it to one or more of these virtual serial ports.

Among the software available to create and manage virtual serial ports, some in the public domain and some for sale, the most famous are:

- N8VB Virtual Com Ports
- com0com
- VSPE (Virtual Serial Port Emulator)
- Eltima

The first 3 are free, the last is for the professional market and is free of charge.

We foicalizzeremo on explaining the use of VSPE that, in our opinion, is the most powerful and simple (once you understand the mechanism) to use.

prossino On a post, then, everything about VSPE and as a SDR interface and other software.