<font color='black' size='2' face='Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif'>For those members who have radios with +5 V TTL serial stream interfaces (Icom's are one, but not the only one, of these)
<div>and computers with serial ports, you may want to check out a special from Schmartboard this week:
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<div><a href="http://www.schmartboard.com/index.asp?page=products_populated&id=84">http://www.schmartboard.com/index.asp?page=products_populated&id=84</a></div>
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<div><a href="http://www.schmartboard.com/index.asp?page=products_populated&id=84"></a>This is an RS-232C to TTL level converter for $10.50, which I am pretty sure will substitute for the $150 Icom CT-17 level converter. </div>
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<div>See the diagram here for what is apparently inside the CT-17 converter. <a href="http://www.plicht.de/ekki/civ/civ-sch2.html">http://www.plicht.de/ekki/civ/civ-sch2.html</a></div>
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<div>The CT-17 and its equivalents allow a number of (free) remote control PC programs to access and control the front panel selections on your transceiver. </div>
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<div>One of these is Ham Radio Deluxe, which not only controls the radio, but has sound card digital mode modules (PSK31, etc.), satellite tracking, and more.</div>
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<div>See: <a href="http://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com/Programs/HamRadioDeluxe.aspx">http://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com/Programs/HamRadioDeluxe.aspx</a> for more details. </div>
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<div>I am going to take a closer look at this on Tuesday (when it is expected to rain here) to see if it meets all the Icom interface needs. </div>
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<div>There may be other uses around your shack / lab for a TTL to RS-232C converter that might benefit from this. The price is very good.</div>
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<div>73</div>
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<div>John...</div>
<div>WB4LNM</div>
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