Tech Tip: RS-232 – USB Adapter Cables

On new equipment and old, we often need to connect a transceiver or other device with a legacy RS-232 serial port to our modern computer that has only USB ports and no serial port.

Here are some choices for those who need that special active Serial Port RS-232 DB9 to USB A Adapter Cable, which are USB version 1.1 and 2.0 compliant. Computer USB 3.0 ports are backwards compliant to these USB 2.0 version cables:

The West Mountain Radio USB to RS232 Radio Interface Cable USB/SER adapter has a DB9M (male), so it may not connect to your device without a gender change adapter.

This West Mountain Radio USB to RS232 Radio Interface Cable RT1/DB9 adapter comes with a gender changer adapter for any application!

Since it is only 8 inches, the RT Systems Radio Interface and Programming Cable adapter is good only if you already have a serial cable and gender changer adapter, if you need one.

The standard USB connector on almost all desktop and laptops is known as a USB A jack, with the mating plug version of USB A at the end of the cable. To use that shorty adapter, RS-232 cables with male and female DB9 connectors and gender changer adapters are very plentiful from many types of stores. You might even find one in your junk drawer!

By: Rod, K8AAV via – https://dxengineering.wordpress.com