West Mountain Radio RIGtalk User guide

RIGtalk

Revision 5

Owner’s Manual

2012

www.westmountainradio.com

1020 Spring City Drive

Waukesha, WI 53186

262-522-6503

[e-mail]

©2012 West Mountain Radio, All rights reserved.

All trademarks are the property of their respective

owners.

Introduction:

A RIGtalk is a USB (universal serial bus) to serial port converter with 3.3 volt TTL level output. It is
designed specifically for Amateur Radio transceiver computer control of Kenwood, Icom (CI-V), Yaesu
(CAT), and other radio transceivers. It may also be used to program and clone hand held transceivers
if you make a custom cable.

A RIGtalk may be used with radios that require serial TTL voltage level rig control signals. It will not
work, nor do you need a RIGtalk, if your radio has an RS232 level control interface.

The RIGtalk communicates directly with a PC through the now popular and standard USB interface.
It emulates a serial port but that port communicates with a radio at TTL voltage levels NOT RS232. A
serial port connection is not needed; the RIGtalk emulates one for you.

The RIGtalk is compatible with all versions of Windows® that support USB operation. This only includes
Windows® 98SE, ME, W2K, XP or higher.

RIGtalk precautions:

Do not allow the RIGtalk to get wet or to use it in humid locations.

Make sure that your computer and you ham station have a common AC ground that is bonded at a
single point. This means that all station grounds and AC grounds must be at a single low impedance
point. Any AC leakage or voltage between multiple grounds could damage your radio, computer or the
RIGtalk when connecting the system together. This is true of all station interconnections and accessory
installations.

Having the AC service ground on one side of your house and another ground for your antenna on the
other side of your house creates dangerous ground loop if not bonded together at a single point. This
huge ground loop (loop antenna) could pick up the electromagnetic pulse of a near-by lightning strike
and induce a huge electrical spike directly through your equipment. If your equipment is effectively
connecting two ground systems together instead of being connected to a single point ground you are
asking for trouble. Disconnecting your antennas for thunder storms will not protect you if you have a
station ground that is at a different location from your AC house ground.

Be careful not to bump or stress the RIGtalk sticking out of your USB port as this could physically
damage your computer’s USB connector, or the RIGtalk.

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