Make your own cable for the Android to Icom ID51A ? Why not?
On the newer version of the Icom ID51A Radios (the 50th Anniversary edition). There is a cable that will connect the ID51A to Android tablets. I saw a video on YouTube of the Android app ( called RS-MS1A) in use and you can control the ID51A with your Android Tablet. You can control the radio and send pictures, text and files.
From what I can tell, the app is free. I didn't see any cost associated with it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.jp.icom.rs_ms1a.menu&hl=enUnfortunately, the cable (is OPC-2350LU and it) is selling for $69 at most ham radio dealers. I'm thinking, why can't we build our own cable? How complicated can it be? Why can't we build one of these ourselves for $20 or less?
Comments about the Android application called RS-MS1A was discussed at
http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php?topic=98646.0Rather than bring up a six month old thread on a different topic. I think it would be better to start a new topic and ask specifically if the cable can be made for $40 or $50 less.
If anyone wants to see video of the RS-MS1A Android app for ID51A , I posted another thread with the video link here in the Digital forums on eham. For Ecomms potential, the concept of being able to send images, text and file transfers using a relatively small device in the field like an Android tablet does have an appeal. (Relatively small compared to a laptop and it's higher power consumption.)
$70 for the Android cable is pricy, especially when the Windows cable (USB RTS05) is only about $28. And the WCS-D51A combo cable and software is only $49.
I'm sure some of you are asking some of these questions too.