Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: BuxCom Rascal

Category: Interfaces, Radio to computer, amp, rotor, coax switch, internet

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : BuxCom Rascal
Reviews: 121MSRP: 49.00
Description:
Computer-radio interface
Product is in production
More Info: http://buxcommco.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001214
N1LS Rating: 2003-06-27
Poor service! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have ordered 3 of his interface units and the last one was wired wrong. Buck says he checked it as good. Found miswire and fixed- unit works. Like other reviewers say you get a "soap holder" with wires. It does function but workmanship is poor. Contact with Buck is worse. Tried to order a cable and he says my credit card is INVALID. Follow up call to Visa finds he never even called them! He certainly isn't like other Ham suppliers who I have found to go out of their way to help you. Bux Comm service brings rating down to zero.
AB7JK Rating: 2003-06-27
Still need an interface Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this interface as a kit. When you open the box the parts seem to be high quality and the part are few - it looks easy to put together.

I generally don't do well with kits. When I started to assemble it I noticed the instructions
are very confusing, the diagrams a jumble. Understanding the instructions is like deciphering a puzzle - it is generic so you have to figure out what instuctions apply to the type of interface you need peculiar to your rig (and what instructions to overlook). The worst part is the 13 pin DIN connector where you have to revert to point to point wiring of each little pin.

To make a long story short the finished product creates a high pitch squeal on my transceiver and not much else. Troubleshooting the interface isn't worth the possible damage to my rig. So I'm still looking for an interface - still working PSK31 with the mic rubber banded to my headphone output.
AC4CX Rating: 2003-06-21
Best Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Used other interfaces and found Rascal 5 the best- no problem device I ever owned- no power wart-works on all radios- and have it running on a old ft23r Yasu handi for my Aprs using AGW Packet Engine and my Icom 725 running psk31- Gets you on quick
Don Lloyd AC4CX
NF4L Rating: 2003-06-21
NICE! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My Rascal MK V plus was here on the second day after my order. Within 15 minutes I had my first QSO on RTTY, then a coupla minutes after that, my first ever PSK31 QSO. No probs with either my Win XP Pro computer or the 756 PRO II.Thanks for a great product, and service, Buck!
NA5Q Rating: 2003-05-27
Great Buy & Unit Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I agree with AF4K, this is a very good buy. I own two of them, including the new one with interchangable rig cables. I use it on PSK, AFSK and FSK for my contesting and pleasure. Highly recommend the units. They are easy to install and all cables are included for hookup. I have tried Rigblaster, but prefer the Lil' Rascals.
AF4K Rating: 2003-05-27
Excellent!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my Buxcomm interface about a year ago,
and I have to say that it is the best deal out there! He is now blowing them at at only $19.95
which is virtually a give away. This interface will do everything that the $100 ones will do at a fraction of the price.

Buck Rogers gives excellent customer service and support. I had my Rascal R-5RY within a VERY short time of having ordered it. I think it was 2 days like the other guy said.

He is always VERY responsive to e-mail inquiries and helpful in answering technical questions.
I have found Buck to be polite and technically competent for over 20 years when it comes to digital radio needs. He was a pioneer in VHF and HF packet radio with computers, and has kept current on the state of the art.

The case looks like a little black soap dish! OK, it is NOT that pretty, but like the other guy said, you put it BEHIND the rig - it's NOTY a 'trophy' like your Alpha Linear or your COllins KWM-380, so get over the appearance, fire up the software and start enjoying the Rascal!

I have worked thousands of stations on PSK31, MFSK, MT63 and RTTY with this interface and it has worked flawlessly. I would recommend it as THE BEST deal out there for such devices. If I could give it a 6 I wold - just to offset the unreasonably low review given by one or two guys who skewed down the average! (grin)

Look for the interfaces at:
http://www.packetradio.com

You will be glad you did! See you on the digi modes!

73 de AF4K


KB0NLY Rating: 2003-05-24
Windows XP No Problem Here! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ok, i just ordered one of my own after trying a friends. It worked great after sorting out the com port problem with Windows XP.

Windows XP starts up with your com port keyed in operate, do this..

In Windows XP just click on START and look for WINDOWS UPDATE. Run a WINDOWS UPDATE.
After you have completed all the latest Windows XP updates the com port issue should go away, it has on three different computers so far for me. Make sure you reboot after the updates, and take the time to check windows update more often.

If after doing the Windows XP updates you still have your com port stuck in transmit check your com port settings in device manager. I have mine set to:

Bits Per Second = 9600
Data Bits = 8
Parity =None
Stop Bits =1
Flow Control =Xon/Xoff
Advanced Tab
Use FIFO Buffers 16550 UART = checked

Have Fun!

73,

Scott, KB0NLY


WA8EBM Rating: 2003-03-29
Works Great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Luckily I read a lot of the scathing reviews after I bought the Rascal kit. I don't know what people expect for 25 bucks nowadays. There is a well layed out circuit board. You don't have to go searching all over the internet for isolation transformers and an opto-coupler chip. You get the hard to find 13 pin plug and a nice soundcard cable with molded ferrite choke. Sure the case is cheap but once you put it together and get it adjusted, you just slide it behind the rig out of sight. It works much better than the one I homebrewed using RS isolation transformers probably cause of the nice clean circuit board layout. No loop or rf problems. This thing is not hi-tech, just a simple isolation network that performs as promised.
KG4LMU Rating: 2003-02-27
Great Buy,Easy to use! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been doing research on this interface and decided to buy it over the others boards strictly because it came with all the cords. I received the interface within 2 days and was up and running on echolink within minutes. Great buy for the money and really easy set up trurly plug and play.
W4TME Rating: 2003-02-13
Just hope that it works Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I gave the BuxCom a 2, because a product should be rated on all it merits and deficiencies. Fortunately, mine worked right out of the box and has continued to do so without any problems. If the evaluation had stopped here it would have been a 5, but I called BuxCom to ask a few questions about using the FSK feature that is available with my rig using the interface I purchased. Yes, I did do my homework and was asking specific technical questions, not a "how do I do this?" kind of question. That is when thy got a big fat ZERO for basic human interaction. I have never been so offended, had my feelings hurt and was generally disrespected by anyone, particularly someone I just gave my hard earned $$ to for a product. Buck needs to call Bob Heil to fully understand about customer service.

Now you average 0 and 5 and you get 2.5 I should have rounded up, but I added a subjective element into my analysis and it gets a solid 2. My recommendation is go out and build an AFSK interface from a kit or buy something else.