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Reviews For: N4VAS Icom PC Interface

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

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Review Summary For : N4VAS Icom PC Interface
Reviews: 47MSRP: 30.00 shipped (US)
Description:
A copy of the Icom CI-V. This is an external interface that easily disconnects so you can switch serial devices without having to get in back of your PC. It works on most newer Icom rigs (VHF/HF/UHF) and with most 3rd party as well as Icom's software. Very nefty and cheap too.
Product is in production
More Info: http://home.comcast.net/~n4vas/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00474.9
K8ELR Rating: 2007-01-23
Great Item Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Works great with ic718 and works with my ic746pro. I recomend them to all my friends. Fast shipment too.
KI4NCX Rating: 2006-11-14
Excellent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It WORKS! TRY it, you'll LIKE it!

KI4NCX
KB2COP Rating: 2006-06-28
Perfect Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Sometimes simple is best.

My review is simple:

#1 - the N4VAS Icom PC interface works flawlessly.

#2 - Mr. Bible's support is simply second to none.

The end.
K2HYD Rating: 2006-05-28
Works, maybe. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The innards of this box are a simple two-transistor circuit to convert the ICOM open-collector bus to something resembling the RS-232 serial interface to the PC. I say resembling, because it does not produce the plus and minus voltages actually called for in the RS-232 spec. So, it'll work with some PCs but not all. In my case it worked with an old Gateway desktop, but when I tried it with my Compaq Presario laptop, I could control the radio from the PC but the radio would not send any data to the PC. The Icom inteface, and many other circuits, use the Max232 level converter IC, which produces a "legitimate" bipolar signal.

By the way, there are articles on the web for building circuits similar to this one - I built one and squeezed it into a 9-pin D connector shell ( see http://www.qsl.net/g3vgr/civ.html ) - it works just as well/poorly as this one.

Caveat emptor.
73
Ray K2HYD
N8GR Rating: 2006-04-30
About as easy as it gets... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is my first experience interfacing a computer with a radio and it couldn't have been much easier.

I think it rates a five because it's simple to install, it works fine, and it's inexpensive. What more could one expect. I also rate the customer service a five. Mr Bible shipped quickly and followed up by email to make sure everything was ok.

Good value for the dollar in my book all the way around.

Gary, N8GR
KF8NO Rating: 2006-04-22
Works Perfect Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well I just can’t say enough about this little gadget; it works perfect with my IC-718. The only thing better then this thing might be the support Newton gives if you should have any trouble.
I couldn’t get it to work at first, so I e-mailed him. He mailed me right back with more help then I could digest, and then he phoned me. The problem was my computer, not his PC Interface unit. He hung right in there with me though and once we got my computer working correctly everything else fell into line, and all I can say is ditto to all the good reports that others have voiced.
Thanks Newton, and by the way I’m using it now with Ham Radio Deluxe and I’m amazed at how much I can do with it! 73 … Tom - kf8no
N4CW Rating: 2006-03-13
Couldn't ask for more! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Prompt service, and a personal follow-up regarding satisfaction...great!
AK5U Rating: 2006-01-27
Worked on first try. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was surprised at how quickly the device arrived in the mail. Only 2 or 3 days.

I connected the required cabling to the unit, radio and the comm port on my PC. I brought up several control programs and a memory utility. All worked as expected. RTS needs to be enabled in the programs for the comm port to power the interface.

If you can't or don't want to construct an interface to your Icom compatible radio or transceiver, N4VAS's Icom PC interface is a great choice to get connected quickly.

73 de KA5KXT
KB2MFS Rating: 2006-01-24
Excellent interface Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Truly plug and play. Good value and the customer service is among the best I have seen. Upon purchasing the interface I received an email from Newton describing how to hook it up and asked me to contact him upon receiving it. He followed up with another email asking if all was well. Can't beat that. So far I have used it with Ham Radio Deluxe and an Icom 746pro. I would purchase from N4VAS again without hesitation.

Tim Campbell KB2MFS
W6RK Rating: 2006-01-20
cheap & works great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased one of these last week. It arrived in couple of days after paying $30 through Paypal. It works great... doesn't even require power supply like some CI-V level converters.

Risto, W6RK