InterceptRadio.com Forums

Need a cheap interface for your old ICOM radio? I recently discovered that the Radio Shack 20-546 USB scanner cable works just fine as a CI-V interface for my R7000. You just have to make a "mono to stereo" adapter cable (connect tip & ring both to the tip of the CI-V jack, sleeve is ground) or just buy a 274-368 if you don't want to solder. (The short adapter cable that comes with the 20-546 won't work, it only connects tip) I have been using this cable with trunk88 for about a month now and no problems. I suppose the older 20-047 cable would work also, but I don't have one to try. Hope that helps keep the old radio running! If you try it out, let us know if it works with your radio.
-OldTech

Not sure what the Rat Shack cable goes for?? I just ended up buying one from China, off Ebay. Tons of a CI-V cable (USB version) sellers to be found. Mine works like a champ. Think I paid $8.00, shipped to my door.

yea the new and old cables work fine, I ran into a few of them for free a while back and use them for all my radios just hacked for the adaptor

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
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DE K7MHI

I have the 20-047 and can't get ICOM Cloning Software to read the radio. After switching to the right COM port, the TX light blinks a bit and then informs me "A Read Error occurred. Read was not successful." Same goes for plugging the cable directly in to the radio without the mono adapter. I can use a serial cable and read the radio just fine. Could be the radio--the F4TR has not worked on any USB adapter I've ever tried.

I have never seen F4TR work via USB, and we have tried more than a few ways.
That software was a bastard step-child...