DR-891 USB connection vs CAT

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1

I have a Yaesu FT-891 and just purchased the dr-891. I went through the driver installation steps and using a usb printer cable, I can see the 2 UART bridge ports in Device Manager. (Windows 10) So it looks like I have the drivers configured properly.

However, when I connect the DR-891 between the radio and my PC, I do not see the radio appear in device manager. I have tried 3 different USB-C cables; I even cut one open to make sure it had 4 wires and wasn’t just a charger. I also do not see the sound card appear in device manager.

I do not know the exact pinout of the red USB cable that came with the dr-891, but I confirmed with a multimeter that each spot on the barrel plug corresponds to a point on the USB connector.

When I connect the usb-c cable to the dr-891, the radio keys briefly. This only occurs with the usb-c cable from the dr-891 to the PC; inserting and removing the red barrel plug or the USB-A at the back of the radio does not cause this.

I am confused as to what my next step should be? I’ve searched the forum and cannot solve this yet.

2

I don’t have your radio, but I do not want your issue to go unaddressed for too long.

Have you looked at:

Digirig DR-891 Setup Manual – digirig

73 Constrainted

3

Yes, that was the set of instructions I used.

4

Maybe an owner of the ft-891 will comment. Have you checked out the other threads in the forum:

Latest dr-891 topics - Digirig Forum

73 Constrainted

5

What program are you trying to use? Winlink, JS8call, VaraC?

6

I was hoping to use JS8Call, but I haven’t gotten that far yet, since I can’t get my laptop to see the radio’s Com ports through the DR-891

7

So, you see the 2 com ports when you connect the digirig, but they don’t show up as an option when you are configuring JS8Call?

8

I see the two comm ports when I connect directly from the laptop to the radio, but they do not show up in device manager when I attempt to use the digirig. I have not attempted anything with the JS8Call software yet because I cannot connect through the digirig to the radio.

9

And you are sure that you have installed the correct driver…they have to be seen in device manager before you can use them in any digital program, such as Winlink or Js8Call

I would try reintalling the drivers.

10

I think we might be talking past each other here. I have not tried any software yet because I know I have not gotten the prerequisites working yet.

The comm ports show up when I’m connected directly from my laptop to the FT-891 radio using a USB printer cable, which is the method specified in the Yaesu manual for CAT control. When I place the digirig DR-891 into the equation, between the laptop and the radio, I can no longer see the comm ports.

My understanding is that the digirig should allow the USB connection to pass through, and I should see the same comm ports as I did when I connected directly. This leads me to believe I have a cable or connection issue rather than a driver issue, since the drivers work without the digirig connected.

11

Ok, have you tried just connecting the digirig without connecting the radio? If you don’t see the ports after doing that, and you know for sure the digirig driver has been installed, then i would say yes, your digirig is perhaps faulty.

Also, you might need to install ferrites on the usb cable…high rf can cause problems connecting also.

12

Jason,
If you see COM ports with the direct connection between the computer and radio but they don’t show up when connected through Digirig DR-891 then there is likely an issue with either Digirig’s USB cable (you can check the continuity if you want) or with Digirig itself. Please reach out for RMA via the contact form on the website.

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