DR-891 w/FT-891 WSJT-X using a Mac M1 w/Sequoia will not work

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Background:

WSJT-X using an IC-7300 works fine on the Mac (Sequoia)

WSJT-X see the correct com port, Silicon Labs. CAT and Audio

WSJT-X w/DR-891 using the FT- 891 on a windows 10 computer works fine.

WSJT-X see the correct com port. CAT and Audio

Setting up the WSJT-X with the DR-891 on the Mac will not establish CAT control.

The choices in configuration for com ports will not show the Silicon Lab’s USB port.

I can see the Silicon Labs USB when I use the IC-7300 on the mac, so the Silicon Lab’s com port is installed on the Mac is not showing up.

I’ve looked a security and permission on the Mac and can’t find any setting to enable or disable the usb driver.

So and ideas, what am I missing?

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Are you able to establish CAT control of your FT-891 when you connect it to the computer directly?

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No, I can’t establish cat control with a direct connection from the Mac to the FT-891.

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Do you see the serial port correctly listed in Sequoia when directly connecting FT-891 to your computer? FT-891 uses the same UART chip as IC-7300 so the same driver should pick it up, the only difference is that with FT-891 there may be two ports: standard and enhanced.

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Ok,

When the Mac is connected to WSJT-X with the 7300 is see two ports:

/dev/tty.usbserial-1110 & /dev/tty.usbserial-1110 both the same.

With WSJ-TX (with the 7300) I can select other ports (probably meaningless ports) and then re-select the correct port, /dev/tty.usbserial-1110. Cat control re-connects.

When everything is working with the 7300, I leave WSJ-TX configured for 7300 and shutdown WSJT-X.

I now move to the FT-891, power on the FT-891 start WSJT-X. Of course I see the error messages.

The usb port in configuration is still showing /dev/tty.usbserial-1110, I don’t touch that port setting yet, I select the radio (FT 891) and then the baud rate configured for it.

I now test CAT and it will not connect.

At this point I use the dropdown selected for other ports, try another port just for fun, and of course no go, again I use the dropdown select the port /dev/tty.usbserial-1110 but guess what? it’s not there.

Something interesting:

When I launch WSJT-X without the 7300 connected (of course get the error messages) but looking at the configuration menu with the 7300 disconnected I don’t see the port, /dev/tty.usbserial-1110, but without changing anything I plug the 7300 in and right away the ports show up /dev/tty.usbserial-1110. So basically, as soon as I connect the 7300 the MAC goes out and reads the ports, my guess. Or the 7300 says hello I’m here.

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You can use ls /dev/tty.* command in the terminal window to list the serial devices before and after radio is connected to see what changes.

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Nothing connected

duanedahlberg@Duanes-MacBook-Air ~ % ls /dev/tty.*

/dev/tty.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port /dev/tty.wlan-debug

/dev/tty.debug-console

Icom-7300 Connected

duanedahlberg@Duanes-MacBook-Air ~ % ls /dev/tty.*

/dev/tty.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port /dev/tty.usbserial-1110 <usb port used for the 7300

/dev/tty.debug-console /dev/tty.wlan-debug

FT-891 connected

duanedahlberg@Duanes-MacBook-Air ~ % ls /dev/tty.*

/dev/tty.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port /dev/tty.wlan-debug

/dev/tty.debug-console

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Since Windows computer recognizes FT- 891 we can assume that it’s a driver issue, not the failure of the radio.

Try installing CP210x VCP Mac OSX Driver from Silicon Labs website: CP210x USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers - Silicon Labs

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Yes it now works. :+1:

I tired two times to install the driver via the install app that it downloaded, it failed twice, the third time I use the command line in terminal to install and that works, said install successful but it still did not work. After reading installation notes I had to enable the extension for the driver. Once I did that the drivers showed up.
I already had the silicon driver installed, came with the Mac but now this second driver works, I just have to try the various choices and try Test CAT until I got a green Cat.
So thank you, thank you, Thank you…

Duane - W6DAD

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Thanks for sharing the process. Glad to hear it worked.