# Yaesu-FTM-500 - does it need a digirig?

**URL:** https://forum.digirig.net/t/yaesu-ftm-500-does-it-need-a-digirig/4058
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Tags:** raspberry-pi, software-direwolf, software-yaac, yaesu-ftm-500
**Created:** [July 27, 2024, 12:36pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/yaesu-ftm-500-does-it-need-a-digirig/4058 "2024-07-27T12:36:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![GlennD](https://forum.digirig.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/d6d6ee/32.png) [@GlennD](https://forum.digirig.net/u/GlennD)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2024, 12:36pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/yaesu-ftm-500-does-it-need-a-digirig/4058/1 "2024-07-27T12:36:15Z")

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I’m wanting to use a Rasberry-pi to run DireWolf and YAAC. Do I need a digirig to have it communicate back and forth with the software? Do I need a special cable to do this or will the USB to round 10 pin cable I received with my programming software work?  
I basically am wondering if the FTM-500 needs the digirig to do APRS Digipeater and iGate…others?

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### Author: ![Constrainted](https://forum.digirig.net/user_avatar/forum.digirig.net/constrainted/32/2219_2.png) [@Constrainted](https://forum.digirig.net/u/Constrainted)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2024, 12:56pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/yaesu-ftm-500-does-it-need-a-digirig/4058/2 "2024-07-27T12:56:42Z")

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Good morning GlennD. If the radio, Yaesu FTM-500 does not have an internal audio card, you will need an external soundcard like the Digirig. In addition, the Digirig can use a serial port to control PTT. I do not know about another software package’s 10-pin cable. The Digirig cables will allow you to RX and TX sound and control PTT.

73 Constrainted

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### Author: ![webmonkey](https://forum.digirig.net/user_avatar/forum.digirig.net/webmonkey/32/2494_2.png) [@webmonkey](https://forum.digirig.net/u/webmonkey)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.digirig.net/t/yaesu-ftm-500-does-it-need-a-digirig/4058/3 "2024-07-27T14:00:53Z")

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if the 500 is like the 400 then yes, you do need some interface between the radio and computer.

the 400, by design, does not respond/accept external commands to the tnc.

so you have to disable the built in ‘tnc functions’ and provide all the tnc functions from somewhere else, in your case, direwolf.

to do this, you’ll need a sound device and a ptt device.  
digirig does both.

the programming cable you have, will not help in this case. since the built in tnc is not accessible, a serial cable can’t transfer data to/from it. (like aprs)

good luck  
kb0wlf