SSB; Icom 802 to PC hookup and KISS ground

[Geoff H.]

I've just replaced my spanish only PC (bought in Cartagena) with an english speaking PC, and have realized that the new one has a 9 pin serial port, which my old computer lacked.
Question 1: Am I correct in thinking that I no longer need to use the USB to Serial Converter box, and can now use a 9 pin to 9 pin cable direct from the Control Box to the computer?? (It goes from the Control box to the computer, correct?) I'm not on my boat and have never been too sharp with any of this...
Also, I disconnected my KISS counterpoise ground in favor of a 4" copper strap that goes direct to a dynaplate thru-bolted in my hull.
Question 2: Is there any way I can use the KISS system AND the copper strap, in other words bolt them both to the bottom of the tuner?

Thanks for your thoughts and expertise.

[Geoff H.]

No one?
Is there an "expert" in the Ensenada, Baja Mexico area who someone can recoommend?

[Geoff H.]

Also, I've now verified that my control box has two 9 pin serial ports, one apparently for an "email modem or Fax" and the other intended for a PC. The "email modem" port used to go to the 'serial to USB converter' I mentioned in my first post, which then via usb plug to my old PC.
So the question is, with my new PC laptop w/ a 9pin serial port, can I just go direct from controller to PC? Do I forget about the serial converter box? And do I now go from the serial port designated for a PC, instead of the one that is earmarked for a email modem?

Anyone?

[Paul L]

It is surprising that your new laptop has a real serial port, not common anymore. You can use it instead of a serial to USB converter. You'll need a cable that has the tx/rx pins connected appropriately and has the correct sex on the db9 connectors. If the cable is a straight connection you can get a cheap little adapter that will swap the tx/rx lines. Might as well buy the adapter when you get the cable and have it handy if needed.

On #2, Adding extra grounding isn't going to hurt and may help.

[Geoff H.]

Thank you Paul! I'm now on the boat here in Ensenada and as you surmised the "9 pin" is actually a 15 pin port (probably for a printer) and as you say probably not a real serial port.
So... I've plugged the usb cable that is coming out of the serial converter box, just as I had it last time, ie into the laptop. When I click on the blue globe on the Airmail program I get a prompt that says "COM 1 does not exist on this computer..."
(I am so not a PC guy!)
The converter box has old markings that ID the serial ports as #3,4,5 and 6. The cable is plugged into the #4 port as it was before, (when it worked). The cable that powers up the converter is usb (on the opposite end of the cable) and I assume I plug that into my laptop also, but when I do the PC pad and/or plugged in mouse go berserk so I can't do anything.
Any ideas. I really appreciate it.

[Paul L]

Go to the Control Panel and open Device Manager. Then look under Ports(COM&LPT). See what COM port the device is attached to - like COM7 for example. Then set that COM port in Airmail.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Geoff H.

I'm now on the boat here in Ensenada and as you surmised the "9 pin" is actually a 15 pin port (probably for a printer) and as you say probably not a real serial port.

It's almost certainly a VGA video port for an external display.

Originally Posted by Geoff H.

So... I've plugged the usb cable that is coming out of the serial converter box, just as I had it last time, ie into the laptop. When I click on the blue globe on the Airmail program I get a prompt that says "COM 1 does not exist on this computer..."

Try booting the computer with the USB converter not plugged in and then, after booted and logged in, plug in the USB converter.

[Geoff H.]

Thanks Paul and Auspicious!!
I was able to reset the Com ports, and get everything talking. My PC now controls my Pactor and SSB. Huge thanks for the support. Really appreciate it. This is definitely NOT my 'longcoat' in life!
I've been able to create some grib requests and "post" them -- and was able to get a connection last night and this morning -- but both times my speed was only 200 and I got bounced.
Am still considering re-installing the KISS in tandem with the recently installed copper strap to dynaplate. My research says the Kiss increases RF noise onboard.
I'm currently Ham only. Am considering re-upping my Sailmail account, maybe a more fertile ground for access to weather and easy emailing?

I've not been able to use the Telnet function yet. I have internet connection on my PC, but no luck with the 'lightning bolt'. It wants a "REMOTE HOST" named and I'm not sure what that is. I'm reading everything I can find online, but haven't found that one yet.
Onwards! And feeling a little more hopeful. THANKS!

[SoonerSailor]

Hooking up the KISS in addition will be much more likely to help than hurt.

[toddster8]

I'm not so sure about that... you're talking about having a counterpoise and a ground system simultaneously. It's not "more grounding." But I know just enough to ask such questions, not to answer them. This site seems to be saying that having a grounded counterpoise is a bad idea... I seem to recall that the (very brief) KISS instructions say not to connect the ground wire at the tuner. One might also have a look at the ARRL Antenna Book.

[toddster8]

Through some odd twist of Kismet, I actually have the KISS documentation at hand. Though short on explanations (see the link above for that) it says:

"It is better to only have the KISS-SSB connected to this terminal, no DC negative, no ground wire to seawater via the rudder post, no copper foil to the keel or bronze plate."

[Geoff H.]

Oh dear, oh my.
While you guys were discussing the KISS, I was literally re-attaching it's wire end to the Tuner -- on top of the very difficult to maneuver coper ground end.
Hmm.
Just tried the radio and the pactor/laptop both for email and voice. Everything still "works" as in it's all clicking and whirring and such, but still can't hear anybody, nor actually can I successfully send anything out via email.
It is the middle of the day here. I'll try again tonight. If I have to lose the KISS system again it won't be hard at alll. But I was hoping...

[SoonerSailor]

If you had any idea about what the KISS actually is, and its behavior when laying in the bilge, you would know that the KISS is not what it pretends to be and the instructions are nearly baseless. If your counterpoise is in the bilge not far from sea water and metallic objects, it is totally "detuned", unlike an elevated element. Which means length is not critical. In the typical counterpoise in the bilge scenario, the more counterpoise you can spread in the bilge, the better.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Geoff H.

Thanks Paul and Auspicious!!
I was able to reset the Com ports, and get everything talking. My PC now controls my Pactor and SSB. Huge thanks for the support. Really appreciate it. This is definitely NOT my 'longcoat' in life!
I've been able to create some grib requests and "post" them -- and was able to get a connection last night and this morning -- but both times my speed was only 200 and I got bounced.
Am still considering re-installing the KISS in tandem with the recently installed copper strap to dynaplate. My research says the Kiss increases RF noise onboard.
I'm currently Ham only. Am considering re-upping my Sailmail account, maybe a more fertile ground for access to weather and easy emailing?

I've not been able to use the Telnet function yet. I have internet connection on my PC, but no luck with the 'lightning bolt'. It wants a "REMOTE HOST" named and I'm not sure what that is. I'm reading everything I can find online, but haven't found that one yet.
Onwards! And feeling a little more hopeful. THANKS!

If you run the Airmail setup wizard and setup both Ham and Sailmail it will propogate those fields.

[SoonerSailor]

The KISS should not increase RF interference on receive if kept away from things that themselves create RF interference, like a Danfoss refrigerator compressor. You can always experiment with different positions to see if receive noise changes. That is one of the nice things about a KISS, you can easily move it around. It is an overpriced bundle of wites without special properties, but it does work to greater or lesser extent, and is easy to install or move.