MacIcomControl is an application which allows a Macontosh to communicate with and control an Icom radio. The radio must have a CI-V interface port. This is usually obtained with a UX-14 option.
You also need a level converter to convert the Mac's RS232 serial port to/from the TTL level of the CI-V port. Icom sells the CT-17 which performs this function (at a hefty price). You can also build your own very inexplensively; there have been several construction articles showing how.
The preferences dialog (under the Edit menu) sets up the interface.:
There's a check box to enable it (this should obviously be on).
The correct serial port (printer or modem) is selected. Note that if you want to us ethe printer port, you need to have Appletalk disabled.
The correct baud rate is selected. This must match the baud rate selected in the radio.
The ID's of the Mac and radio must be selected. The radio ID depends upon the type of radio. The Icom standards are:
IC-751 1C
IC-R71 1A
IC-271 20
IC-471 22
IC-1271 24
The computer ID must be unique from the ID of any radio(s) on the interface. I use the address of F0 without any problems.
The radio's frequency is displayed in kHz, along with the mode and currently selected memory channel. The radio is continuously polled, so that if it is manually tuned, the computer display continues to track (with a slight delay of course).
You enter a frequency by clicking on a digits (and the decimal point if necessary) to enter the frequency in kHz. Click on ENT when done to enter the frequency. Note that you may also type in the frequency using the keyboard, and press either RETURN or ENTER to send it to the radio.
Clicking on one of the six mode buttons (FM, AM, CW, USB, LWB, RTTY) places the receiver in that mode.
Clicking on the VFO button places the radio in VFO mode (assuming it was in memory mode) and switches VFOs. You cannot switch between VFO A and B on some receivers, this is a defect of Icom's serial protocol.
Clicking on the Mem button places the radio in memory mode.
Clicking on the left side of the MEMORY-CH knob increments the memory channel (and places the radio in memory mode if it is in VFO mode). Clicking on the right side decrements the memory channel.
Clicking on Write causes the frequency in the active VFO to be written to the currently selected memory channel.
Clicking on Read causes the frequency in the currently selected memory channel to be read to the active VFO.
Memory Clear is not supported - it's rather useless actually.
AppleEvents:
MacIcomControl accepts AppleEvents to allow other applications to control the radio.
Please contact me if you'd like information on this feature.
MacIcomControl is shareware. The registration fee is just $15. Please feel free to email me with comments and suggestions, and certainly with any bug reports! I'd also like to add support for other types of radios, let me know what you need.
