Rich-- This may not be any help at all, but I have noticed that the USB plug on my cord does not fit well in the port. I'm used to pushing USB plugs in solidly until they stop with no problem. That doesn't work with my USB patch cord, and I get the Com-port error message when trying to read the radio. The solution, for me, has been to back the USB plug out one micromillimeter at a time until it makes proper contact. Turn the volume up on your sound so that you can here Windows positve-contact sound when contact is made. Or, you can carefully push it in one micromillimeter at a time until Windows makes the positive contact sound. This may not work for you, but it worked for me. jan/klamath falls, Oregon