[chirp_users] Linux CHIRP, ICOM 7100, "unicode strings" error

ICOM 7100 connected to Linux system via the mini-USB port. FLRIG can control the radio through that interface.

Running CHIRP 0.3.0dev, when I try to download from the radio via /dev/ttyUSB0, I get a pop-up error message: unicode strings are not supported, please encode to bytes: <<gibberish characters>>>".

Are there specific settings I need to have set on the ICOM?

Is CHIRP able to interact with the ICOM-7100 via the mini-USB port? Do I have to use the RT-Systems FTDI cable into the audio port?

P.S. I also tried running Windows CHIRP daily-20220408. Download from radio gets "error" in every entry.