If you're handy with a soldering iron, these FTDI USB to RS-232 "wire end" cables work well to program ICOM D-STAR rigs and communicate via low speed data (d-rats):
http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Documents/DataSheets/Cables/DS_USB_RS232_CABLES.pdf

The cable is a USB plug / converter at one end and "bare wires" at the other end. You will need to solder on a connector that fits your rig, in this case, a 2.5mm stereo plug (that's where the soldering iron comes in). Connect the Orange wire to the tip, the yellow wire to the middle sleeve and the black wire to the base. You don't need to connect the other wires.

Pick your 2.5mm plug carefully, most of the ICOM rigs require a pretty narrow backshell on the plug. I've been known to leave the plug off and just cover the connections with heat shrink tubing.

The cables are about $23 from Mouser Electronics. Not the cheapest, but they work well and I've never had a driver compatibility issue with them. I've made several and use them for rig programming and low speed data (d-rats) on ICOM D-STAR radios, including my ID-880H.

PS:  The 5V TTL level version of this cable works very well as a CIV programming cable for ICOM rigs.

73 de Mike, N0SO

On Aug 17, 2016, at 3:40 PM, w4rss@radioclub.org wrote:


Anyone have a source for a programming cable for the Icom IC-880h?