I have one of these: - http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Cable-VX-170-Chipset-Windows/dp/B002YUJ1JA...

It, indeed, presents itself as a COM port (i.e. it has a built-in USB to Serial converter), once the proper drivers are installed.

Note that this one specifically lists that the chipset is made by FTDI and that it works with Windows 7. That's because most of the ones you find on eBay use the Prolific chipset. If it's a genuine Prolific chip, then it will work just as well as the FTDI one. The problem is that a lot of the ones on eBay use cloned/counterfeit Prolific chips. Prolific modified their drivers so that they don't work with cloned chips. Consequently, to use these eBay cables, you often have to jump through hoops to find and install older drivers (and also prevent Windows, particularly Windows 7, from updating them).

I've also got some of those inexpensive cables from eBay, and have gotten them to work, but it took some effort. You'll see lots of people on the various radio groups/lists complaining about the problem.

On 09/08/2012 05:45 PM, David Griffith wrote:

There are various programming cables for the Yaesu VX-7R on Ebay that consist of a USB plug on one end and a VX-7R mic plug on the other. I'd like to get one of those because the combination of three cables I'm using now is rather bulky. Does anyone here know for sure if those cables of which I speak present themselves as a USB-to-RS232 converter?