Review on Gearmo 4-Port USB to Serial RS232 Adapter with FTDI Chipset, Compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7, XP, Linux, Mac - Enhanced ESD and Surge Protection by Larry Blanco

This cable is essential for Windows 8 users who need RS-232 serial ports for legacy hardware interfaces. All in all I find this adapter a solid addition to my Windows 8 system where I have several RS-232 serial devices that I use regularly. HAM info: I'm using this cable to convert a USB 3.0 port on my late 2013 iMac (OS X 10.9.x Mavericks, Windows 8.1 Professional, 64-bit) to 4 serial RS-232 ports I mean hooked up a ham radio transceiver. Automatic tuner and Kenwood TH-F6A programming cable. I previously had a USB to 4-port adapter from another reputable manufacturer with a Prolific chipset that was not compatible with Windows 8. Here's what I like about this adapter: It worked right out of the box on Mac OS X 10.9. and Windows 8.1 without having to run driver updates to set up ports. Even when I use the SignaLink digital USB interface and the MasterKeyer MK-1, there are no port conflicts. Where I used to have trouble getting the correct rig information from the Yaesu FT-100D into my logging program, I no longer have this problem. I couldn't have asked for an easier and painless setup. Now for the little things: I doubt that a dongle/serial adapter cable is required. Since I am using this in a ham radio environment, shielding and reducing RF overload is very important. This cable may be susceptible to RF interference, which I believe is caused by long, poorly shielded cables running between the USB port and serial port connectors. This is also the reason why I didn't give this cable 5 stars. I'll try the usual remedies - install chokes, recheck the grounding system - and see if it makes a difference. Otherwise I may be limited to all bands 20m and below if I choose to use the rig control interface of my registration and competition software.