Review on Radioddity PC001 FTDI USB Programming Cable w/ Plug and Play | Compatible with Most Analog Two Way Radios (2-Pin K Plug) by Maxwell Thomas

The cable worked with 3 radios and 2 different programming software packages but there were some minor issues worth knowing about. if you come across them. Plugged into the USB port of my old Windows 8.1 system, it was recognized immediately and the driver installed automatically in less than a minute. A quick check in Windows Device Manager showed that it was assigned COM port 3 (the COM port number needs to be set in the software). -3R+ (yes, quite a diverse collection of old cheap radios). Working with PX-777 for the first time using CHIRP software. At first the HC-3P+ connected, but it read junk data that bore a vague resemblance to channels already programmed (again with CHIRP). Disconnecting and reconnecting RELIABLE to the radio eventually got it working. The PX-UV973 is not supported by CHIRP and the programming software for it is hard to find these days (and his yahoo group went with all those groups). Fortunately, when I bought the radio a few years ago, I downloaded (supposedly) compatible programming software, i.e. scanned it locally and online (VirusTotal) for viruses and installed it. But nothing - the software couldn't see the radio at all. Disconnecting and reconnecting several times didn't help. Looking closely at the radio, I noticed that although the PX-777 and PX-UV973 radios look similar and use the same batteries, microphone, etc., the microphone ports where the programming cable connects were physically different. Were the connectors on the PX-UV973 slightly countersunk? May be. Noticing the above, I pushed the connector towards the radio and suddenly got a connection but fig data. Encouraged in this way, I pushed the radio (trying not to hit the PTT), held the jack HARD while reading the program, and it worked. So, I have an issue, noticed by others, with some programming cable/radio combos - they can be difficult to insert deep enough into the radio jacks for them to plug in and work. With some radios it is even necessary to cut off some plastic from the plug. On my radios, one worked, one required a firm push on the connector, the other required a hard push on the connector when reading/writing. The cable will work perfectly once such issues are resolved. Good cable, just check for incomplete pairing if you're having trouble with the radio not being "seen" by the software or not reading/writing reliably.