CHIRP

Thanks Jim for responding.

There is definitely a little confusion on the required cable.
My understanding is that the USB connector on the HT doesn't not require a serial-to-USB converter chip
since it's all USB at that point.

I found an entry somewhere about using the audio input mini-phono plug with a converter.

Why have a USB port and no on-board USB support ??!! Plus the Linux CDC module is seeing the port activated.
I'll post more details directly from the terminal when I get a chance today.

Cheers

Alas I found some documentation and there is a special USB cable.
I think that's terrible engineering.

Thanks all for reading.

Once again I have to admit that I have no Yaesu experience, so what my experience is may be not consistent with your situation.

I do have a few radios with "USB" ports on them. "USB" only in the sense that a USB type fitting plugs in that port and that a standard USB cable can be used to charge the radio's battery. For programming they either use a programming cable specific to that radio that contains a USB-to-Serial converter chip or it has a separate port altogether for programming the radio.

For example one radio I have has a USB type C connection for charging the battery and a 2-pin Kenwood style speaker/mic port for programming the radio.

The Baofeng BF-T8 has a similar arrangement where it has a micro USB connection for charging and is programmed through a TRRS speaker/mic port (same as for the Baofeng UV-3R).

A quick search for a Yeasu FT-70D programming cable reveals to me that it to requires a non-USB programming cable for computer programming (also a TRRS connection). Here is an example of a "Yaesu FT-70D programming cable":https://www.rtsystemsinc.com/ADMS-70D-Programming-Software-and-USB-57B-cable-for-the-Yaesu-FT-70D_p_77.html.

Jim KC9HI

Since I do not have the correct cable I cannot confirm.
My FT-70D came without a data cable. It sounds to me like the cable is just a FTDI chip like
most other serial-to-usb solutions with a mini-USB connector on one end.

I looked into buying one but have a lot of expenses right now.

Has anyone tried using a generic FTDI chip with breakout points and wired their own ?
https://smile.amazon.com/Converter-Terminated-Galileo-BeagleBone-Minnowboard/dp/B06ZYPLFNB/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=ftdi+cable&qid=1626887565&sr=8-4

Eddy Brown wrote:

My FT-70D came without a data cable. It sounds to me like the cable is just a FTDI chip like
most other serial-to-usb solutions with a mini-USB connector on one end.

Unfortunately, most cables come with a counterfeit Prolific chip, which often doesn't work without additional work (well, under Linux it might). You want to look for a /dev/ttyUSBx device, as far as I remember.

Yes, you absolutely can build your own cable with an FTDI chip, if you know at which end to handle a solder iron. You just need to get the pinouts right. The manual might tell you what's needed; otherwise search the web: there were others with the same problem before you :-) - A good finished FTDI cable or one with a genuine Prolific chip probably costs about $20 to $35. Stay away from the cheaper ones - they're practically always fakes.