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For reliable CAT control, set the radio and control software to use the same supported serial parameters: baud rate, data framing, timeout, and applicable RTS or other control-line behavior. First confirm the selected radio port and that the cable or interface matches its electrical signaling level. There is no universal CAT configuration; use the manual for your exact transceiver and port.
Which CAT settings matter most?
CAT (computer-aided transceiver control) lets compatible software communicate with a radio. A reliable link depends on both ends agreeing on the settings the radio supports, and on using an interface electrically suitable for the chosen port.
- Port: Select the physical radio port in the radio’s menu, if required, and open its corresponding computer COM port in the control software.
- Baud rate: Choose a rate supported by that radio and port, then set the same rate in the software.
- Data framing: Match data bits, parity, and stop bits where configurable.
- Timeout: Use a value supported by the radio and appropriate to the software’s communication behavior.
- Control lines: Set RTS or flow control according to the radio, interface, and software documentation; do not assume one choice fits every setup.
- Electrical interface: Check the port’s signaling level as well as the connector. A physically fitting cable may still be electrically unsuitable.
How do documented radio settings differ?
The following manufacturer examples show why settings should not be copied from one model to another. Values are model-specific, not general defaults.
| Radio or procedure | Documented details | What to take from the example |
|---|---|---|
| Yaesu FT-710 | CAT-1, CAT-2, and CAT-3 rates include 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, and 115200 bps; factory defaults are 38400 bps for CAT-1/CAT-3 and 4800 bps for CAT-2. Timeout choices are 10, 100, 1000, and 3000 ms by port. Communication is asynchronous with one start bit, eight data bits, no parity, and one or two stop bits; CAT-2 uses one stop bit. Yaesu FT-710 CAT Operation Reference Manual | Check the port-specific menu and its electrical interface. The TUNER/LINEAR CAT-3 jack is 5 V TTL, not direct PC RS-232. |
| Yaesu FT-991A | The CAT rate menu lists 4800, 9600, 19200, and 38400 bps; timeout choices are 10, 100, 1000, and 3000 ms. CAT RTS can be disabled or enabled. Yaesu FT-991A CAT reference manual | RTS is configurable, but the manual’s options alone do not determine the right setting for every interface or software package. |
| Kenwood TM-D710/RC-D710 firmware procedure | The official firmware procedure suggests 19200 bps if communication errors persist despite correct parameters and settings. Kenwood firmware procedure | This is troubleshooting guidance for that procedure, not a universal CAT default. |
How to set up CAT control reliably
- Identify the exact radio and port. Check the transceiver manual for the port intended for computer control and any menu selection needed to activate it.
- Verify the cable or interface’s electrical level. For example, Yaesu warns that the FT-710 TUNER/LINEAR CAT-3 jack uses 5 V TTL and cannot connect directly to a PC RS-232 terminal. The manual names the optional CT-58 band data cable for preparing that connection. Do not assume an ordinary USB-to-serial lead is suitable; verify compatibility with the radio, port, and signaling level.
- Choose a supported baud rate. Set the same rate in the radio and the control application. If a port has a factory default, confirm it rather than assuming every port on the radio shares one.
- Match framing and control lines. Enter the documented data bits, parity, stop bits, and timeout where the software exposes them. Configure RTS or flow control only as directed by the relevant radio and interface documentation.
- Open the correct computer port and test communication. Make sure the application is using the COM port associated with the interface. If communication fails, check the port selection, cable level, baud rate, framing, timeout, and control-line settings before changing values at random.
- Try a slower supported rate if errors continue. Kenwood’s TM-D710/RC-D710 firmware procedure recommends 19200 bps for persistent errors after confirming the parameters and settings. Apply that only when it is supported and relevant to your radio and workflow.
What to do when CAT communication fails
- No connection at all: Confirm the selected radio port, computer COM port, and whether the interface’s signaling level is appropriate. On an FT-710, direct RS-232 connection to CAT-3 is explicitly unsuitable.
- Intermittent errors: Recheck both ends’ baud rate and framing, plus timeout and control-line configuration. Then try another radio-supported rate; a slower rate is a troubleshooting option, not a guaranteed fix.
- Settings seem correct but control still fails: Consult the exact radio and interface manuals. CAT menus and port capabilities vary even between models from the same manufacturer.
For FT-710 users considering a cable or interface, verify the exact model, port, and signaling level before purchase; the manual’s CT-58 reference is not a blanket compatibility claim for other setups. Yaesu’s FT-710 CAT manual also instructs users to close the computer application before disconnecting the USB cable.
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