BPQ32 RS232 Cabling
A computer running BPQ32 may be connected to a KISS TNC, to a TNC2 running TheNET/X1J4 or to another BPQ32 computer using the cables and configurations as follows:
Cabling BPQ32 to a KISS TNC2
Minimal 9-Pin Female (Computer) to 25-Pin Male (KISS TNC):
RxD 2 --------------- 3 RxD
TxD 3 --------------- 2 TxD
SG 5 --------------- 7 SG
Shell ---------------- Shell
RTS 7 --| |-- 4 RTS
CTS 8 --| |-- 5 CTS
DSR 6 ----| |---- 6 DSR
DCD 1 ----| |---- 8 DCD
DTR 4 ----| |---- 20 DTR
RTS and CTS are connected together, and DSR, DCD and DTR are connected together on each connector. A total of 4 wires make up the interconnecting cable. Rather than the minimal cable a ‘full’ cable may be used:
Full 9-Pin Female (Computer) to 25-Pin Male (KISS TNC)
DCD 1 ----------------8 DCD
RxD 2 --------------- 3 RxD
TxD 3 --------------- 2 TxD
DTR 4 --------------- 20 DTR
SG 5 --------------- 7 SG
DSR 6 --------------- 6 DSR
RTS 7 --------------- 4 RTS
CTS 8 --------------- 5 CTS
RI 9 --------------- 22 RI
Shell ---------------- Shell
The full cable is often referred to as a ‘Modem’ cable, and should be readily available for purchase.
BPQ32 must be configured as:
TYPE=ASYNC
PROTOCOL=KISS
FULLDUP=0
I provide the following additional description which I use for a very long run, about 250 feet. This is well beyond the RS232 specifications for 9600 baud however it’s working well. I wanted to use the minimal cabling and chose a single Cat-5 network cable (8 conductors) to provide a connection from the computer to the two TNC’s. These TNC’s are equipped with the BPQKISS ROM, which provides for error checking. Since the minimum number of wires is used for this application, each connector, at each end, must include the jumpers as shown.
9-Pin Female (Computer) to 25-Pin Male KISS TNC2
Blue and 2 -------- 3
White 5 -------- 7
Orange and 3 -------- 2
White Shell ---- Shell
RTS 7 --| |-- 4 RTS
CTS 8 --| |-- 5 CTS
DSR 6 ----| |---- 6 DSR
DCD 1 ----| |---- 8 DCD
DTR 4 ----| |---- 20 DTR
Brown and 2 -------- 3
White 5 -------- 7
Green and 3 -------- 2
White Shell ---- Shell
RTS 7 --| |-- 4 RTS
CTS 8 --| |-- 5 CTS
DSR 6 ----| |---- 6 DSR
DCD 1 ----| |---- 8 DCD
DTR 4 ----| |---- 20 DTR
BPQ32 must be configured as; note the KISSOPTIONS needed due to the use of the BPQKISS ROM:
TYPE=ASYNC
PROTOCOL=KISS
KISSOPTIONS=CHECKSUM,ACKMODE
FULLDUP=0
Cabling BPQ32 to a NETROM TheNet/X1J4 TNC2
The cable used for a TNC2 in NETROM mode, using TheNet/X1J4 ROM, requires an additional jumper, pin 7 to pin 23, on the TNC2 side to force the RS232 interface into NETROM mode from conversational mode.
Minimal 9-Pin Female (Computer) to 25-Pin Male (TheNet/X1J4 TNC2):
RxD 2 --------------- 3 RxD
TxD 3 --------------- 2 TxD
SG 5 ------------|-- 7 SG
|-- 23 NETROM ENABLE
Shell ---------------- Shell
RTS 7 --| |-- 4 RTS
CTS 8 --| |-- 5 CTS
DSR 6 ----| |---- 6 DSR
DCD 1 ----| |---- 8 DCD
DTR 4 ----| |---- 20 DTR
RTS and CTS are connected together, and DSR, DCD and DTR are connected together on each connector. On the NETROM TNC side pin 7 is jumpered to pin 23. A total of 4 wires make up the interconnecting cable.
Rather than the minimal cable a ‘full’ cable may be used:
Full 9-Pin Female (Computer) to 25-Pin Male (TheNet/X1J4 TNC2)
DCD 1 ----------------8 DCD
RxD 2 --------------- 3 RxD
TxD 3 --------------- 2 TxD
DTR 4 --------------- 20 DTR
SG 5 ------------|-- 7 SG
|-- 23 NETROM ENABLE
DSR 6 --------------- 6 DSR
RTS 7 --------------- 4 RTS
CTS 8 --------------- 5 CTS
RI 9 --------------- 22 RI
Shell ---------------- Shell
The full cable is often referred to as a ‘Modem’ cable, and should be readily available for purchase. If you use such a ready-made cable you must take care to add the pin 7 to pin 23 jumper to speak ‘NETROM’ on the TNC’s RS232 interface. To add the jumper you will need to remove the connector cover. The prebuilt cable I used did have a removable cover, however the trend is to ‘molded’ covers which would make this impossible.
BPQ32 must be configured as:
TYPE=ASYNC
PROTOCOL=NETROM
FULLDUP=1
Cabling two BPQ32 computers together via a serial cable
A ‘Null’ modem cable is required:
Minimal 9-Pin Female (Computer 1) to 9-Pin Female (Computer 2)
RxD 2 --------------- 3 TxD
TxD 3 --------------- 2 RxD
SG 5 --------------- 5 SG
Shell ---------------- Shell
RTS 7 --| |-- 7 RTS
CTS 8 --| |-- 8 CTS
DSR 6 ----| |---- 6 DSR
DCD 1 ----| |---- 1 DCD
DTR 4 ----| |---- 4 DTR
Full Handshaking Null Modem Cable:
DCD 1 |-------------- 4 DCD
DSR 6 | |6 DSR
DTR 4 ---------------|1 DCD
RxD 2 --------------- 3 TxD
TxD 3 --------------- 2 RxD
SG 5 --------------- 5 SG
RTS 7 ----------------8 CTS
CTS 8 ----------------7 RTS
RI 9 no connection 9 RI
Shell ---------------- Shell
There are a number of conflicting examples of ‘full’ null modems cables; however this is the wiring which I have successfully tested. Note that DCD (pin 1) and DSR (pin 6) are jumpered on each connector and connected via the cable to DCD (pin 4) on the opposite connector.
BPQ32 may be configured, which each side matching, as:
TYPE=ASYNC
PROTOCOL=KISS
FULLDUP=0
Or
TYPE=ASYNC
PROTOCOL=KISS
KISSOPTIONS=CHECKSUM ; provides optional error checking
FULLDUP=0
Or
TYPE=ASYNC
PROTOCOL=NETROM
FULLDUP=1
Ron Stordahl, AE5E
March 24, 2008