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Using the USB CI-V (CIV) Icom Interface Under Linux

Note: These notes were provided by one of our customers who is using our interface under linux. Due to the myriad of linux systems and configurations, we cannot provide any additional technical support for use under linux.

These probably need testing on systems other than ubuntu, but they are similar to creating a serial-to-usb connection for Palm Pilots and PDA's in linux.

Mileage may vary!

For a debian based system, he user will want to consider removing/deinstalling "brltty" which appears to be some sort of braille TTY software, as it seems to detect and engage newly-created tty-based devices.

On Ubuntu/Debian command line or terminal, as root or superuser:

1. apt-get remove brltty

2. mknod /dev/ttyUSB0 c 188 0

3. chown -hR root:dialout /dev/ttyUSB0

4. chmod 0666 /dev/ttyUSB0

5. ls -l /dev/ttyUSB0

output should read similar to this:

crw-rw-rw- 1 root dialout 188, 0 2008-04-21 19:51 /dev/ttyUSB0

6. REBOOT. None of my applications would acknowledge the CI-V device's connection until after reboot, for whatever reason.

Repeat the above process if you have other serial-to-usb adapters that compete on your system.

7. If your application normally reads the device from /dev/ttyS0 ... back up your app's configuration and then try /dev/ttyUSB0 instead.

Promptly after reboot, linux programs like gMFSK, sgcontrol and other hamlib-dependent applications were able to read the frequency output of my ICOM R-75, with the Blackcat CI-V interface. I have "limited" control over the R-75 with Smart Gnome Control, but this seems to be a limitation of hamlib0, as this was also 'hit-and-miss' on my standard rs-232 cable, with Icom Control software.

Last modified April 28, 2008