Driver | Ld-c101 Usb To Ci-v
If you need the circuit design paper:
Assume you have a CP2102-based LD-C101. Here is the definitive process:
For macOS users: The driver is often built-in (Apple provides a generic CDC driver). If not, install "SiLabsUSBDriverDisk.dmg" from Silicon Labs.
For Linux users: The CP210x driver is native in the kernel. Run dmesg | grep cp210x to confirm.
Once the driver is active, do not assume it works. Test thoroughly.
Baud rate support: CI-V uses 4800 or 19200 bps commonly; adapter supports standard serial baud rates (from low to 115200+ depending on chipset).
Flow control: Typically no hardware flow control (CI-V is simple single-wire bus). Drivers expose RTS/CTS/DTR lines if chipset supports them.
Data framing: 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit (8N1) commonly used for CI-V.
Compatibility with radio control software: Works with Ham Radio Deluxe, N1MM+, fldigi, WSJT-X, Icom's own RS-BA1/CI-V control apps, and custom scripts that open a serial port to send CI-V commands.
The LD-C101 will eventually die. A cold solder joint will crack. The counterfeit FTDI chip will be bricked by a driver update. Or you will simply forget it in a box, replaced by a radio with built-in USB audio and CAT control. Progress is a glacier, not a spring.
But you will remember the night you fought it. The night you opened Device Manager, scrolled through hidden devices, deleted the ghost COM ports, rebooted, and finally heard the soft thunk of a serial connection establishing. For a few hours, you were not just an operator. You were a priest of the interface, a keeper of the bridge. And the LD-C101, silent and plastic and utterly indifferent, was your reluctant altar.
It is just a driver. But in the age of instant gratification, a driver that makes you work for a connection is a kind of teacher. It whispers: Nothing truly communicates without a little suffering. And then it hands you the frequency, and you call CQ, and the ionosphere answers.
is a USB-to-3.5mm CI-V control cable designed for computer control of ICOM radios. To function correctly, the cable requires specific Virtual COM Port (VCP)
drivers to translate the USB signal into a serial communication line that radio software can understand. Chelegance Driver Specifications & Requirements Most modern LD-C101 cables utilize the FTDI (Future Technology Devices International)
chipset, though some variants may use Silicon Labs (SiLabs) or Prolific chips. Chipset Identification
: When plugged into a Windows computer, the cable typically appears in Device Manager under "Ports (COM & LPT)" as a "USB Serial Port". Official FTDI Drivers
: Because it acts as a standard serial interface, the latest stable drivers are generally sourced from the FTDI Chip VCP Drivers page Compatibility : Supports Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11.
: Drivers are often built into the Linux kernel (version 2.4.20 or greater). : Requires FTDI VCP drivers for Mac. Chelegance Hardware & Technical Profile
The LD-C101 serves as a replacement for the Icom CT-17 level converter, providing a direct link between a PC's USB port and a radio's CI-V jack. Chelegance Specification USB-A to 3.5mm Mono Plug Cable Length 1.5 meters (approx. 5 feet) Icom CI-V (TTL Level Serial) Typically 9600 or 19200 (Software dependent) Compatible Software Ham Radio Deluxe, N1MM, Logger32, WSJT-X Installation and Setup
If you need the circuit design paper:
Assume you have a CP2102-based LD-C101. Here is the definitive process:
For macOS users: The driver is often built-in (Apple provides a generic CDC driver). If not, install "SiLabsUSBDriverDisk.dmg" from Silicon Labs.
For Linux users: The CP210x driver is native in the kernel. Run dmesg | grep cp210x to confirm.
Once the driver is active, do not assume it works. Test thoroughly.
Baud rate support: CI-V uses 4800 or 19200 bps commonly; adapter supports standard serial baud rates (from low to 115200+ depending on chipset).
Flow control: Typically no hardware flow control (CI-V is simple single-wire bus). Drivers expose RTS/CTS/DTR lines if chipset supports them.
Data framing: 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit (8N1) commonly used for CI-V.
Compatibility with radio control software: Works with Ham Radio Deluxe, N1MM+, fldigi, WSJT-X, Icom's own RS-BA1/CI-V control apps, and custom scripts that open a serial port to send CI-V commands.
The LD-C101 will eventually die. A cold solder joint will crack. The counterfeit FTDI chip will be bricked by a driver update. Or you will simply forget it in a box, replaced by a radio with built-in USB audio and CAT control. Progress is a glacier, not a spring.
But you will remember the night you fought it. The night you opened Device Manager, scrolled through hidden devices, deleted the ghost COM ports, rebooted, and finally heard the soft thunk of a serial connection establishing. For a few hours, you were not just an operator. You were a priest of the interface, a keeper of the bridge. And the LD-C101, silent and plastic and utterly indifferent, was your reluctant altar.
It is just a driver. But in the age of instant gratification, a driver that makes you work for a connection is a kind of teacher. It whispers: Nothing truly communicates without a little suffering. And then it hands you the frequency, and you call CQ, and the ionosphere answers.
is a USB-to-3.5mm CI-V control cable designed for computer control of ICOM radios. To function correctly, the cable requires specific Virtual COM Port (VCP)
drivers to translate the USB signal into a serial communication line that radio software can understand. Chelegance Driver Specifications & Requirements Most modern LD-C101 cables utilize the FTDI (Future Technology Devices International)
chipset, though some variants may use Silicon Labs (SiLabs) or Prolific chips. Chipset Identification
: When plugged into a Windows computer, the cable typically appears in Device Manager under "Ports (COM & LPT)" as a "USB Serial Port". Official FTDI Drivers
: Because it acts as a standard serial interface, the latest stable drivers are generally sourced from the FTDI Chip VCP Drivers page Compatibility : Supports Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11.
: Drivers are often built into the Linux kernel (version 2.4.20 or greater). : Requires FTDI VCP drivers for Mac. Chelegance Hardware & Technical Profile
The LD-C101 serves as a replacement for the Icom CT-17 level converter, providing a direct link between a PC's USB port and a radio's CI-V jack. Chelegance Specification USB-A to 3.5mm Mono Plug Cable Length 1.5 meters (approx. 5 feet) Icom CI-V (TTL Level Serial) Typically 9600 or 19200 (Software dependent) Compatible Software Ham Radio Deluxe, N1MM, Logger32, WSJT-X Installation and Setup