Sharing your transceiver serial port with multiple programs

A very common shortcoming with our CAT-enabled transceivers is the lack of sharing of the serial port. You can either rely on transceivers with two serial ports (like the 991/A) or have a single port using the serial port.

One alternative is to use HRD, but that depends on:

1. You having a software that can talk to the HRD API;
2. Actually having HRD running - and I'm not super fond of this software.

Some hams wants to use CAT while doing FT8 for example and using N1MM. Or something else. In my case, having my Panadapter running while using my CAT buttons.

A viable solution involves using Eterlogic's VSPE.

The VSPE driver taps on your serial port, and creates a new COM port that can be used at the same time by other different software.

Without further ado, let's proceed to the instructions.

Installing and configuring VSPE

1. Obtain the 32-bit version VSPE driver (which is free) from Eterlogic website. It's okay if you have a 64-bit operating system, the free 32-bit VSPE will work.
2. Decompress the zip file, run the SetupVSPE.msi install program
3. To have your setup at a minimum, at the Custom Setup screen, deselect VSPE API and Tools. You will only need the Program.

4. After the setup is finished, now open the newly-installed VSPE program. It will nag you for the 64-bit license. Just select No and move along
5. Take VSPE aside for a while. Open your computer Device Manager and select the COM port that you want to share. In Yaesu radios, it's the Enhanced COM Port. In my case, it is COM4. Take note.

6. Now, go back to VSPE. Click on the Serial port icon with a red star to configure the shared port.

7. In Device Type, select Splitter. Click in Next.

8. Now, attention here. Several steps.
   • In Virtual Serial Port, define an unused and non-existent COM port - In my example, I chosen COM7. This will be the port that your programs will be using.
   • In Data Serial Port, select the physical COM port that you want to share - it's the port that you identified in Step 5. In my case, it is COM4.
   • Deselect: Redirect modem registers, RTS and DTR
   • Do not click OK yet - click Settings.

9. In Speed, configure the speed of your radio COM port - those must match. Click in OK and Finish.

10. You are all set. This is how VSPE should look like:

11. Now, save the configuration that you just did so you won't have to reconfigure every time you open VSPE. Go to File, Save As... and give it a name, like, vspe-config. Save it on your Desktop or somewhere easy to click to open.
12. Upon system startup, just double-click the saved file and VSPE will open with your saved configuration.
13. The next step, is to configure your programs to use the newly created COM port.

Gotchas

You have to first start VSPE prior to opening your programs! Otherwise, it will not work! That's why I have suggested steps 11 and 12, so you can make this as seamless as possible.

Enjoy!