ICOM IC-M802

[Rick, W4XA]

Howdy all, 

I have been trying to get FreeDV to control my IC-M802 via a USB--> Serial cable without success.

There is an IC-M802 selection in the (FreeDV) list of rigs for CAT  control (Hamlib) 

I tried using an old control program called M710 which was written several years ago to control nearly all the Icom marine radios M700, M710 and is considered compatible with the IC-M802.  

To test the FTDI RS-232C Serial--->USB-C cable I have,  I obtained the M710 software from the Winlink website and installed it on my Windows 11 laptop. 

After selecting the proper com port, it immediately placed the IC-M802 into "Remote" mode and was able to do basic control functions (frequency, mode, audio and RF gain etc)   

So the IC-M802 can be remote controlled via it's RS-232 serial port.

I also have a SignaLink USB audio device and connected it to the radio with the IC-M802 cable from Tigertronics and FreeDV immediately found the USB Audio codec for TX & RX

Since the IC-M802 cannot be "PTT keyed"  via the serial port, FreeDV PTT keying is not used.  The SignaLink USB device keys the radio via the ACCY port with no problems and I was able to get FreeDV to work quite well with the radio.

I just cannot change frequency/Mode with FreeDV.  I must change the frequency using the radio's control head and then if I want the FreeDV reporter to indicate the correct frequency, I have to enter it manually in the "Radio Freq" field of FreeDV.

So bottom line, I actually WANT FreeDV to control Frequency and Mode and it should because there's a Hamlib entry for it.  Actually there are entries for the IC-M700Pro, M710, M802 and M803 (Icom's newest marine radio) 

So I am at sort of a sticking point here.  

Has anyone out there in Radio Land EVER gotten an IC-M802 or any other ICOM marine radio to work with FreeDV?

Thanks, 

Rick

W4XA