20-546        http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=20-546&origkw=20-546&sr=1

We have also discovered that the 20-047 cable will probably work for almost all of the "Other radios"
such as Yaesu, Alinco, Kenwood ICOM etc as long as you use a simple adaptor to fit the "jack" on these radios.

Take a look at this and see if you  agree.

The 20-047/546 is a Combination USB-to-Serial
        AND
Programming cable for most of Radio Shacks handheld scanners.
________________
                               |
                               |________  ________   ___
                                ________  ________ (___)
                               |    sleeve       ring            tip
_______________|

It has a FULL DUPLEX Output to a STEREO 1/8 _ 3.5mm Phone Plug
        It has the TX (to radio) on the RING
        It has the RX (FROM radio) on the TIP
           and sleeve is ground of course

The "history" of this design was originally designated for The first generation of Programmable radios
that used the Headphone Jack as the programming connection

If you inserted a Headphone - then the TIP of the male headphone connector touches the
mate connector in the radio, But the RING connector wasn't "touched"

If you inserted the cable, (the very first one was the 20-049), it had three connections,
but only the RING and SLEEVE were "wired".
So in essence the programming part worked (or) the headphone part worked,
depending on which one was inserted.
The problem is..... the pin outs are totally opposite what most "other" cables use

Later RadioS had a true PC/IF, and most of those had a STEREO connection, but not "ALL"

So, (by) knowing what is connected to what, you can use this cable for virtually
ANY of the ham radio handhelds, and have the advantage of using USB to boot.

The ONLY thing you would need to do is build a short "Crossing wire adaptor cable" for
SOME radios that require the TX on the TIP and the RX on the "middle ring". (AOR's radios are like this)

For Instance, with most radios that use the Headphone jack as both Headphone and programming input,

IF the jack is 3.5 MM, you don't need a thing, Just plug it in.

IF the jack is a 2.5 MM (ALincos) all you would need is a Stereo reducer from 3.5mm to 2.5 mm. <G>

ICOM's you just use the STEREO to MONO adaptor that (by the way) COMES with the 20-047/20-546

Can't get much simpler than that, and they're available at over 5500 RS store, just around the corner.

Best regards

Jim

======================================

I have been programming my Pro-99 using my Yaesu cable with mono
adapter for over a year. I recently bought the "official" Radio Shack
gray cable and it doesn't work. I read Jim Springer's note saying the
radio won't go into clone mode until data is sent. Well, it doesn't do
that either. I just get an error message. Even tried it with my Win99
software from Don Starr. Same results.
I've used my Yaesu cable with several Pro-99 scanners and various
laptops with success. Can't get the Radio Shack gray cable to work at
all. I wonder if it's a quality problem with their cables? I'm going
to try one more gray cable. If it doesn't work, I'll buy another Yaesu
cable....