Okay I think I know whats going on. I found the posts on how you installed an in-line DC-DC converter and “cut off” the 5V supplied from the USB side. I bet I was causing some sort of short with both 12V and 5V going into this thing; so basically I should have isolated the USB +5V by either installing a switch OR just a male/female connector so I can disconnect it. Makes more sense now.
Edit: after further review of the schematic, I’m not sure. I measured my 12V power supply and it is outputting 15V; that isn’t rare for these unregulated wall warts. I’m not sure but I have another USB cable and I will try again but install a DC-DC converter.
Are you sure pin 15 isn’t shorting to the shield or clips on the cable? If so, when you plug it into the radio you’ll create a short between the clips and pins 1&3 (ground). Make sure there is no conductivity between pin 15 and the metal clips that hold the connector into the radio.
I just built this cable, but it is not working for me. When I plug the cable into the radio (with radio turned off), it installs a driver for “Flash P2K Patriot” and then shows “Motorola iDen Interface” when it is done. I installed the driver that comes with the Flash software, so I guess that is right. I never get the “USB” connection in the Flash software. It only shows “COM1.” If I disconnect the 12V supply and plug the cable in, Device Manager shows it as an iDen Modem. What am I doing wrong? I’m thinking that my old aftermarket Nextel cable just isn’t going to work. It appears to be a straight through cable as it Ohms out properly. There are no shorts or opens on the pins and everything is wired per the schematic. Any ideas? Thank you, Scott
Yes. I followed the directions. This is an old cable that I used to program my old Nextel phones when we had that service. It is an aftermarket cable, but for “Ohming” everything out, it matches the schematic listed in this post. It is not the same cable that is shown in this post, because it does not have a PCB in the connector. The wires go directly to the pins, so could that be my problem? The color of the wires does not match, but they are pin for pin wired exactly like the schematic.
I also tried wiring the 12V ground together with the USB ground on 1 & 3, but got the same results as Johnw. I’m going to try again with his suggestion of ground to 17 and leaving 1 & 3 unconnected and see if that works.
Ok. No idea if a different cable will work. The one in the video is/was dirt cheap so might not be worth it to go to all that effort to try and get the one you have working?
I think I know what is causing my problem. The pins are not lining up perfectly on all of the needed pins. It is off, not by much, but just enough. Pin 15 is lining up halfway between 14 & 15 on the radio. It also explains why the radio will lock up and I’ll have to remove the battery before it will even turn on. This one was a cheap aftermarket cable that I’ve had, so I’ll just get a the same cable that everyone else is using. Thank you for this wonderful resource.
Can anyone recommend a place where I can get the NKN6559A? I have bought it from two different vendors and each time, they refunded the money. The items never even got the opportunity to be shipped. The two vendors that I used were:
RP Store seemed legit, but a couple of days after I ordered, I got a refund with no explanation.
cellcorner.com however, sent me an email stating that my return was accepted. I never returned the cables, nor did the cables get the opportunity to be shipped. I ordered on 10/28 and got the return accepted on 10/31. Checking on my order status, I saw that the order was labeled “returned.” I got the cables for $8.49 and $8.90 (I bought two different models). So when I clicked on the links in my order, I was taken to the products pages where the price is now $15.90 a piece. Blatant Bait-&-Switch, so I would avoid using this “business” for sure. Not sure where it will go, but I sent them an email with the facts and screen shots for proof and will report them to the FTC.
