Project:
EQDirect cable

Contents:

1. EQDirect 9 pin D-sub cable
2. Adapter 9 pin D-sub to RJ45
3. EQDirect RJ45 cable
4. To be continued

Note:
I take no responsibility or liability for what are written here, you use the information on your own risk!

3: EQDirect RJ 45 cable

I have used an EQDirect cable I made for my EQ6 mount, that mount has a DSUB 9 pin connector. Then I bought a HEQ5 mount, that mount has another connector, RJ45. I made an adapter from 9 pin D-sub to RJ45 and could us it on both of my mounts.

Now I make a new cable that I can connect direct to the HEQ5 mount. You can read about my EQ6 cable here .

This is the adapter I made earlier, several times it have get loose. Better with a cable that connects direct with the RJ45 connector.

This is how the USB to TTL Volt 5 volts cable looks before I cut the cable. The CTS and RTS signal isn't used in this case, not the VCC Voltage either. Don't make the cable too long, it can be stuck on protruding devices.

I didn't have a correct tool to crimp the RJ45 contact direct to the cable and I instead use an old Ethernet cable that I cut and solder together with the TTL adapter cable. Later I bought a special tool for this RJ45 connectors.

Some information how to make the cable:

• http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/ eqdirect2.htm
• https://incentre.net/ ethernet-cable-color-coding-diagram/

Note:
The Tx and Rx depends from which side you refer to. One device send out Tx and at the other end of the cable the other device receive it as an Rx signal, easy to mix them up. The 12 Volt supply wire isn't connected, the cable I have has the TTL level converter built into the USB connector and take the power from that 5 Volt. The red wire from the TTL adapter is 5 Volt, not 12 Volt. This cable has the FTDI chip, look carefully that it isn't a replica.

I tested the cable and it didn't work, maybe better to attach the connector direct on the cable and don't use a joint with an old cable.

I to be sure that I don't mix the wires I compare with the cable I already had. I connect the wires on this new exact as the old one.

This time I have bought a new crimp tool for the RJ45 connector.

Now with a new RJ45 connecter mounted it looks professional. Connect it to the equipment and did a new test, it didn't work this time either, no connection. I have to buy a new TTL to USB adapter, something must be wrong with it.

Update:
Later I realized that this was one of many serial to USB serial adapter cable which has the faked circuits, faked chips, bad luck. I have three bad adapters in my collection. My GPS receiver has one too builtin, but that is connected to a Linux system which can handle this problem. Most of them works with Windows 7 but can't handle Windows 8/10.