Someone asked me to post back if i ever solved my RS232 hookup between a circa 1980 calculator and my PC. The interface box is very old and crazy. Finally is it done: Update, Finally have it working. Seems there is a conflict about the definition of CTS and RTS. The manual i have is all wrong. Evidently the RS232 Standard dictates that RTS is Request to Send YOU data, whereas modern hardware protocol is RTS = Request To Send data to ME. This was driving me crazy. In the old days, RTS went high, and computer waited until CTS went high to start sending data out. Now new hardware protocol; RTS is forced high by computer when it can accept data, and computer forces it low when computer receive buffer is full. So RTS is a stand alone protocol for getting data in. CTS works the reverse, a stand alone protocol for sending data out of computer. Every site i read had different definition. Furthermore my old RS232 interface didn't handshake in the correct direction. Final solution involved switching the DTR and RTS lines, but only after i became an expert in a subject i don't care to know about. Best (ps, i couldn't find my breakout box, it's a nice one with all the lights, buryied somewhere in the garage)

Thanks for the end of the story. I understand gaining expertise in something you don't care about. M2 If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.