The Newest cable that Radio Shack is selling is RadioShack # 20-047. It's a USB and Serial Adaptor, all rolled into one. And, For the  price, which is $24.95, it's The "best buy". 

        http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2177609&cp

I 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 all don't agree.

The 20-047 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

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.

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....