In article <3E8556D3.3010106@earthlink.net> you write:
> 
> adaptors until I find a model that works?  Does anyone here
> have a brand, model or chip that they would recommend?

I have a deluo (www.deluo.com) serial widget. It's a ~6" cable type
thing, with USB at one end and a DB9 at the other. It's recognized as a
uplcom in netbsd. I haven't really used it yet, but a deluo USB GPS (also
uplcom) I have works well.

I recall reding somewhere about uplcom maybe having a problem panicing
the system if hot-unplugges (search mail-index). For my application I
won't be hot-plugging so this isn't an issue for me. The driver may even
have been fixed by now, for all I know.

The deluo gear is small and cheap (~$30 for the serial). They also have
a tiny, USB-powered 4-port hub.