The cable and adapters is what I was trying to
get away from.

The best that I can read the vms faq.5 is that
something like this needs to be done:

  MMJ                       DB9-DEC
  ----------------          ----------------
  1. DTR                    Frame gnd
  2. Transmit HI            Transmit data
  3. Transmit LOW           Receive data
  4. Receive LOW            RTS
  5. Receive HI             DTR
  6. DSR                    DSR
                         7. Signal gnd
                         8. Console present
                         9. Console present
  ----------------          ----------------

  a) jumper dtr/dsr         jumper dtr/dsr/rts
  b) jumper 3/4 gnd   and   tie to signal gnd
  c)                        jumper dtr/dsr
  d)                        jumper console pins
  e) Tie TX/RX LOW    to    signal gnd
  f) Tie TX HI        to    receive  ata
  g) Tie RX HI        to    transmit data

The net effect should be a classic 3 wire serial
cable.

What I want to do is confirm that before I do
anything strange to the console port on the cpu
card or the VTxxx terminals.

Thanks

Bob