I've done some homework, and I know this serial cable dell sends is funky. What I'm using the serial connector for is to connect an OBD car interface cable to the axim. The OBD cable works fine with other laptops/desktops. But not with the Axim.

BUT, there is a workaround for it, but I wanted to get some more input. Review this web page before reading further
www.arlab.it/axim.html
That page has a details on the Sipex chip in the Axim cable as well as other goodies.

Notice he was able to get the OBD cable to connect to the car when using a 9 volt battery connected to pin 4 on the DB9 connector of the Axim cable. I did the same it connects.

What I don't seem to understand is this....
I tried another work around. I took power from the Axim side of the sipex chip (3.5 volts) and tied it to pin 4. It wouldn't hook to the car then. So I'm trying to figure that one out. I'm stumped.
He had some other interesting ideas on getting this Sipex chip to remain on and work, I may try out (i.e hooking pin 22 to 23 on the sipex chip).

So any thoughts on how I can get this to work properly? a 9 volt battery isn't my ideal fix....

I'm not a engineer or EE, but here's what I know from practical experience. The web site is incorrect about not functioning with just Rx/Tx/Gnd. I built a null modem adapter to connect a Magellan GPS unit to the Axim that used only those lines and it worked fine every time. What I did have to do was to disable Activesync on the Axim, then get the port on the Axim captured by the mapping software and then connect the cable. If you connect the cable first, even with A/S shut down, A/S will fire off and try to sync as soon as it sees any connection to the Axim port. That then stymies any attempt by the software to get to the async data coming in.

I am not sure what you are trying to do, but if you fire up the Axim software first, capture the port and then connect the cable you may have better success. It's worth a try, anyway.

       

Check out my site on making GPS play nice with Axim, I tried to explain why it's needed.

http://www.wormley.com/axim

For anyone opening the cable and cutting the traces, also note, you'll likely need to jumper SEL to GND to make it all work right with just TX/RX/GND devices

-Steve