diff --git a/doc/man1/rigctl.1 b/doc/man1/rigctl.1
index 438de67d7..9deedf737 100644
--- a/doc/man1/rigctl.1
+++ b/doc/man1/rigctl.1
@@ -1288,6 +1288,14 @@ CW Skimmer is started and "set_lock_mode 0" when CW Skimmer is stopped.
 .BR get_lock_mode
 Returns current lock mode status 1=On, 2=Off (only useful when using rigctld)
 .
+.TP
+.BR send_raw " \(aq" \fIString\fp \(aq
+.EX
+Can send ASCII string or 0xnn values -- there can be no spaces in the command string.
+Examples:
+  send_raw FA;MD;
+  send_raw 0x40;0x32;0x32;0x00
+.
 .SH READLINE
 .
 If
diff --git a/src/rig.c b/src/rig.c
index b71f3dccf..d014f0606 100644
--- a/src/rig.c
+++ b/src/rig.c
@@ -7413,6 +7413,12 @@ HAMLIB_EXPORT(int) rig_send_raw(RIG *rig, const unsigned char *send,
     unsigned char buf[200];
     int nbytes;
     ENTERFUNC;
+
+    if (rig->caps->rig_model == RIG_MODEL_DUMMY || rig->caps->rig_model == RIG_MODEL_NONE)
+    {
+        rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "%s: not implemented for model %s\n", __func__, rig->caps->model_name);
+        return -RIG_ENAVAIL;
+    }
     int retval = write_block_sync(&rs->rigport, send, send_len);
 
     if (retval < 0)
diff --git a/tests/rigctl_parse.c b/tests/rigctl_parse.c
index fd567b00d..2fa9ab971 100644
--- a/tests/rigctl_parse.c
+++ b/tests/rigctl_parse.c
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ declare_proto_rig(set_separator);
 declare_proto_rig(get_separator);
 declare_proto_rig(set_lock_mode);
 declare_proto_rig(get_lock_mode);
+declare_proto_rig(send_raw);
 
 
 /*
@@ -370,6 +371,7 @@ static struct test_table test_list[] =
     { 0xa1, "get_separator",     ACTION(get_separator), ARG_NOVFO, "Separator" },
     { 0xa2, "set_lock_mode",     ACTION(set_lock_mode), ARG_IN | ARG_NOVFO, "Locked" },
     { 0xa3, "get_lock_mode",     ACTION(get_lock_mode), ARG_NOVFO, "Locked" },
+    { 0xa4, "send_raw",          ACTION(send_raw), ARG_NOVFO | ARG_IN | ARG_OUT, "Send raw command" },
     { 0x00, "", NULL },
 };
 
@@ -5343,3 +5345,43 @@ declare_proto_rig(get_lock_mode)
     fprintf(fout, "%d\n", lock);
     return RIG_OK;
 }
+
+
+static int parse_hex(const char *s, unsigned char *buf, int len)
+{
+    int i;
+    buf[0] = 0;
+    char *s2 = strdup(s);
+    char *p = strtok(s2,";");
+    while(p)
+    {
+        unsigned int val;
+        sscanf(p,"0x%x", &val);
+        buf[i++] = val;
+        p = strtok(NULL, ";");
+    }
+    free(s2);
+    return i;
+}
+/* 0xa4 */
+declare_proto_rig(send_raw)
+{
+    int retval;
+    unsigned char term[] = ";";
+    unsigned char buf[100];
+    unsigned char send[100];
+    unsigned char *sendp = (unsigned char*)arg1;
+    int arg1_len = strlen(arg1);
+
+    if (strncmp(arg1, "0x", 2)==0) {
+        arg1_len = parse_hex(arg1,send,sizeof(send));
+        sendp = send;
+    }
+    rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_TRACE, "%s:\n", __func__);
+    retval = rig_send_raw(rig, (unsigned char*)sendp, arg1_len, buf, sizeof(buf),term);
+    if ((interactive && prompt) || (interactive && !prompt && ext_resp))
+    {
+        fprintf(fout, "%s: ", cmd->arg1);
+    }
+    return retval;
+}