diff --git a/internal/cat/civ/civ.go b/internal/cat/civ/civ.go
index 38a6d2f..15adb41 100644
--- a/internal/cat/civ/civ.go
+++ b/internal/cat/civ/civ.go
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ const (
 	CmdReadMode       = 0x04
 	CmdSetFreq        = 0x05
 	CmdSetMode        = 0x06
+	CmdSplit          = 0x0F // read/set split & duplex (0x00 off, 0x01 split on)
+	CmdVfoFreq        = 0x25 // read a specific VFO's freq (sub 0x00 selected, 0x01 unselected)
 	CmdPTT            = 0x1C // sub 0x00 = PTT
 	CmdExtra          = 0x1A // sub 0x06 = data mode on modern Icoms
 	CmdReadID         = 0x19 // sub 0x00 = rig's own CI-V address (identifies model)
@@ -40,8 +42,10 @@ const (
 	CmdLevel = 0x14 // analogue levels (sub + 2 BCD bytes, 0000-0255)
 	CmdSwitch = 0x16 // on/off + multi-state DSP settings (sub + 1 byte)
 
-	SubDataMode = 0x06
-	SubPTT      = 0x00
+	SubDataMode      = 0x06
+	SubPTT           = 0x00
+	SubVfoSelected   = 0x00 // CmdVfoFreq: the active/RX VFO
+	SubVfoUnselected = 0x01 // CmdVfoFreq: the other VFO (TX in split)
 
 	// CmdLevel sub-commands.
 	SubLevelAF = 0x01 // AF (volume)
diff --git a/internal/cat/icomserial.go b/internal/cat/icomserial.go
index 9503a63..9a524a9 100644
--- a/internal/cat/icomserial.go
+++ b/internal/cat/icomserial.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ type IcomSerial struct {
 
 	curFreq       int64 // last frequency read (for sideband choice)
 	curModeByte   byte  // last raw Icom mode byte (for filter re-send)
+	readFails     int   // consecutive ReadState freq-read failures (transient tolerance)
 	lastSetFreq   int64 // last frequency commanded (spot click: freq then mode)
 	lastSetFreqAt time.Time
 
@@ -77,6 +78,12 @@ func (b *IcomSerial) Connect() error {
 	// Short read timeout so recv() polls in a tight loop without blocking the
 	// CAT goroutine when the rig is silent.
 	_ = port.SetReadTimeout(60 * time.Millisecond)
+	// Deassert DTR/RTS. Icom USB rigs (IC-7610, IC-7300…) let "USB SEND" and
+	// "USB Keying (CW)" be mapped to the RTS or DTR line: if the port opens with
+	// those asserted, the rig keys into TRANSMIT. PTT here is CI-V only, so both
+	// hardware lines must stay low.
+	_ = port.SetDTR(false)
+	_ = port.SetRTS(false)
 	b.port = port
 	b.rx = b.rx[:0]
 	b.model = civ.ModelName(b.rigAddr)
@@ -110,8 +117,25 @@ func (b *IcomSerial) ReadState() (RigState, error) {
 
 	hz, err := b.readFreq()
 	if err != nil {
+		// The rig briefly stops answering CI-V while it switches band/VFO. Treat a
+		// few consecutive misses as transient — keep the connection and report the
+		// last known state — so a band change doesn't trigger a full disconnect +
+		// 5 s reconnect (which showed the new frequency ~10 s late). Only after
+		// several failures do we declare the rig lost so the Manager reconnects.
+		b.readFails++
+		if b.readFails <= 6 && b.curFreq > 0 {
+			s.FreqHz = b.curFreq
+			if b.curModeByte != 0 {
+				s.Mode = civ.ModeToADIF(b.curModeByte, false)
+				if s.Mode == "DATA" {
+					s.Mode = b.digital
+				}
+			}
+			return s, nil
+		}
 		return RigState{}, err
 	}
+	b.readFails = 0
 	s.FreqHz = hz
 	b.curFreq = hz
 
@@ -126,6 +150,16 @@ func (b *IcomSerial) ReadState() (RigState, error) {
 		b.dsp.Mode = s.Mode
 		b.dspMu.Unlock()
 	}
+
+	// Split: the selected VFO (read above) is RX; the unselected VFO is TX. ADIF
+	// convention → FreqHz = TX, RxFreqHz = RX.
+	if on, ok := b.readSplit(); ok && on {
+		if txHz, ok2 := b.readTXFreq(); ok2 && txHz > 0 && txHz != s.FreqHz {
+			s.Split = true
+			s.RxFreqHz = s.FreqHz // selected VFO = RX
+			s.FreqHz = txHz       // unselected VFO = TX
+		}
+	}
 	return s, nil
 }
 
@@ -232,6 +266,36 @@ func (b *IcomSerial) readFreq() (int64, error) {
 	return civ.BCDToFreq(f.Data), nil
 }
 
+// readSplit reads the rig's split state (CI-V 0x0F). 0x01 = split on; 0x10/0x11
+// are repeater duplex (not split) and 0x00 is off.
+func (b *IcomSerial) readSplit() (on bool, ok bool) {
+	if err := b.write(civ.CmdSplit); err != nil {
+		return false, false
+	}
+	f, err := b.recv(icomReadTimeout, func(d civ.Decoded) bool {
+		return d.Cmd == civ.CmdSplit && len(d.Data) >= 1
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, false
+	}
+	return f.Data[0] == 0x01, true
+}
+
+// readTXFreq reads the UNSELECTED VFO's frequency (CI-V 0x25/01) — the TX VFO
+// when the rig is in split. Supported on IC-7610/7300/7851/705/9700 and similar.
+func (b *IcomSerial) readTXFreq() (int64, bool) {
+	if err := b.write(civ.CmdVfoFreq, civ.SubVfoUnselected); err != nil {
+		return 0, false
+	}
+	f, err := b.recv(icomReadTimeout, func(d civ.Decoded) bool {
+		return d.Cmd == civ.CmdVfoFreq && len(d.Data) >= 6 && d.Data[0] == civ.SubVfoUnselected
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, false
+	}
+	return civ.BCDToFreq(f.Data[1:]), true
+}
+
 func (b *IcomSerial) readMode() (byte, bool) {
 	if err := b.write(civ.CmdReadMode); err != nil {
 		return 0, false