understanding this VB code

understanding this VB code

Can someone try wrap their brain around this one? I thought it was simply
ensuring there were 2 bytes in hex byte and ensuring the values were
between 0 -9 and A-F but no.
A snippet of a program that is for an infrared controller/blaster. This
subroutine will send the actual signals (or other codes) out the serial
port to the controller for it to finish the job.
Sample call:
SendCode ("04241001")
The VB6 code says:
Public Sub SendCode(ByVal strOut As String)
' ****************************
' This sub sends the hex codes
' ****************************
Dim numb1 As Integer, numb2 As Integer
Dim strRS As String
Dim i As Long
Dim newline(200) As String, outline(200) As String
Debug.Print "Sending IR - " & strOut
strRS = vbNullString
For i = 1 To Len(strOut)
newline(i) = Mid(strOut, i, 1)
Next
For i = 1 To Len(strOut) Step 2
If Asc(newline(i)) < 64 Then
numb1 = (Asc(newline(i)) - 48) * 16
strRS = strRS + Format(Hex(numb1 / 16), "0")
Else
numb1 = (Asc(newline(i)) - 55) * 16
strRS = strRS + Format(Hex(numb1 / 16), "0")
End If
If Asc(newline(i + 1)) < 64 Then
numb2 = (Asc(newline(i + 1)) - 48)
strRS = strRS + Format(Hex(numb2), "0")
Else
numb2 = (Asc(newline(i + 1)) - 55)
strRS = strRS + Format(Hex(numb2), "0")
End If
numb1 = numb1 + numb2
outline((i + 1) \ 2) = CByte(numb1)
strRS = strRS + " "
Next
With MSComm1
.RTSEnable = True
Sleep (20)
.OutBufferCount = 0
For i = 1 To (Len(strOut) / 2)
.Output = Chr(outline(i))
Next
Sleep (20)
.RTSEnable = False
End With
End Sub



The question is based around the second For/Next loop with Step 2 and the
embedded IF statements.
Any idea what the intended use of strRS is used for?