RT Systems' Radio Programmer Info

Update to 4.00.05

Thu, 21 May 2009 17:11:00 -0500

Update includes the following correction Opening message allows spaces This is inluded with the update that was published on 5.20. You do not need to run the update again if you ran it yesterday.

FAQ2 - Radio will not come back on after programming

Wed, 20 May 2009 23:26:00 -0500

Actually, the radio is on...it's just off in the woods. This CAN BE CORRECTED BY YOU!!! Remove the battery. Hold the FW key while you replace the battery or apply external DC (connect the wall charger...seems easier than that battery). The radio comes back on in CLONE mode. Send a default file (File | New) to the radio. Do not send the same file back to the radio...that's where the problem lies. Return to the file that you sent when the problem happened. Access File | Send file as e-mail. Type a message for us to come along with the file. We will work from there to isolate the exact combination of settings that resulted in the problem. Let us know and we'll get the correction to you as quickly as possible.

Updates for current release

Wed, 20 May 2009 23:19:00 -0500

The update is run from the Help menu (Help | Check for Updates) in the program. Running it once will get all of this. V 4.00.03 - Spaces allowed, saved and transfered to the radio in the opening message. V 4.00.02 - Can now select 9 and 10 kHz steps. - When entering data below 1.8 MHz the step column is set correctly. - Allow frequencies on 6.25 kHz Steps. - Barometric Offset value was not going to the radio. - Altimeter Offset value was not going to the radio. - Altimeter Units were reversed. - Corrected a problem that was causing the radio to lockup. v 4.00.01 - Busy LED and Busy Carrier Lockout check boxes are no longer on top of each other. Thanks for letting us know.

Oops.....

Mon, 11 May 2009 15:48:00 -0500

It hasn't happened in a long time...and it had to pick the VX-8 to happen on!!! There are some CDs that were shipped on May 8th or 9th that have the wrong serial number on them. These are easily identified two ways... 1) The lot number on the face of the CD does not match the second 4 characters of the serial number provided. 2) The serial number returns as invalid...although you know good and well that you tyled it correctly. The correct serial number is YV40 ZKWY HWEJ F100 014B 0 = zero in all cases Do not enter spaces. This will get you going.

FAQ 1 - Radio locked in Clone mode

Thu, 07 May 2009 20:25:00 -0500

Like I'll really keep up with the numbers...but No. 1 is easy. When programming your VX-8, be sure the keys are not locked when you go into CLONE mode. If they are, you will not be able to complete the key sequence to communicate with the radio. Now, this has always been a problem with Yaesu radios; but, this is the EASIEST to correct. No need to turn the radio off and back on...lots easier than that...read on. Once the radio displays CLONE, look for the lock symbol(it's a little padlock). It will appear at the center bottom of the screen...it's really obvious since the only other thing on the screen is CLONE. If it's there, touch the power button briefly...long enough to turn off the lock...but not long enough to turn off the radio. The lock symbol disappears and you can continue with the next step in the programming process.

A few things to know about the new VX-8 Programmer

Wed, 06 May 2009 10:34:00 -0500

The programming software for the VX-8 is the first of our Version 4 releases. What that means for you.... 1) It's look is a little different. 2) Now when you open more than one file those filenames are shown on tabs just below the menu at the top of the screen. Effortlessly you can switch between files by selecting a tab. 3) There is no comport setup. The program works with only the RT Systems USB cable. 4) The program opens in its own "window" rather than being included in the "window" with any Version 3 programs that you might be running. Even though they are separate on the screen, you can copy and paste memory channel data between Version 3 fies and files of this new Version 4 ...even files from different radios....even radios from different manufacturers. Help your friends get the most from the software. Comment to this blog about other features you discover and how you use them.

It's Soup...

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:28:00 -0500

The ADMS-VX8 programming kit has been added to our site for early orders. Shipping will begin May 6, 2009. Details about this programmer are available in the help documents. Check out that Help in PDF format, PDF format (approx 10Mb download)or as an electronic book (approx 3Mb download) where a PDF reader is not available. Worth waiting for.

Home Stretch

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:26:00 -0500

We're in the home stretch for the VX-8 programmer. Testing is going well. All the parts for the cables are in house. Final assembly on those begins today!!! Now that we are in control of all the parts... as opposed to our suppliers and shipping carriers... we can better control the timing on this release. Watch our site for availability on May 1, 2009. Be just a little more patient. As much as we love to hear from you, calls and e-mail will only slow our progress and may cause an unexpected delay.

Coming together

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:15:00 -0500

You were probably beginning to doubt the existance of the ADMS-VX8 programmer. Well, I assure you that it exists and is working well. It is not quite available for general sales. The last step is getting cables from our supplier. They are in production now and expected in about 2-3 weeks. Yes, I've said that before; but this time I can show you...

Not long now!!!

It works...it works...it works!!!

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:41:00 -0500

Connector sample and new circuit board both arrived today. Hand soldered a cable. Everything worked!! Cable samples a week. We're getting closer.

March 17, 2009

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:25:00 -0500

Happy St Patrick's Day Two months ago when I told someone that the schedule was March for the cable, he said "That means it will be Mother's Day". Taken aback by his comment, I responded, "Surely not. I can see slipping on the date a little; but surely not that much!" Well, now that schedules are more firm, I don't know if we are facing a self-fulfilling prophecy or if design and production just takes this long normally. Hate to say it; but, he was right. We are pushing the cable manufacturer to have the first of the cables for Dayton (that's May 14th for those of you who don't keep up with when that show is held.) That's even a week after Mother's Day. Given that the new plug fits the mic jack of the radio when we get the samples later this month, this date should not slip again... but then there is that one variable remaining. Hope for the best for us. As for the software, the first copy has gone to the help authors. This is the very first testing it gets. So, it exists. Now we just need a way to connect the radio to the computer.

Late February Update on our progress

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:25:00 -0500

With early March almost here, I wanted to let all of you know where we stand with this programmer and cabling. Development of the programmer is going well. As I said before, that's the easy part of this process. Unfortunately, we're finding that cable development is going to take longer than first expected. We lost time in Jan and Feb trying to find an affordable existing cable rather than just plunging in for expensive tooling to recreate it. No luck. Now we find that tooling will take several weeks. Looks like the date has slipped to April for the cable. Wanted you up on all the details.

Now, almost a month later...

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:26:00 -0500

We are talking to the radio. We do have a "make-shift" cable that we can use. So the pieces exist at the design stage. But, I doubt any of you want to pay for your cable what we paid for this one. Thank you for your note about the CT-M11 and CT-131 cables. While that gets the radio end addressed, what about the circuitry for the computer end? Those cables are no less than $30 each. I would hate to hate to start the price of the cable there then add costs the computer end components. So, now that we have things identified, we are talking to our suppliers in an attempt to produce cables in mass at a reasonable price...I bet most of you didn't realize there was this much that goes into "chasing" the radios once we see one. The software is in development. As I said before, this is the easy part. Right now, we hope the March 1 date does not slip. Unfortunately, the responses have been a little slow from our suppliers. Believe me, we are moving on this as fast as we can and can afford to.

Hardware does not match error when sending to the radio

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:50:00 -0500

The FT-60 has more issues with "timing" that any other of the Yaesu HTs or mobiles; however, this solution could be used on any Yaesu. If you get an error when you attempt to get data from or send data to the radio, try this. 1) Do NOT turn the radio off. 2) Leave the radio in Error or Clone mode...wherever it stopped. 3) Cancel the error then the Send data to process on the computer so that you are back at the spread sheet with the frequencies showing that you want to send to the radio. 4) Select Communications | Send data to radio 5) Skip the steps that tell you how to put the radio into CLONE mode. Go to Step 5 and press the Moni/TCall button on the side of the radio. The radio will return to RX mode ready to receive data from the computer. 6) Click OK on the screen to begin the transfer. This get you past the "glitch" of data that the radio often sends when it goes into CLONE mode. Everything will flow smoothly with the process now that it is started.

Using the F-1 and F-2 keys on the IC-2200.

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:03:00 -0500

Some details on use of the F-1 and F-2 keys on the Icom IC-2200. 1) To change the radio to use the F-1 or F-2 settings, press the FUNC key on the mic then the F1 or F2 key. You will see the display of the radio change for an instant indicating AllF-1 or AllF-2. We saw the most dramatic change playing with color to indicate that the change was made. 2) When you get into F-1 or F-2 mode, you are in VFO mode. The VFO programmed through the VFO tab of the programmer is displayed when the F-1 or F-2 mode is first accessed. The number display to the right of the VFO is strange. Mine showed 10 on F-1 and 0 in F-2. No logical correlation between that number and the frequency shown. Turning the knob or pressing the up and down arrows showed by the frequency change that I was definitely in VFO mode. I could press MR on the mic and see the memory channels. They are the same in F-1 or F-2. 3) BEWARE...the only way you can return to the "Common" settings (i.e., the third group as shown in the programmer or those set when you first received the radio), is to do a partial reset (hold Scan/V-MHz button while turning on the radio) or to send your file to the radio again from the programmer. Doing the reset resets all the Set functions and the VFO so anything you have programmed into the "Main" VFO from the programmer is lost through this partial reset. In other words...while this radio appears to have three configurations, it really has only two, F-1 and F-2..once you ever access them once. I even called Icom and they explained it as the "functionality of the radio". It is expected that you want to use those settings in that configuration from now on without a need to "back-out" to what you had before.