RT Systems' Radio Programmer Info - VX-8

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.

Programmer for the VX-8

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:21:00 -0500

There have been three stages to the information provided about the programmer for the new Yaesu VX-8 HT. To recap for those of you who are just joining us.... For those who inquired early (before the radio's release) we had to be conservative. Remember, we get nothing prior to the radio being available on the American market. We purchase a radio from a dealer just like all of you. After what we found with the last radio Yaesu released, the FTM-10 that "clones" via UHF frequency and not from the computer, we had to wait to make any predictions for the VX-8. So we waited. Once we received our radio (December 19th) the first attempts to address the radio did not go well. Notice first the mic jack on that radio. It's a very unique 7-pin jack taking, of course, a very special 7-pin plug. We hoped that the mic adapter would be wired with the right connections for programming, as was the mic adapter for the VX-7 when it appeared with its threaded mic jack. No such luck. And attempts to get in through the speaker jack also failed. So we ordered another piece to try and we waited. The new piece arrived (December 23..5:30 PM) we solved one more piece of this puzzel. After about a dozen tries...eleven of which ended in failure and several discissions of this not being possible...SUCCESS. We have now identified all that needs to be done... 1) A new plug to address the mic jack must be developed and manufactured by RT Systems. These are not available from Yaesu in bulk as we would need them for resonable pricing. 2) A new circut design for the electronics of the interface between the radio and the computer. This radio does not use the same electronics as any of the other handheld or mobile radios. 3) Software development and testing: at this point, this is the easiest of the three as we are in control here...all the others are in the hands of our suppliers. There have been several surprises with this radio. Now that we have identified the things to be done, we can work to get each completed to have a programmer and cabling for you just as soon as we can. Check back here for more information. I'll keep you posted every step of the way.