How to Use Your ID-5100 Programmer

RT Systems WCS-d5100

The WCS-D5100 Radio Programming Software is designed to make it easier to program your radio. Details of memory channels and other set menu options of your radio are in the program to access and study at your pace. No more “function key frustration” from trying to set options from the face of the radio.

Memory Channels Include:

  • 1,000 Memory Channels
  • 24 Limit Memories (12 pair)
  • 1,200 DR Memories
  • 4 Call Channels
  • 200 GPS Memories

Other Menu Item Categories Include:

  • Common
  • Display and Sounds
  • DV and Speech
  • GPS
  • DTMF and Bluetooth

The Radio Programmer Is for so Much More than Just Memory Management.

The programming process begins by first installing the program then installing (and allowing) the drivers for the cable. Be sure to complete both of these steps.

Next, make all the connections between the radio and the computer and complete Communications | Get data from radio. This “syncs” the radio and computer. Even if the radio is not yet set up with memory channels, there are details that the programmer needs to get from the radio.

Start setting up details for your radio in a “factory fresh” file (File|New) or in the file that was created when you did Communications | Get data from the radio. Begin by entering a receive frequency (that will be the frequency published for the repeater). When you press Enter or Tab to leave the Receive frequency field, the program will complete details for the channel. Then customize Name and Tone to match the details you have for that local repeater.

Use the links to external data sources (File | External data) built right into the programmer to access repeater details for your area or for a location you plan to visit. Then with just a few button clicks, you have a file with hundreds of entries and all you typed was your location (i.e., zip code or city).

Save your file as you work. This is a computer, after all, and you would hate to lose your work should the system fail. Actually, create and save as many files as you want or need. You could have one file for home, a different one for the vacation house, another for the trip to your son’s house, another for the yearly 3K run and picnic where you help direct traffic and want the radio to be programmed with only the frequencies for that event. Remember, radio programming is an overwrite process. Everything in the radio is replaced by everything in the file.

Radio Memories

Your radio has several “kinds” of memories. All of which are included in the programmer. They are presented on separate tabs accessed at the bottom of the screen. This keeps them organized for you and the radio. Remember, you don’t have to do anything with these additional channels if you are not using them. They are set up automatically to satisfy the requirements the radio. Do not try to delete preprogramed entries (i.e., usually on VFO tab). These can be changed but not deleted. The radio must have a value in that spot to function.



Limit Memories

Limit Memories are used by the radio for Program Scan. Program the same details for Limit Memories as for regular memory channels. Many of the Limit Memories are preprogrammed in the radio and while the frequency can be changed to another within the band, they cannot be left blank.



DR Memories

Limit Memories are used by the radio for Program Scan. Program the same details for Limit Memories as for regular memory channels. Many of the Limit Memories are preprogrammed in the radio and while the frequency can be changed to another within the band, they cannot be left blank.



Call Channels

Home/Call channels are special memories accessed through one button recall on the radio. These channels are preprogrammed in the radio and while the frequency can be changed to another within the band, they cannot be left blank.



GPS Memories

Pre-programmed in the radio, the Marine Memories cannot be changed. Receive frequency, transmit frequency and Offset direction are disabled to prevent editing. These channels can be included with other memories in Banks 1 - 24 by checking the box for that Bank.

You don’t even have to check these one at a time. Column Editing lets you check one, copy the check, and paste it into a group or one at a time with simple Cmd C and Cmd V keystrokes. P>

Bank Settings

Bank Names and Linking

Enter a name for quickly referencing the Memory Channel, GPS Memory or DR Memory Banks. These names are used when making selection in bank mode. Any that are preprogrammed can Be changed or left blank. Set up A-Link and B-Link combinations for Bank scanning. All banks are included by default.

D-STAR Settings

 

Memories and D-Star Columns:

The ID-5100 handles D-STAR and FM memories in Memories. It is here in the Programmer that the D-STAR specifics for each channel are entered. The D-STAR columns Become active once Operating Mode is set to DV. Use the D-STAR Calculator in the program to set up channels with simple selections. Or import a file from https://www.dstarinfo.com automatically.






Set "My Callsign" to your FCC issued callsign.

The list of Your Callsigns is just storage. The callsigns used during a transmission are programmed in the memory channel. This list is available to make a selection from; however, the callsign does not need to be entered here first.

Tx messages, name/location/equipment details, etc., scroll on the radio receiving your call. Be sure to turn on the Tx-Message by selecting one.

New to the D-STAR programmers is the ability to cut, copy, paste, insert and delete in your Callsign list. The ID-5100 comes with this list empty. This new feature lets you copy your customized list from another RT Systems version 4.50 programmer into the new file for the ID-5100. With just a few mouse clicks your list is filled and ready to use with the DR Memories.

D-Star Calculator Advanced

Source and Destination:

The D-STAR Calculator automatically sets up the Talk, Echo, Info and Unlink channels for your "Source" repeater. The "Source" is the repeater you access to Begin your adventures. Just like with analog repeaters, you must Be able to hit the "Source" repeater.

Talk - the CQ channel for talking with others.

Echo - a test function that repeats your transmission back to you. Good for letting you know that you are, or are not, hitting the repeater.

Info - The function that triggers a status response from the repeater (i.e. linked to where?... not linked).

Unlink - Disconnects the current link of the repeater (where allowed). More widely used to disconnect a link you establish. Remember... if you link, it's always polite to unlink (hang up the phone) when you're done unless someone has joined you locally. Then you might leave it to them to unlink.

The calculator sets up the same channels for a DVAP hotspot. You enter your frequency only once.


Route/Link to Repeaters:

Now that you identified your "Source", let's set up your Destination. In D-STAR you can Link to Repeaters or Route to Repeaters. To set up channels that link or route, use the drop down at the top of the first tree to select your function, then select your repeaters by checking a country, region, state, city or individual repeater. A counter Below the list keeps track of how many you have selected.


Link to Reflectors:

For even more fun, and a great way for a Beginner to get started, Link to Reflectors. D-STAR reflectors are a special type of Internet connected gateway that rebroadcasts each signal to all the other linked nodes or repeaters. Remember... EVERYBODY is listening... but that's what makes it fun. You have a whole world to talk to through your local repeater, "Source", when linked to a reflector. To set up a channel that links your repeater to a reflector, check the box for that reflector in the Link to Reflector tree.

Click Apply once to set up all these channels for the radio.


The resulting channels are set up and ready to go.

Your callsign, Rpt 1 Callsign and Rpt 2 Callsign are set automatically... No wondering which suffix goes where, of if it is positioned correctly. That is all done for you.

Name can Be edited here to Better identify the station. Name is what you see on the radio. It is not part of the D-STAR commands for use of the system. It may Be all you have to identify the function of a channel. (Notice the frequency is the same for ALL these channels although they each do something different on the D-STAR network.) Make the Name something you understand.

Note: On the ID-5100, the name and frequency are displayed for a memory channel. There is no other option that must Be changed for name display.

To Use these Settings for D-STAR Fun:

  • Save and send the file to the radio.
  • Listen on the talk channel.
  • Be sure your callsign is registered on the system.
  • Check repeater status on info channel.
  • Check your connection to repeater on Echo channel.
  • Link repeater to a connection of your choice.
  • Talk on Talk channel.

HAVE FUN!


D-STAR Calculator for DR Memories:

D-STAR Calculator for DR Memories lists repeaters worldwide for you to update or customize the list in the radio. Easily customize this list for places you plan to travel or places you want to work using a DR memory as your RPT2 repeater.

All repeater nodes are listed. Those the radio can use to transmit will Be set automatically for Repeater Use.

Latitude and Longitude are included where that info is available from the source and the repeater is marked for use.

Click a country, region, state, city or individual repeater.

Use starting channel to replace or carefully add to your list.

No searching for data, it's all right in the RT Systems Programmer.

The D-STAR calculator is updated automatically with the program. Just Check for Updates periodically to Be sure you have the latest list.

Radio Menu Settings

Use these screens to customize many set menu features of the radio. Check boxes toggle features on or off, use drop down menus list all selections and blank boxes for personalized entry add to the ease of setting up your radio exactly like you want it.

The entries on the Settings screens are made for you to "Set and Forget". Once settings are customized, you are prompted to save Before exiting. The saved settings will Be there every time you create a new frequency file.

Common

Use this screen to customize many set menu features of the radio. Check boxes toggle features on or off, use drop down menus list all selections and blank boxes for personalized entry add to the ease of setting up your radio exactly like you want it.

Display and Sounds

Use these settings to control the radio’s display and sound functions.

DV and Speech

This screen gives you an easy way to enter names of nodes and rooms for Wires-X connections. These would be the favorite groups you like to visit often.

There are 5 lists that contain up to 20 entries each. The lists (categories) can even be named to keep your entries organized.

GPS

Configure GPS function settings.

DTMF and Bluetooth

Enter DTMF memory and Bluetooth details to customize options for these functions of the radio.

External Data



RT Systems Programmers interface with three sources of data to make it easy for you to find repeater information. Some of these sources even include information for repeaters outside the US. Your existing subscription to a service (where required) works in the programmer.

  • RepeaterBook Search – This database contains domestic and international repeater listings. It is free to use from within the programmer.

  • RFinder Web Search – It has both domestic and international repeater listings. RFinder offers the best search abilities with single location or routing options. A subscription through RFinder is required to access this data.

  • Frequency Lists – This list is built into the programmer and can be accessed without an internet connection. The list includes common frequencies as those for Weather, GMRS, FRS, Marine Channels, MURS and several others. Entries are easily made into a programming file from the information found in the list.

 



Repeater Book Search

An Internet connection is required for this search.

Location – Enter City, State, Country (if not in the US).

Radius – Enter how many miles (up to 90 maximum) around this location.

Select Bands – This is not terribly important since it can be done on the next screen; however, you might want to limit the selection to reduce the number of repeaters in the results. Uncheck All Bands to make the individual bands active.

Click OK.




RFinder Search

An internet connection and subscription to the service are required for this search.

Enter the User E-mail and Password that you established when you purchased your subscription from RFinder.

Location - Search around a specific city. Enter City, State and Country (if not US). Enter Radius up to 90 miles.

Route - Search along the route of a trip you’re planning. Enter the Start and End cities, a width (remember to limit this since you can’t hear repeaters that are too far away), and waypoints (other cities along the way). The search will travel along major interstate highways between the two cities. If the result is not along the route you plan to take, enter other waypoints on your route.

Map Route – Use this option to see the route the search will take. Close the map to return to the search screen.

Click OK.

The information is returned on a screen that is not yet ready for radio programming, this screen lets you examine the data to see if the results are about what you expected. You might find that you spelled the city name wrong which resulted in nothing being returned; or that you want to pull repeaters from further away; or you want to get repeaters for different bands.



Select what the radio uses as the Name display. You can select the Callsign (default), City, State, Region, Repeater Notes or Sponsor. Notice that each of these categories is a column of information in the grid. You will see those names at the top of the screen. You are selecting the information in that column for the Programmer to set up for the Name field. NOTE: The radio will truncate (cut off) the information in the field at the maximum number of characters it can use for the Alpha/numeric display. You might end up with only the first four or six characters of the information in the column. Consider this when selecting the information.

Select what the Programmer will use in the Comment field. This information does not go to the radio but can be very helpful for identifying a channel as you work with it on the spreadsheet. You can print this information along with other details for the channels to have it on hand as you travel. Again, select Callsign, City, State, Region, Repeater Notes or Sponsor.



Resulting File

After clicking Create File for (Your radio) the programmer creates the file that you use to program your radio. Notice that all the Tones are set up with the tone frequencies. All done automatically.

What a list and all you did was enter a location!

Click here to learn more about using Preferences to customize your radio programming experience.

Hardware Requirements




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