Christer" wrote: Thanks for the replays so far. I have tested my interface with "jimīs interface test software" and its replaying as it should. Then the Interface must be working "ok" ??? I read that it could be something with the version of the radio. My radio is manifactured april 2004, so that makes it a newer version `i guess. It would be interesting to find out if the original software "ADMS-1G" could work. But i canīt get it if i donīt buy it, and it comes with a cable and costs 70 euros here in sweden. The money is no problem, but as i wrote before, it would be a waste if the original software didnīt work either. I have worked many hours on this problem now, and i hope there is a way to get it to work. Many thanks to you all........73...de SM7SUB. Hi there! I built the interface to the Vx-7r. Its the most common interface published on the net, contaning 6 transistors. IT DOESNīT WORK!!!!!!!!! I have checked it several times now, and it is exacly built after the schematic on the net. I even tryed to connect 5V direct to the interface, rather than taking it from the computers rs232 port, It didnīt help either. My comport is working ok with an homebrew cat- interface to my Icom-706. Im using the vx7 commander software, and have also tryed several settings in the softwares port setup. I donīt get any respond from the software or radio. The radio says "Clone error" and the software says................. "Opening Port... "Waiting for first data block... "ERROR: Timeout while waiting for first data block. "Number of bytes in buffer: 0 "Dump of buffer: Port closed. Is there anyone out there that had the same trouble with the interface? Iīm thinking about buying the original interface, but it feels like a waste of money if that also fails to work. Im open for any suggestions to my problem........ Best 73....de SM7SUB / Christer. =================================================================== Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 22:34:57 -0000 From: "Jim" Subject: Re: Interface problems!!! It sounds like your interface is working. That means, that the problem is likely the connection between your interface cable and the radio. How are you connecting it to your radio? The setup should be similar to this: http://www.qsl.net/kc8unj/7r_connect.jpg If you are using the CT-91 cable, be sure that you are using a stereo adapter and not mono, and also be sure that you are using the small jack in the CT-91 (2.5mm) since that is the one to use for programming. Also be sure the CT-91 is -screwed in- to the radio all the way. If you are not using the CT-91 cable, and are using an interface with a "ground down" 4-conductor plug, then I recommend getting the CT-91. Some people find it difficult to grind it down just right for a proper connection. Also, be sure you have the plug connected properly, since an interface could still pass my test if some pins are swapped: http://www.qsl.net/kc8unj/pinout.jpg http://www.qsl.net/kc8unj/pinout2.jpg Good Luck! Jim KC8UNJ ======================================================================== Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:30:23 -0000 From: "Christer" Subject: Re: Interface problems!!! Thanks for replying to my problems. This is a long story........ I have 3 interfaces. 1. is the interface im using with my IC-706. It works very fine with the 706, but not at all with vx7. 2. is a interface i builded once for reprograming Nokia cellphones, it works in "m-bus and f-bus" M-bus is transmitting and reciving on the same wires, but F-bus has two different wires, one for rx and one for tx. If i use this interface in M-bus i can read my vx7 six times out of ten, But when i try to write to the vx7 it stopes after 15%. 3: is the interface i just builded. It doesenīt work at all with the vx7. All of the interfaces passes your test. I have the CT-91 cable and a stereo 2.5mm plug connected to it. It is wired after your pinout photos. The only thing that i have done is that i have switched out the diods and transistors to other values. The Zenerdiod is of course 5.1v. The transistors are BC547, and BC558 and diods are 1N4148. I have tryed 3 different computers now, and all with the same result. I am tired now i have been working on this problem hole day now. BTW interface 1 and 2 are built on HIN232, and i have a lot of them laying around. I dicided to build the 6 transistor interface, since this was the one working best for the vx7. I donīt have a clue what seems to be my problem here, exept that i own a VX7 (hi hi). I have built interfaces before to other radios, and they all worked fine. Ok Jim....thats my story........ after a good nights sleep i will continue this project. One of us is going to win....me or the interface. Best 73......and i do belive that your software is a very good one....better than ADMS-1G. I just wish it will work for me so i can see it with my own eyes. Take care.....de SM7SUB / Christer (sm7sub@ssa.se) ======================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 21:16:19 -0500 From: Amir Findling Subject: Re: Re: Interface problems!!! Hi Christer: Jim answered about the interface and he sure knows more than I do. I've sometimes had problems writing to the radio. One thing I do is always read from the radio before sending a file to the radio. Some of the time it was bad contacts, plugs not connected tight etc. My problems were compounded because I had to use a serial-USB converter on my laptop. Reading from the radio is especially important when your radio is set to transmit on freeband etc. Some of the differences between the European model and the US model may be at fault here and reading again might just be the solution. Of course if your cable doesn't read... If you know someone with a working cable, you could try borrowing it and work by elimination. When I had problems, the ADMS-1G software didn't work either. Might be your case too. I know this is not much help but perhaps in the morning, you will find that there is a simple solution that was not evident without some rest. been there, done that... ======================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 21:06:23 -0600 From: "William Johnson" Subject: RE: Re: Interface problems!!! One thing overlooked? reboot if you had another piece of hardware using the same comport. Be sure to disable the software/hardware first, and be sure it is disabled before you try read your VX7-r. Of course, easier said than done unless you are a computer geek. :-) Bill K9YEQ ======================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 09:54:26 +0100 (CET) From: Trond Smevik Subject: Re: Re: Interface problems!!! I had similar problems with my interface. I had to replace one of the resistors with a larger value, because the radio could not pull down such a small resistor. I don't have the schematics here, as I am on a text only interface, but I believe it was 4.7kohm. Replace this with a larger resistor (e.g 15kohm). If you have an oscilloscope, you should be able to see if the radio pulls down the data pin. It was very easy to see when it didn't pull it down properly. Good luck! Trond ======================================================================= Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2005 12:40:46 +0100 From: Christian Treldal Subject: Re: Interface problems!!! lør, 15 01 2005 kl. 10:33 +0000, skrev Christer: > > Hi there! I built the interface to the Vx-7r. Its the most common > interface published on the net, contaning 6 transistors. > > IT DOESNīT WORK!!!!!!!!! > Hi Christer Yes it works. I build the interface with the same component changes as you have, and it works. > I have checked it several times now, and it is exacly built after the > schematic on the net. I even tryed to connect 5V direct to the > interface, rather than taking it from the computers rs232 port, It > didnīt help either. My comport is working ok with an homebrew cat- > interface to my Icom-706. > > Im using the vx7 commander software, and have also tryed several > settings in the softwares port setup. I donīt get any respond from the > software or radio. The radio says "Clone error" and the software > says................. > Be sure that nothing are accessing the port (packet radio ptt??). I had some probs. similar to yours but following got things right. Fresh reboot (remember it's windows based) Make a read from radio Enable mods write back to vx7 Now everything works, as long as nothing had access to the port in between. P.s. My radio has a newer fab. date. Vy 73's de oz1gnn ======================================================================= From: "Andrew B. Longdale, MCSE" Date: Wed Nov 24, 2004 10:36 am Subject: RE: [YAESUVX7] DATA TRANSFER PROBLEM Hi Fred, There's a little setting in Jim's software to slow things down..... your port is too fast!!... :o) In Jim's program head to Settings then to Port, then select the exclamation point and try a setting of 25. (It worked for me!) Regards, Andrew B. Longdale, MCSE Victor Alpha Six Tango Alpha Lima -----Original Message----- From: fredwegener [mailto:ac5tf@a...] Sent: November 24, 2004 8:45 AM To: YAESUVX7@yahoogroups.com Subject: [YAESUVX7] DATA TRANSFER PROBLEM Just received my VX-7R and am trying to get it setup for use with "Commander." I'm using a 4-transistor level converter design that was originally built for rig control of my IC-756 Pro. The converter works perfectly with the Icom and passes Jim's cable test with no problem. Connecting the converter to port 1, using Yaesu's CT-91 cable on the radio end, I get the following error prompt when I try to download data from the VX-7: Opening Port... Waiting for first data block... First Block Received. Length: 10 Data: 0A 01 02 06 09 24 E0 01 00 24 First block is the correct length. New first block: Length: 10 Data: 0A 01 02 06 09 24 E0 01 00 24 Sending acknowledge byte... Waiting for second data block... ERROR: Timeout while waiting for second data block. Number of bytes in buffer: 1 Dump of buffer: 04 Port closed. The VX-7 displays "clone error" at this point. My guess is that the interface is working, or it would never have read the first block. Have any of you seen this, or know what may be wrong? Thanks...Fred (AC5TF) ======================================================================= From: "fredwegener" Date: Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:49 am Subject: Re: DATA TRANSFER PROBLEM Andy, Thanks for the tip, but it didn't seem to help. I tried various combinations on the port speed setting all the way out to 25 and back to 12 with no change in the error call out. I probably do have a fast port; it's a P4 Vaio laptop. Thanks...Fred ======================================================================= From: "Jim" Date: Wed Nov 24, 2004 12:05 pm Subject: Re: DATA TRANSFER PROBLEM Hi Fred, I have only heard of this problem a couple of times before... After receiving the first block of data, the software sends out an 06 acknoledge. Based on your data, after the "06" is sent out, by the time it gets through the interface it ends up being an "04". So the radio never knows to send the second block of data. I don't have a definite remedy for this, so here are my best recommendations: Try a different PC (desktop instead of a laptop) Try a different Interface cable Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Good Luck! Jim KC8UNJ http://www.qsl.net/kc8unj ======================================================================= --- In YAESUVX7@yahoogroups.com, "Lee De Vries" wrote: Hi all, I support a visually impaired ham who has a VX7. Several of the reasons for the VX7 is that he can manipulate a PC very well , so VX7 commande allows him to do a lot of things and also he can see the bright multi-color LED which gives him feedbackk on what is happening. > > The question that he asked me to put on this forum are. > > Is there anyway of changing the key beep level via the keyboard? > > The followng questions are for Jim I guess! > 1. Is it likely that the key beep volume can be put in VX7 commander. > 2. Can the time set be included in VX7 commander. Ie. PC time plus an offset in 30 mins increments from PC time so that it can be programmed for different time zones. > 3. There are some functions in VX7 Commander which JAWS ( the program used by the visually impaired) has some trouble with. > JAWS can be customized to a specific program, but this does not seem to work in Jaws. I believe that the JAWS people do have > recommendations for programmers how to make things JAWS compatable. > > Apart from that that VX7 is a great rig & VX7 Commander a great program. > > Lee VK3PK ======================================================================= From: "fredwegener" Date: Wed Nov 24, 2004 1:03 pm Subject: Re: DATA TRANSFER PROBLEM Jim, Thanks. I hooked the exact same setup to the serial port of my Dell desktop and it works perfectly. I'll try my older Dell laptop tonight and see what sort of results I get from that. 73's...Fred ======================================================================= From: "Jim" Date: Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:49 pm Subject: Re: key beep volume & Jaws support Hi Lee, Here's the answers to your questions: 1. Is it likely that the key beep volume can be put in VX7 commander. The key beep can only be enabled/disabled. The volume of this cannot be controlled except for using the main volume control. > 2. Can the time set be included in VX7 commander. Ie. PC time plus an offset in 30 mins increments from PC time so that it can be programmed for different time zones. The time setting is not stored in "clone memory" so this cannot be changed through software. > 3. There are some functions in VX7 Commander which JAWS ( the program used by the visually impaired) has some trouble with. > JAWS can be customized to a specific program, but this does not seem to work in Jaws. I believe that the JAWS people do have > recommendations for programmers how to make things JAWS compatable. I have done this before, with VX-2 Commander. The main thing that I did was to make it so that JAWS would say the memory location/column when the user is navigating in the grid. Because this required some customizing of the code, I made this a separate release version. I have had a request to do this for FT-60 Commander as well, and I have been to busy to get to it yet, (the guy probably thinks I forgot!). I could do this for VX-7 Commander too. Maybe I could do this in the next month or so... VX-7 Commander has a lot of features and dialogs though, email me and let me know what specific features etc you think are the most important for JAWS compatibility. Jim ======================================================================= From: "Lee De Vries" Date: Wed Dec 15, 2004 9:23 pm Subject: RE: [YAESUVX7] Re: key beep volume & Jaws support Hi Jim, Thanks for the comments. OK on beep volume, that is a pity, as for the RTC, yes I thought that would be the case. I will talk to my blind friend (David VK3HPD) and get him to list the things that he has troublke with. He is quite computer literate, but just can't see the screen. 73 and have Have a nice XMAS & Happy new year! Lee ======================================================================= From: "WS8E WS8E" Date: Sat Jan 15, 2005 5:34 am Subject: RE: [YAESUVX7] Interface problems!!! Christer - I dont use the software, and I'm sure someone will answer your question directly in a little while. However, in the mean time, I can tell you that questions related to your cable and the software have been asked and answered here many times. I'n sure if you look through the message archive you will find many possible solutions. I don't remember if Yahoo groups has a feature for searching posts.... but if it does, search on --clone error--. I'm sure that will lead you to the answer your looking for. 73 ======================================================================= From: "Jim" Date: Sat Jan 15, 2005 4:34 pm Subject: Re: Interface problems!!! It sounds like your interface is working. That means, that the problem is likely the connection between your interface cable and the radio. How are you connecting it to your radio? The setup should be similar to this: http://www.qsl.net/kc8unj/7r_connect.jpg If you are using the CT-91 cable, be sure that you are using a stereo adapter and not mono, and also be sure that you are using the small jack in the CT-91 (2.5mm) since that is the one to use for programming. Also be sure the CT-91 is -screwed in- to the radio all the way. If you are not using the CT-91 cable, and are using an interface with a "ground down" 4-conductor plug, then I recommend getting the CT-91. Some people find it difficult to grind it down just right for a proper connection. Also, be sure you have the plug connected properly, since an interface could still pass my test if some pins are swapped: http://www.qsl.net/kc8unj/pinout.jpg http://www.qsl.net/kc8unj/pinout2.jpg Good Luck! Jim KC8UNJ ======================================================================= From: Amir Findling Date: Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:16 pm Subject: Re: [YAESUVX7] Re: Interface problems!!! Hi Christer: Jim answered about the interface and he sure knows more than I do. I've sometimes had problems writing to the radio. One thing I do is always read from the radio before sending a file to the radio. Some of the time it was bad contacts, plugs not connected tight etc. My problems were compounded because I had to use a serial-USB converter on my laptop. Reading from the radio is especially important when your radio is set to transmit on freeband etc. Some of the differences between the European model and the US model may be at fault here and reading again might just be the solution. Of course if your cable doesn't read... If you know someone with a working cable, you could try borrowing it and work by elimination. When I had problems, the ADMS-1G software didn't work either. Might be your case too. I know this is not much help but perhaps in the morning, you will find that there is a simple solution that was not evident without some rest. been there, done that... ======================================================================= ======================================================================= ======================================================================= ======================================================================= ======================================================================= =======================================================================