CHIRP

You actually filed the issue while switching to the new tracking software which made it hard for me to get in touch with you since it didn't require a login (not your fault). So, sorry about that.

Importing from .vx8 files is not the same as supporting the radio itself. You should be able to upload and download from the radio with CHIRP...correct?

If you want to attach a .vx8 file to this bug, I will take a look to see if it can be trivially supported. We should also change the subject of this item to be one related to importing and not support.

Regarding the repeaterbook interface, it looks like that web service is broken. I will contact the owner and see what's up.

Thanks!

I'm running the CHiRP on a Dell Netbook (where the Yaesu VX-8 software also lives, along with the Kenwood TM-D700 software). The attractiveness of CHiRP is the ability to load the same set of frequencies into multiple radios without building completely new files for each radio and its related program.

Tonight I'll try downloading from the VX-8 and seeing if it stores correctly. And, even better, if I can then upload that same list to the TM-D700, since the portable has the better list of frequencies in the file I built for it.

Also, tonight I'll send you the .vx8 file (I'm in the Eastern time zone) for you to play with.

Thanks for looking into repeaterbook. I registered over there and could create repeater lists there, but couldn't find a way to suck them into CHiRP.

Yes, the goal of chirp, of course, is to let you upload the same list of frequencies to both the VX-8 and your D700. The ability to import from every single file format, however, is not always the focus as it's just a lot of extra work. Given that you can use the other software to program the VX8 and then download that list in CHIRP, there's a reasonable workaround.

Please attach the .vx8 file to the bug here for the record when you get it.

Thanks!

The USB cables behave just fine. All you need to do is determine which COM port they show up as (using device manager on Windows) and tell chirp to use it. If it's not in the list, just type it in (e.g. COM15).

That was the first thing I thought of. Unfortunately, it only showed up as connected to the USB hub, and not with a COM number.

Then you're looking in the wrong spot. Check under "Ports".

I did - it wasn't there at all.

Well, it's unlike any USB cable for programming a radio that I've seen. My VX-8 USB cable works just fine.

Is it the cable from RT Systems?

No, it's a clone of that, but other people with the RTSystems cable seem to be able to use it without any trouble. The one I'm using is the inexpensive one listed on the main chirp webpage. Their software page mentions that version 4 includes a cable that isn't compatible with other software and that their software is not compatible with other cables. It's possible that they have moved to using a cable that doesn't feature a standard USB-to-serial bridge, although the only reason I can think of for doing this would be to specifically limit the usefulness of your purchase. The dark side of proprietary products I suppose.

The .vx8 file also seems intentionally obscured or transposed, so I don't think it would be very fruitful to attempt to decode it, given that it would only provide compatibility with software that requires a cable that can't be used in CHIRP anyway.

I opened another bug to check with the repeaterbook admin, so I think I'll close this one since there's nothing less to do unless you have something else...

Thanks!