Clone a VX-7r

[DaveInDenver]

Bummer

I guess I better get motivated to figure it out then...I got me a laptop, paid the $$ for the software, and have the cable, but I need to put them all together and see what happens

I've been trying to find a laptop that still has a serial port for a couple of hundred dollars to use just as a dedicated ham station. People on Craigslist are sooooo flaky. I have software and cables for the VX-7R, FT-8800R and FT-7800R, so just seems silly not to have a common programming station.

 

[rover67]

Hey Jeff, can I "borrow" that stuff sometime? I am going to try to clone the radio's again (Tim N's and Mine) but if it dosen't work i'll give it a go with your stuff. Dave, I have the files you sent me a while back with the frequency's all programmed in them stored on my computer.

Christo, remind me in moab and we'll see if your's can be cloned, maybe my radio is just not happy.

 

[rover67]

Dave, you want me to see if I can find you one for maybe $100? I'd be an old work computer that they decomissioned. It's what i have and use to program my icom and it works great.

Either that or just remind me at a meeting and I can bring mine.

I'll have my laptop on the way to moab with the programs, so if i bump into the cable and software i'll be set

 

[RicardoJM]

I've been trying to find a laptop that still has a serial port for a couple of hundred dollars to use just as a dedicated ham station. People on Craigslist are sooooo flaky. I have software and cables for the VX-7R, FT-8800R and FT-7800R, so just seems silly not to have a common programming station.

I've got a old Dell that may fit the bill for you - and way less that a couple of hundred dollars. I don't recall if it has the serial port, or if I plugged in the USB to serial conversion cable - but I do know I used to upload maps to my Garmin GPS V back in the day. The thing is 1998 vintage and the battery does not hold a charge, but it runs rock solid with the power cable plugged in. I also don't recall if it has NT or some flavor of Linux on it right now.

Make me a ridiculously low offer, I'll cut it in half, you cut that in half and we'll keep on going that direction until we agree on a fair price.

 

[sleeoffroad]

Dave, you want me to see if I can find you one for maybe $100? I'd be an old work computer that they decomissioned. It's what i have and use to program my icom and it works great.

Either that or just remind me at a meeting and I can bring mine.

I'll have my laptop on the way to moab with the programs, so if i bump into the cable and software i'll be set

Marco, I will have my notebook as well and I can bring a USB - DB9 converter. I will try to get some repeaters set manually to see if this thing works.

 

[DaveInDenver]

The VX-7R is very sensitive about the serial port levels, which might be part of your problem Marco. Not all USB adapters work with it. I use an adapter built around a Prolific PL-2303 USB<->RS232 chipset that seemingly has a charge pump built in to generate a 6V swing. I speculate that the VX-7R is not a truly RS232 compliant device or maybe loads the port down sufficiently that not all bridge chips can drive it and keep the levels. Some people have had to drive the USB to serial bridge output into a MAX232 to reliably program their radios, so YMMV.

 

[corsair23]

Hmmm...Me thinks I bought the USB cable vs. the serial cable - I guess I'll have to look...

I have an old laptop as well that I got a WinXP license from Spanky/Sparky/Rudy for ...I'm betting that sucker doesn't have USB so it will be serial so I should look.

I was planning to set my laptop up to program my 8800 (someday since it is still sitting in the box ) and tweak the programming on the VX-7R a tad.

Marco, your welcome to borrow it when I get it running...I can bring it to Moab or a future club meeting as well for anyone else that needs to do some programming

EDIT: Looks I got myself one of each of these...So if I can get the programming software loaded and working on the laptop I can be your Yaesu programming Huckleberry

For the VX-7R

For the 8800

 

[DaveInDenver]

OK, I'm again able to program VX-7R radios, so if anyone needs theirs done let me know.

 

[rover67]

I was never able to get mine to clone with Nak's. I don't know what the problem was since The cable ohm'ed out fine. Anyways, I'd love to have you program mine sometime. It is no rush.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I was never able to get mine to clone with Nak's. I don't know what the problem was since The cable ohm'ed out fine. Anyways, I'd love to have you program mine sometime. It is no rush.

I'm in town this week, next weekend and the beginning of next week. I am hoping to leave Denver sometime between the end of the work day Tuesday to Thursday, most like is that I will leave after work on Wed 4/28 for Moab. I have some chores to take care of around the house the next week or so and in parallel I'm hoping to get the new radio into the truck before Moab.