Yaesu FT 8900R

[KC0RIK]

I purchased the Programing Software packages for both my FT 8900R and VX-7R. #I am using a laptop with Windows XP and a USB to serial interface. #The Software package for my VX-7R works great sending too and receiving from the HT. #The software package for the FT 8900R does not work in either direction. #It hangs and finally gives me a error. #I have downloaded the most up to date revision with no help.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Craig
KC0RIK

Craig,

Great choice in radios. I own two radios total myself, one vx-7 and one 8900 I enjoy them both.

I have done quite a bit of research on this myself. I am waiting for the cables to come in they should be in tommorow. I am assuming that you got your software from Rt systems. It's my understanding that the RT systems software for the 8900 is useless, and again from my research not direct knowledge so is their support. That being said it seems that the solution to this problem is a software package called ftp8900. Here is a link to that software package. Its free to try for 20 days i beleive then it costs 15 bucks..

http://www.g4hfq.co.uk/ftb8900.htm

As for the vx-7 i realize that the software you have is working but there is a free solution called vx7 commander. You can check that out too. Here is the link to that:
http://www.qsl.net/kc8unj/VX7Commander.html


Good luck let me know how things turn out. I am waiting for my cables to come in and i am getting anxious.

[w9jfl]

Craig,

I have the FT-8900 (and VX-5r & VX-2). I too have experienced the same challenges when communicating with the 8900.

What I've found is that the software from G4HFQ works exceptionally well for US$15. I also own the Yaesu "approved" software from RT Systems and found it to be horribly unreliable on the connect issues.

The other trick I've learned with XP is that you need to check the port settings for your COM port. The settings that always work for me are 9600, 8, None, 1 and Xon-Xoff communications. You can find the settings in the CONTROL PANEL / SYSTEM, then select your COM port driver and edit its properties.

Finally, make sure you reset the radio each time. Turn it off and set it for clone when sending data from the radio. Then, before you send edited data to the radio, cycle the radio one more time.

Good luck. You'll love the 8900!

73,
John W9JFL
http://w9jfl.com