(pulling the list back into this thread)
On 04/06/2011 12:25 PM, Robert Terzi wrote:
Reading between the lines for some of the stuff I've read about the VX-8R, there was a firmware setting that could be reached through a service menu/backdoor, which would change the frequency ranges it would tx on. I believe the purpose was changing the region. Doing this changed the model number that was reported by the radio for the clone interface and would cause all of the settings to be reset (so the radio lost all programming).
Are you sure you're not thinking of the VX7? What you describe is exactly how it works for that radio, but the VX8 makes a departure from the three-block protocol that the 7 (and others of that vintage) use. The block missing is the one with the mods in it.
Rick did some work on the VX3 trying to figure out the soft mod but I'm not aware that anything ever came of it. Personally, I think its likely that Yaesu didn't carry that "feature" forward past the VX5/7 days.
For what is worth looking at vx6tool.c, the vx6 could be freebanded by changing two bytes looks like offset 8 & 9.
Yep, the 2,5,6, and 7 all have that one block in between the header and the memory data, but the 3 and 8 do not (which is the source of my skepticism)
On whether mods in terms of freebanding should be part of a general settings interface -- my inclination is to say no, especially from the user interface point of view.
Aside from the obvious liability issues, if changing the frequency ranges causes radios like the vx-8 do a full reset, it would be problematic for the user, they'd probably have to download to the radio multiple times, there is currently no backup or manipulation of the regular settings through chirp. I'd rather see the frequency range settings done through a separate UI even though it probably shares most of the code/models of the radio underneath.
Hmm, well, I'm not too worried about the liability issues. I certainly plan to throw up a huge blinking buzzing warning about doing something to your radio that you might regret.
I think that it will be fairly easy to re-use the same key/value mechanism underneath the covers without making the UI (for settings and mods) a big mess of knobs. That's what I meant about using this system for generic settings and mods. It will definitely need a little augmentation to allow it to be organized.
Thanks for the feedback!