Hey Pavel,
I've always thought this has been a serious Chirp usability issue for users. I understand why this happens due to all these clones, clumsy vendor firmware revs, etc. but it's not intuitive to users. Maybe to solve this for first time users, maybe things could be changed a bit:
1. If known clones of other radios are known to Chirp alredy, *ADD* those radios (manufacturer, model, 2-power level or 3-power-level) type description) to the pulldown (a form of a cross-reference). Once the user picks their radio, how the actual driver Chirp selected but maybe color code it with a mouse over saying "Actual Chirp driver for the XYZ radio is a clone of a Baofeng PDQ model"
In Addition / Alternative idea:
1. User starts Chirp but his/her radio isn't explicitly listed - Offer an item at the TOP saying "Determine my Radio"
2. Create a wizard to step users through a left to right workflow asking: vendor of radio --> Model of Radio == This is the radio you need to select in the future 2.a. Maybe adding pictures would be helpful for the really tough cases too
3. Chirp now automatically goes to the Download from Radio prompt with the correctly chosen radio pre-selected
--David KI6ZHD
On 04/14/2016 01:12 PM, Pavel Milanes (CO7WT) via chirp_devel wrote:
Ho to all,
What is the policy about radio clones being NOT listed by it's own brand/model?
Scenario:
A new user must come to Chirp because some friend told him about it, and that Chirp support his Baofeng "X" radio, he come into Chirp's web page and his mind only search for the "download" link: "got it"
Downloading... installing... opening.
WTF! My radio is not listed.
Call/email to the friend, search the internet /{time wasted and user confused}/ just to know that his radio is not *directly* listed in the software: it must use the model Z from Baofeng.
Sure, users "has" to read the front page for the Chirp's site to realize that, but...
It's only me thinking this is wrong?
The actual situation with the Baofeng is a weekly issue on the site/email list. And now I have a issue with the "mobile Baofengs" aka BTECHS and family.
Actually the JetStream JT2705M is supported but not listed directly on chirp, in the page it's showed as a clone of the QYT KT-UV980, but a user may be confused by this.
The Juentai JT-6188 Mini is also in the same case (listed as a clone of the QYT KT8900), but it's getting more complicated; now I may have found a new variant for it (and entire new radio with it's own ids) and Juentai also released the JT-6188 Plus, and dealers in internet keep saying just JT-6188 confusing users...
I have changed the supported models wiki page to show Juentai JT-6188 *Mini *to avoid confusion.
Now the question:
It's correct/safe to just create adn register a class for this clones by instantiating the correct class but overriding the vendor/model?
I think this will help the users a lot, and it's a simple hack, also applicable to the baofengs...