Problem solved - I'd left the radio in crossband mode! I would have thought that entered the initial set menu (where the clone function is located) would have suspended crossband, but it doesn't.
I turned off xband, and the download went without a hitch. Now I can experience the inevitable problems editing and uploading the image file - yippee!
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 26 May 2013 21:17:59 -0700
From: Tom Hayward <esarfl@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [chirp_users] Trouble with FT-8800 on an iMac
On Sun, May 26, 2013 at 8:35 PM, Grant Cunningham <kd7jnw@me.com> wrote:
- I start CHIRP, click the radio menu and choose "download from radio"
- I choose the /dev/cu.usbserial-AE01FMRW port (the others listed are Bluetooth; this is the only other choice)
- I choose the radio (Yaesu FT-8800)
- I put the radio into clone mode, then click OK in the clone window
- After I click the OK button, I press the left V/M button on the radio to initiate the clone transmission.
- The radio never goes into transmit mode (it's supposed to display "CLONE -TX-" when transmission is initiated, but it never does.) The CHIRP display shows no progress, and after a short period times out with a communication error message.
When "in clone mode", does it say "CLONE" or "CLONE START" on the screen?
There's got to be a step your missing on the radio. Even with no cable
attached, the radio will go into "CLONE -TX-" mode (shortly followed
by CLONE ERROR because no cable is attached!). Reread page 58 in the
FT-8800 manual and make sure you didn't miss a step. Substitute step 4
for "Download from Radio" in Chirp.
Tom KD7LXL