On Fri, May 4, 2018 at 11:31 AM Rich Messeder <NE1EE@hotmail.com> wrote:

First let's clarify the nomenclature: MCP is both a protocol and the first part of the name of various software programs (MCP-2A, MCP-4A, MCP-6A, etc.).

There are Chirp drivers that implement both the MCP protocol and live mode protocols. For example, in Chirp you'll find the "TH-D72 (clone mode)" driver implements MCP and the "TH-D72 (live mode)" driver implements live mode (basically Kenwood's rig control protocol). There have been weird bugs in the past related to incorrect implementation of the MCP protocol that affected only the clone mode driver: https://chirp.danplanet.com/issues/1611

There have been similar bugs with data initialization in RT Systems software, which also uses the MCP protocol. Here's discussion of one: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Kenwood_TH-D74/conversations/messages/2885

I don't know of any protocol bugs with Kenwood MCP-2A/4A/6A software, but it's still possible. The writers have the benefit of being first-party to the specifications, so it's far less likely.

And I've never heard of this sort of bug with any of the live mode drivers, since the radios do a pretty good job of rejecting bad data in this mode.

Tom KD7LXL