This is my experience so far with CHIRP and the TM-D700A radio. The radio receives input from CHIRP in Live mode, with changes being in near real-time on the control head. Turning the radio off and on and then re-downloading the memory slots displays what was entered previously (of course it would, why are you mentioning that?). I can understand why RT Systems stopped supporting this model calling it a cranky radio. Here are some observed anomalies, and the solutions I found to work after much experimentation:
* Although the frequencies and memory names from CHIRP stick with the radio, the Tones do not, and even if the correct tone is there, moving to another memory slot and back to the previous memory loses the Tone setting. This was odd as the re-download from the radio had the correct tones still there, while the radio [F] --> [T.SEL] displayed a completely different and as far as I can tell unrelated tone frequency. The solution to this has been to load the memory into the VFO and enter the correct tone in VFO mode; then re-save the complete setting back to its memory slot. Dont hold the M.IN button too long (> 1s) or it will enter as Split mode (±), and thats a cul-de-sac not to be trapped in (the escape is going into VFO mode and back to the intended memory slot using another memory slot thats in the proper +/- offset for the target repeater). Its unclear to me why this radio just wont accept what its told to configure. * This radio pays attention to which Band its in (see TM-D700 Manual, p.41). By default Band A (the Left knob) is for VHF, and Band B (the Right knob) is for UHF. Ive learned to be sure to bring up for PTT in the Band associated with the frequency in a specific memory slot (listening to anything on either Band works fine with no problem). That also is the case for programming a memory slot, that is, program VHF frequencies with Band A and UHF frequencies with Band B, including correcting the Tone setting that it received from CHIRP and didnt keep. * Im not sure this is something that CHIRP can solve: The Repeater Book look ups contain errors in the Tone settings. A couple of examples Im directly familiar with are:
* The 146.13/73 repeater in Frederick, MD operates on Tone only (not CTCSS). The Repeater Book CHIRP lookup displays this repeater as TSQL (which sets the radio into CTCSS mode when applied). This repeater does not provide a downlink tone, resulting in dead silence in CTCSS mode. * The 146.295/895 repeater in Manchester, MD is a multi-access repeater listed in the manually accessed Repeater Book listing as: 146.8950 -0.6 MHz CSQ / 107.2 Manchester Carroll N3KZS OPEN FM AllStar IRLP CHIRP will not load the listing for this repeater from its Repeater Book lookup saying this radio does not support Cross Tone mode: [146.895000/-0.600/107.2] Tone Mode: Cross; Cross Mode: -> Tone However, Ive successfully accessed this repeater with this radio using the 107.2 tone listed, after manually entering it into its memory slot.
Hope these observations help people use CHIRP to help them work through the TM-D700A radios crankiness.
Thanks, Mark AC3EW