[chirp_users] Programming guide for beginners
I think the wiki that already exists could be quite a resource for a programming guide for beginners. It would take some effort of each of the members that has a particular radio, but it could - and likely should - be done
Looking through YouTube is all fine and good but if you do a search like was suggested recently (such as 'program uv-5r chirp') you're going to come up with a lot of non-related stuff - even stuff that doesn't have anything to do with the uv-5r or the chirp software
If we had a single page for each radio that listed the various YouTube videos and other tricks, it would go a VERY long way to making such a guide.
Some questions that could be asked might include;
- What is the SKU of the OEM cable for this radio (put another way, what is the correct model number of the original manufacturer's cable) - What do you need to do to put the radio into a programming mode (as I understand it, some radios you have to go through a menu to do this. It would be helpful if this were documented) - Known issues from importing data and how to fix them - Any known programming issues unique to this radio, and how to fix them
That's just scratching the surface. No doubt there are other such questions that people have had that have come up over and over again and should be documented in a single spot
The real power becomes evident if each model number that's found in the front page becomes a link to that radio's page. Those of you familiar with the RadioReference wiki know how easy it then becomes to look up a particular model.
Anything that's common to all radios could simply point to that page - for example the model support page could be a 'common' page for each radio so that someone can quickly look up what features for that radio could be programmed.
I'm unfamiliar with Redmine, but if I could build the listings (by radio) then someone can change the listing to Redmine's language, and we'd be on our way. I know some of you are RadioReference members, so you know the amount of work I did in the early years of building the wiki there - it started with barely 100 pages, and grew to over 4000 when I resigned the admin status. You may also know that, along with the author of the software, I wrote the FreeScan user guide, so I have some experience in writing software guides of this type
I don't think it would be too tough to gather this stuff together - if the membership is willing to contribute to the effort. I could be point for this, but someone would need to do the Redmine code once enough information was accum'ed. With Xmas coming (and maybe folks getting new radios) this project is timely as well as informative. This would, obviously, be subject to whomever is the sysop/admin of the web page, but to me, it's well worth considering. I don't doubt that we have a lot of newcomers out there (myself included, at least insofar as the software is concerned) so whatever we can gather in a single spot is worthwhile.
Comments? Mike
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there is a section one should add: chirp and blind user support. right now, the only OS I can get chirp to be accessible on is Linux (Ubuntu in particular). Its frustrating that I can't use it on my primary OS (OS X Lion) because the interface for the program appears invisible to voiceover.
Now, there are a few radios that a blind user can program without the program (like the ken wood ™-D700 or any other radio with a speech interface. Unfortunately, most of the chinese radios only speak the top level menu items, leaving us blind hams to have to read the instructions multiple times and try to follow them and hope we get it right. I would certainly like a way to return the firmware to make this more possible (and dump the chinese language speaking interface while at it). Not sure this can be done, but it would be a worthy project to undertake.
anyway, thats my comments for now.
-eric N7ZZT
On Nov 22, 2013, at 3:18 PM, Mike Agner wrote:
I think the wiki that already exists could be quite a resource for a programming guide for beginners. It would take some effort of each of the members that has a particular radio, but it could - and likely should - be done
Looking through YouTube is all fine and good but if you do a search like was suggested recently (such as 'program uv-5r chirp') you're going to come up with a lot of non-related stuff - even stuff that doesn't have anything to do with the uv-5r or the chirp software
If we had a single page for each radio that listed the various YouTube videos and other tricks, it would go a VERY long way to making such a guide.
Some questions that could be asked might include;
- What is the SKU of the OEM cable for this radio (put another way, what
is the correct model number of the original manufacturer's cable)
- What do you need to do to put the radio into a programming mode (as I
understand it, some radios you have to go through a menu to do this. It would be helpful if this were documented)
- Known issues from importing data and how to fix them
- Any known programming issues unique to this radio, and how to fix them
That's just scratching the surface. No doubt there are other such questions that people have had that have come up over and over again and should be documented in a single spot
The real power becomes evident if each model number that's found in the front page becomes a link to that radio's page. Those of you familiar with the RadioReference wiki know how easy it then becomes to look up a particular model.
Anything that's common to all radios could simply point to that page - for example the model support page could be a 'common' page for each radio so that someone can quickly look up what features for that radio could be programmed.
I'm unfamiliar with Redmine, but if I could build the listings (by radio) then someone can change the listing to Redmine's language, and we'd be on our way. I know some of you are RadioReference members, so you know the amount of work I did in the early years of building the wiki there - it started with barely 100 pages, and grew to over 4000 when I resigned the admin status. You may also know that, along with the author of the software, I wrote the FreeScan user guide, so I have some experience in writing software guides of this type
I don't think it would be too tough to gather this stuff together - if the membership is willing to contribute to the effort. I could be point for this, but someone would need to do the Redmine code once enough information was accum'ed. With Xmas coming (and maybe folks getting new radios) this project is timely as well as informative. This would, obviously, be subject to whomever is the sysop/admin of the web page, but to me, it's well worth considering. I don't doubt that we have a lot of newcomers out there (myself included, at least insofar as the software is concerned) so whatever we can gather in a single spot is worthwhile.
Comments? Mike
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On Fri, Nov 22, 2013 at 2:18 PM, Mike Agner ka3jjz@comcast.net wrote:
I think the wiki that already exists could be quite a resource for a programming guide for beginners. It would take some effort of each of the members that has a particular radio, but it could - and likely should - be done
<snip>
The real power becomes evident if each model number that's found in the front page becomes a link to that radio's page. Those of you familiar with the RadioReference wiki know how easy it then becomes to look up a particular model.
Anything that's common to all radios could simply point to that page - for example the model support page could be a 'common' page for each radio so that someone can quickly look up what features for that radio could be programmed.
I'm unfamiliar with Redmine, but if I could build the listings (by radio) then someone can change the listing to Redmine's language, and we'd be on our way.
I think this is a great idea. More documentation is almost always a good thing, and the Redmine wiki is a good place to put it.
The model list on the homepage is here: http://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Supported_Radios
To make those radio models link to wiki pages, just edit the page and add double brackets around the model name, like [[TM-D710]]. Easy wiki stuff.
If you need wiki editing privileges, just let Dan know your Redmine username.
Tom KD7LXL
I think this is a great idea. More documentation is almost always a good thing, and the Redmine wiki is a good place to put it.
Definitely. It would be good if someone could come up with a template page that each radio can try to copy for some consistency. That also makes it easier for someone to come along and fill out a new model's page.
Mike, since this was your idea, would you be interested in doing that? The wiki syntax is really easy to figure out.
Thanks!
--Dan
participants (4)
-
Dan Smith -
eric oyen -
Mike Agner -
Tom Hayward