[chirp_users] Unable to read/write Wouxon KG-UV8D
Before I opened up a bug ticket, I wanted to reach out to the mailing list to see if anyone else can direct me to a solution.
I'm attempting to program a Wouxon KG-UV8D transmitter for someone else. I'm using the Chirp Daily Build (20161018) with a true serial cable connection. This cable works fine on my Kenwood and Baofeng radios, so I'm hoping this is the same cable. I've used this cable in the past on older Wouxon Radios without issues.
The radio will not talk to the Wouxon software, and when I attempt to read the radio via Chirp, I receive an error. I'm thinking that this is a new radio and that the firmware has changed slightly, and now Chirp won't handshake.
The error I receive when attempting to read the radio is "Failed to communicate with radio: ord() expected a character, but string of length 0 found"
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance. 73 Phil / w2lie
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 10:18 AM, Phil - w2lie w2lie@w2lie.net wrote:
Before I opened up a bug ticket, I wanted to reach out to the mailing list to see if anyone else can direct me to a solution.
I'm attempting to program a Wouxon KG-UV8D transmitter for someone else. I'm using the Chirp Daily Build (20161018) with a true serial cable connection. This cable works fine on my Kenwood and Baofeng radios, so I'm hoping this is the same cable. I've used this cable in the past on older Wouxon Radios without issues.
The radio will not talk to the Wouxon software, and when I attempt to read the radio via Chirp, I receive an error. I'm thinking that this is a new radio and that the firmware has changed slightly, and now Chirp won't handshake.
The error I receive when attempting to read the radio is "Failed to communicate with radio: ord() expected a character, but string of length 0 found"
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance. 73 Phil / w2lie
Hi Phil,
That fact that the radio won't program with the factory software either is an indication that the cable is not fully plugged into the radio or the radio's cloning process has been changed and a different programming software is required.
Jim KC9HI
Hi Jim, Thanks for the quick reply.
I think the cable is is in all the way. I'm receiving an immediate error from Chirp and not a time out, which I would think would be Chirp triggering the radio to clone and not seeing the expected result back.
Is there a debug or raw dump I can log to verify that the radio and PC are talking as expected and compare that to the known return that the radio should be giving?
Thanks. Phil
Phil,
I have a Wouxun KG-uV8E which isn't supported by CHIRP (yet?) and I had a terrible time with the Wouxun software until I figured out that there was a new version (1.03) of the software that worked. The official Wouxun web site only has version 1.00 which does NOT work at all.
Here is where I found updated software:
http://www.mtcradio.com/downloads/
They also have software there to open it up on non-amateur frequencies such as CAP and MARS. The KG-UV8E does narrow band F3 transmit and receive.
73
David N1EA
On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 12:12 PM Phil - w2lie w2lie@w2lie.net wrote:
Hi Jim, Thanks for the quick reply.
I think the cable is is in all the way. I'm receiving an immediate error from Chirp and not a time out, which I would think would be Chirp triggering the radio to clone and not seeing the expected result back.
Is there a debug or raw dump I can log to verify that the radio and PC are talking as expected and compare that to the known return that the radio should be giving?
Thanks. Phil _______________________________________________ chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to D.J.J. Ring, Jr. at n1ea@arrl.net To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@intrep id.danplanet.com
Hi David, The software on the website you mentioned is the same software I have already. The radio's front and rear stickers show KG-UV8D, so it's definitely not the tri-band "E" model.
I've installed a serial port monitoring application on my computer and I can see CHIRP ping the radio and the radio respond, so that should rule out the cable. Is the response from this radio the expected response? Again, the cable and software work flawlessly on the Baofeng UV-5R, so again, the cable should be good.
Thanks.
[26/10/2016 12:48:54] - Open port COM1 (C:\Program Files (x86)\CHIRP\chirpw.exe)
[26/10/2016 12:48:54] - Close port COM1
[26/10/2016 12:49:07] - Open port COM1 (C:\Program Files (x86)\CHIRP\chirpw.exe)
[26/10/2016 12:49:07] Written data (COM1) 7d 80 ff 00 7f }€ÿ. [26/10/2016 12:49:07] Read data (COM1) fe 7d 80 ff þ}€ÿ [26/10/2016 12:49:07] Read data (COM1) 00 7f . [26/10/2016 12:49:07] - Close port COM1
Hello Phil,
I knew you didn't have the tri-band "E" version, that you had the KG-UV8D. I just wanted to show you a site that had the latest Wouxun software for the D version and perhaps later or latest software for your UV8D model.
I sent my software and cable back two times thinking it was defective. It wasn't but was wrong was that the Official Wouxun China site only had the E model software that did NOT work! Can you believe that?
I guess there is no more modern software for your UV8D model.
Just a hopeful observation.
73
DR
On Wed, Oct 26, 2016 at 1:00 PM, Phil - w2lie w2lie@w2lie.net wrote:
Hi David, The software on the website you mentioned is the same software I have already. The radio's front and rear stickers show KG-UV8D, so it's definitely not the tri-band "E" model.
I've installed a serial port monitoring application on my computer and I can see CHIRP ping the radio and the radio respond, so that should rule out the cable. Is the response from this radio the expected response? Again, the cable and software work flawlessly on the Baofeng UV-5R, so again, the cable should be good.
Thanks.
[26/10/2016 12:48:54] - Open port COM1 (C:\Program Files (x86)\CHIRP\chirpw.exe)
[26/10/2016 12:48:54] - Close port COM1
[26/10/2016 12:49:07] - Open port COM1 (C:\Program Files (x86)\CHIRP\chirpw.exe)
[26/10/2016 12:49:07] Written data (COM1) 7d 80 ff 00 7f }€ÿ. [26/10/2016 12:49:07] Read data (COM1) fe 7d 80 ff þ}€ÿ [26/10/2016 12:49:07] Read data (COM1) 00 7f . [26/10/2016 12:49:07] - Close port COM1
chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to D.J.J. Ring, Jr. at n1ea@arrl.net To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@ intrepid.danplanet.com
I'm not all that savvy at reading hex, but this is what I see in the debug.log file:
[2016-10-26 16:24:14,257] chirp.ui.reporting - DEBUG: Server reports version daily-20161018 is latest [2016-10-26 16:24:29,444] chirp.ui.mainapp - DEBUG: User selected Wouxun KG-UV8D on port COM1 [2016-10-26 16:24:29,546] chirp.ui.clone - DEBUG: Clone thread started [2016-10-26 16:24:29,546] chirp.drivers.kguv8d - DEBUG: Sent: 000: 7d 80 ff 00 7f 00 00 00 }.......
[2016-10-26 16:24:30,055] chirp.drivers.kguv8d - ERROR: Unknown error during download process Traceback (most recent call last): File "chirp\drivers\kguv8d.pyo", line 391, in _download File "chirp\drivers\kguv8d.pyo", line 353, in _identify File "chirp\drivers\kguv8d.pyo", line 321, in _read_record TypeError: ord() expected a character, but string of length 0 found [2016-10-26 16:24:30,056] chirp.ui.common - ERROR: -- Exception: -- [2016-10-26 16:24:30,056] chirp.ui.reporting - DEBUG: Reporting exception [2016-10-26 16:24:30,056] chirp.ui.common - ERROR: Traceback (most recent call last): File "chirp\ui\clone.pyo", line 249, in run File "chirp\drivers\kguv8d.pyo", line 375, in sync_in File "chirp\drivers\kguv8d.pyo", line 397, in _download RadioError: Failed to communicate with radio: ord() expected a character, but string of length 0 found
[2016-10-26 16:24:30,056] chirp.ui.common - ERROR: ---------------- [2016-10-26 16:24:30,056] chirp.ui.clone - ERROR: Clone failed: Failed to communicate with radio: ord() expected a character, but string of length 0 found [2016-10-26 16:24:30,065] chirp.ui.clone - DEBUG: Clone thread ended [2016-10-26 16:24:30,065] chirp.ui.reporting - DEBUG: Reporting model usage: Wouxun_KG-UV8D,download,True [2016-10-26 16:24:30,066] chirp.ui.inputdialog - ERROR: --- Exception Dialog: Failed to communicate with radio: ord() expected a character, but string of length 0 found --- [2016-10-26 16:24:30,066] chirp.ui.inputdialog - ERROR: Traceback (most recent call last): File "chirpw", line 67, in <module> AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'split'
[2016-10-26 16:24:30,066] chirp.ui.inputdialog - ERROR: ---------------------------- [2016-10-26 16:24:30,066] chirp.ui.reporting - DEBUG: Reporting exception
RadioError: Failed to communicate with radio: ord() expected a character, but string of length 0 found
This says nothing was returned. Like I mentioned above, either the 2-pin plug is not making a good connection with the radio or the radio is not recognizing the command to begin cloning. CHIRP can't work with either condition. If it is the latter, you will have to capture working factory programming software to find out what the radio is looking for to begin cloning.
Jim KC9HI
Is there any part of the cable hiding something that's preventing the pins from going all the way in? If so cut the outside of the rubber molded plug so it gets further inside and makes fuller contact. I've heard this worked for some.
David N1EA
On Oct 26, 2016 5:05 PM, "Jim Unroe" rock.unroe@gmail.com wrote:
RadioError: Failed to communicate with radio: ord() expected a character, but string of length 0 found
This says nothing was returned. Like I mentioned above, either the 2-pin plug is not making a good connection with the radio or the radio is not recognizing the command to begin cloning. CHIRP can't work with either condition. If it is the latter, you will have to capture working factory programming software to find out what the radio is looking for to begin cloning.
Jim KC9HI _______________________________________________ chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to D.J.J. Ring, Jr. at n1ea@arrl.net To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@ intrepid.danplanet.com
Hi Phil,
What version firmware does the radio have? (Press and hold the 3 key while turning the radio on). Mine (the one I developed the driver on) shows: KGUV8D Sain Sonic Sain Sonic 01000001 UV8DV1.04 20140723
Ron M0RNW
On 27/10/16 06:30, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. wrote:
Is there any part of the cable hiding something that's preventing the pins from going all the way in? If so cut the outside of the rubber molded plug so it gets further inside and makes fuller contact. I've heard this worked for some.
David N1EA
On Oct 26, 2016 5:05 PM, "Jim Unroe" <rock.unroe@gmail.com mailto:rock.unroe@gmail.com> wrote:
> RadioError: Failed to communicate with radio: ord() expected a > character, but string of length 0 found > This says nothing was returned. Like I mentioned above, either the 2-pin plug is not making a good connection with the radio or the radio is not recognizing the command to begin cloning. CHIRP can't work with either condition. If it is the latter, you will have to capture working factory programming software to find out what the radio is looking for to begin cloning. Jim KC9HI
Thanks all for the replies.
Ron / M0RNW, The screen on the radio I am trying to program looks like yours, except for the last line. My date code is 20140725.
David / N1EA, The connector is fully seated in the radio. I've tried moving it in all directions and even pressing and holding firmly while trying to read the radio, nothing changes.
Jim / KC9HI, I may have to check another cable. The cable works fine on Puxing, Baofeng, and Kenwood radios. This would be the first time this cable hasn't worked on a Chinese import, but maybe something is just different with this Wouxun. Any eBay or Amazon suggestions?
Thank you all for the help so far. 73 Phil / w2lie
To all who responded, Thanks for the help with this issue. Even though my serial cable worked on the Baofeng, Puxing, and Kenwood Radios, it would not work on the KG-UV8D. I purchased a new cable from Amazon and it arrived today (Sunday, Thank you Amazon Prime). The cable worked fine on the Baofeng and worked on the KG-UV8D.
Jim, you hit the nail on the head with this one.
Thanks again for all who chimed in.
73 Phil / w2lie
My pofung GT-5 was purchased with a USB programming cable that has the Baofeng name on it.
I'm trying to use chirp to load a .csv file but can't seem to make a connect to the radio.
When the cable is plugged into a USB port on my Windows 10 machine should it register itself in the "This PC" list of attached USB devices?
The attached PDF has screen shots. Can anyone interpret these for me and/or help me with my problem?
Thanks!
DV
PS I have read the FAQs, CHIRP documentation, Amazon (bought the cable there) sellers questions and comments and Prolific information but still can't make heads or tails with this problem.
Double-thanks in advance.
David Vine
On Sun, Oct 30, 2016 at 1:50 PM, Phil - w2lie w2lie@w2lie.net wrote:
To all who responded, Thanks for the help with this issue. Even though my serial cable worked on the Baofeng, Puxing, and Kenwood Radios, it would not work on the KG-UV8D. I purchased a new cable from Amazon and it arrived today (Sunday, Thank you Amazon Prime). The cable worked fine on the Baofeng and worked on the KG-UV8D.
Jim, you hit the nail on the head with this one.
Thanks again for all who chimed in.
73 Phil / w2lie _______________________________________________ chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to David Vine at davidvine1999@gmail.com To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@ intrepid.danplanet.com
Check device manager and roll the driver back to 3.2.0.0 make sure cable is FIRMLY pushed in.
Jardy Dawson WA7JRD Message sent through sub space hailing frequencies using the Universal Translator.
On Oct 30, 2016, at 12:30, David Vine davidvine1999@gmail.com wrote:
My pofung GT-5 was purchased with a USB programming cable that has the Baofeng name on it.
I'm trying to use chirp to load a .csv file but can't seem to make a connect to the radio.
When the cable is plugged into a USB port on my Windows 10 machine should it register itself in the "This PC" list of attached USB devices?
The attached PDF has screen shots. Can anyone interpret these for me and/or help me with my problem?
Thanks!
DV
PS I have read the FAQs, CHIRP documentation, Amazon (bought the cable there) sellers questions and comments and Prolific information but still can't make heads or tails with this problem.
Double-thanks in advance.
David Vine
On Sun, Oct 30, 2016 at 1:50 PM, Phil - w2lie w2lie@w2lie.net wrote: To all who responded, Thanks for the help with this issue. Even though my serial cable worked on the Baofeng, Puxing, and Kenwood Radios, it would not work on the KG-UV8D. I purchased a new cable from Amazon and it arrived today (Sunday, Thank you Amazon Prime). The cable worked fine on the Baofeng and worked on the KG-UV8D.
Jim, you hit the nail on the head with this one.
Thanks again for all who chimed in.
73 Phil / w2lie _______________________________________________ chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to David Vine at davidvine1999@gmail.com To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@intrepid.danplanet.com
<CHIRP problems.pdf> _______________________________________________ chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to Jardy at jardy72@yahoo.com To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@intrepid.danplanet.com
On Sun, Oct 30, 2016 at 3:30 PM, David Vine davidvine1999@gmail.com wrote:
My pofung GT-5 was purchased with a USB programming cable that has the Baofeng name on it.
Baofeng "name brand" cable guarantees counterfeit Prolific chip. This requires that you download, install and select the older Prolific v3.2.0.0 because the auto installed driver is intentionally incompatible with counterfeit chips.
Jim
I was wondering if anyone had a trick to keep the Wouxun KG-UV8D from transmitting when it is setup to receive outside the Amateur Radio Band.
The Baofeng radios have the ability to set the duplex to "off", but that does not seem to be supported on the Wouxun.
Chirp is smart enough to check the offset when I import the CSV file, so I can't offset + 70.000 either.
Anyone have any tricks up their sleeves for this one, besides setting the split to something low in the amateur band at low power?
Thanks
Can't you just put in a frequency that is not in use? Glenn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Phil - w2lie" w2lie@w2lie.net To: chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2016 1:24 PM Subject: [chirp_users] Wouxun Tx Inhibit
I was wondering if anyone had a trick to keep the Wouxun KG-UV8D from transmitting when it is setup to receive outside the Amateur Radio Band.
The Baofeng radios have the ability to set the duplex to "off", but that does not seem to be supported on the Wouxun.
Chirp is smart enough to check the offset when I import the CSV file, so I can't offset + 70.000 either.
Anyone have any tricks up their sleeves for this one, besides setting the split to something low in the amateur band at low power?
Thanks _______________________________________________ chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to Glenn at glennervin@cableone.net To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@intrepid.danplanet.com
Try programming a transmit frequency in the FM broadcast band or some other range where the radio receives but can't transmit. Don't use an offset. Program the transmit frequency directly. Maybe that will work.
Tom ND5Y
Chirp is smart enough to check the offset when I import the CSV file, so I can't offset + 70.000 either.
Anyone have any tricks up their sleeves for this one, besides setting the split to something low in the amateur band at low power?
On Sun, Oct 30, 2016 at 2:24 PM, Phil - w2lie w2lie@w2lie.net wrote:
I was wondering if anyone had a trick to keep the Wouxun KG-UV8D from transmitting when it is setup to receive outside the Amateur Radio Band.
The Baofeng radios have the ability to set the duplex to "off", but that does not seem to be supported on the Wouxun.
Chirp is smart enough to check the offset when I import the CSV file, so I can't offset + 70.000 either.
Anyone have any tricks up their sleeves for this one, besides setting the split to something low in the amateur band at low power?
Thanks
The radio has to support this. The KG-UV6D does, so either the KG-UV8D doesn't or the developer didn't implement it.
If you can use the OEM software to program a channel with the TX frequency removed and the radio won't TX on that channel, then it can probably be implemented.
Jim KC9HI
Jim, If I use the stock software, I can remove the Tx frequency and the radio will not transmit. I can read that using Chirp, and send the same data back. But, if I attempt to modify, Chirp will warn me that the values for that memory are invalid. For the transmit frequency, a value of 42949.672950 with a "split" offset is read by Chirp.
If you need an image file, please let me know. Or, if you need a bug opened, I can attached anything you need into that portal.
Thanks again, Phil
On Sun, Oct 30, 2016 at 3:20 PM, Phil - w2lie w2lie@w2lie.net wrote:
Jim, If I use the stock software, I can remove the Tx frequency and the radio will not transmit. I can read that using Chirp, and send the same data back. But, if I attempt to modify, Chirp will warn me that the values for that memory are invalid. For the transmit frequency, a value of 42949.672950 with a "split" offset is read by Chirp.
If you need an image file, please let me know. Or, if you need a bug opened, I can attached anything you need into that portal.
Thanks again, Phil
Go ahead and open an issue. Attach your image that includes a TX blocked channel and state which channel it is.
Jim KC9HI
participants (8)
-
D.J.J. Ring, Jr. -
David Vine -
Glenn -
Jardy -
Jim Unroe -
Phil - w2lie -
Ron Wellsted -
Tom Consodine