[No reply from original poster] Unable to update RD-5R

OpenGD77CPS
Post Reply
we1h
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:36 pm
Location: Merrimack, NH USA
Contact:

[No reply from original poster] Unable to update RD-5R

Post by we1h » Wed Jun 22, 2022 4:34 pm

Hi All,

I am trying to make updates to my RD-5R with an updated codeplug, and I am not able to establish communicastion with the radio. Here is what I am doing:

Connect my USB --> Serial cable to my PC, verify COM3, N81, 9600
Connect cable to radio
power on radio (no special key combos, just power on)
Open OpenGD77CPS (v6.22.01)
Load the latest codeplug for the radio
Make the change (add a new contact / channel)
Click "Program - Write"
I get "Device Not Found"

I also cannot read from the radio.
If I go to "Extras" and attempt to read the codeplug by selecting COM3, I gert a radio communication error. Same happens if I try to back it up.

So, I grabbed the serial driver installation .zip, and followed the instructions in the OpenGD77 PDF. However, the driver does not change for the cable. I next chose to update the driver manually in Device Manager by selecting the .inf file that was part of the driver download .zip file. Now the COM port says OpenGD77 for the driver. My PC barks that I need to restart. I do so. Winows crashes. I remove the cable from the PC, restart Windows, all is well. When I plug the cable back in, Windows crashes. I have to manually remove the device from Windows Device Manager to prevent the PC from crashing whenever I plug the cable in.

I seem to be stuck in a place that I cannot update the radio. Any help / direction would be appreciated.

Thanks,

- Matt, WE1H

G4EML
Posts: 919
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 10:01 am

Re: Unable to update RD-5R

Post by G4EML » Wed Jun 22, 2022 6:08 pm

The radios supported by OpenGD77 do not use a USB to serial cable. The USB interface is in the radio, the cable is just wires. The serial port does not appear until the radio is turned on.

It sounds from your description that you may be trying with the wrong cable.

Colin G4EML.

VK3KYY
Posts: 7437
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:25 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Unable to update RD-5R

Post by VK3KYY » Thu Jun 23, 2022 6:06 am

It should also be noted that not all USB radio cables are the same

Baofeng cables are not compatible with TYT radios, like the MD-760 or Radioddiy GD77 (or GD77S).

So you need a Baofeng USB cable that is compatible with that radio. Old DM1801cables work, but new DM1801 cables don't work, because the new DM1801 is completely different hardware inside the same case

we1h
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:36 pm
Location: Merrimack, NH USA
Contact:

Re: Unable to update RD-5R

Post by we1h » Wed Jun 29, 2022 2:57 pm

Thanks for the helpful replies! It was actually a combination of things...

1. Wrong cable... I was using the cable for my UV5R (they are now appropriately labled)
2. Wrong CPS software version... I had upgraded the CPS version to the latest as a troubleshooting step (turns out to have been a bad idea), which would not see the radio. I had to uninstall it, and reinstall the older version I used to program the codeplug.
3. Incorrect COMM port driver... Even after uninstalling the new version / installing the correct version of the CPS, I had to delete the COMM port, remove the COMM port driver software, and THEN plug in the right cable.

Afther that... all worked as intended.

I so love technology ;)

73,

- Matt, WE1H

VK3KYY
Posts: 7437
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:25 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Unable to update RD-5R

Post by VK3KYY » Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:47 pm

Just a FYI.

Firmware updates do not need the COM port driver.

When the radio is put into firmware update mode, it becomes a USB HID device, which is the same general USB type as a keyboard or a mouse, and these USB device types do not need a specific driver because all operating systems have built in support

Post Reply