Icom R5- Best Software

[2ManyToys]

OK, receiving a used Icom R5 from FedEx today. With it came the programming cable but no software. I'm wondering which software to use, so time for a poll of the experts...

Please vote & comment on your favorite R5 programming software.

So far I'm leaning towards IC-R5 as it seems less clunky then the Icom OEM software but still will import from the Percon/Icom America database.

[burner781]

I use the OEM software and it works well for me. I use it mostly for MILAIR and I only put in a couple freq's at a time. If you want to import OEM is not the way to go. But if you want to make small changes now and then it's not bad.

[2ManyToys]

I bought & have tried to use IC-R5 w/o any luck. Also tried the tk5 but couldn't get it to run w/o crashing (on two different PC's).

This little bugger is kicking my a**. I've spent a number of hours trying to load frequencies & other then the default config. provided with the IC-R5 software I can't. I hate to surrender but the R5 may have to go on the block. 1st electronic gadget that has ever beat me.

Here's the main issue. I can load a single .icf file, either the default freqs. or a .icf file downloaded from the Percon site. But I'm not smart enough to ADD/COMBINE frequencies to an existing file.

What I want to accomplish is to load the default config. & then add additional groups of frequencies from the Percon database. But I'm unable to ADD from the database. When I import the files they just overwrite the current frequencies. Plus AFAICT there isn't a way in IC-R5 to select more then one line/frequency at a time. Rather then select a bunch of frequencies to move them to other channels/banks, it must be done one-by-one.

I'm not willing to blow more $$$'s for the OEM software if I'll have the same issues/restrictions.

Grrrrrrrrrrr Anyone want to buy a Icom R-5?