"Adjustment Software" for Icom IC-F521 needed.

[W7EKB]

Might anyone know where we might be able to buy the Adjustment Software for the subject radios? We have bought the Programming Sofware, CS-500, for the F521s and, other than issues with the USB cables, have been using it successfully, but we have not been able to find a source for the Adjustment Software, if it even exists.

Might anyone know where we might find this?

Ken W7EKB

 

[jeepsandradios]

Your looking for CSF500ADJ. It came on 2 Floppy Disks. I show it in my documentation and its on my old PC but not sure where the floppies went.

 

[W7EKB]

Your looking for CSF500ADJ. It came on 2 Floppy Disks. I show it in my documentation and its on my old PC but not sure where the floppies went.

Thank you. I will look for it. Maybe Icom America has a copy.

Ken W7EKB

 

[jtwalker]

You’re looking for CSF500ADJ. It came on 2 Floppy Disks. I show it in my documentation and it’s on my old PC but not sure where the floppies went.

Oh my… and what version of Windows does it require ?

 

[jeepsandradios]

Its on my W95 PC

 

[W7EKB]

Its on my W95 PC

View attachment 158157

Ha ha!

Well, it is POSSIBLE, that it would run under WinXP, and maybe even Win10 under its emulation mode. But how many of us still have floppies, especially the old 5 1/4" jobs? I think I still have a 2.5" floppy drive around here somewhere, but the only 5 1/4' ones I have are in my two Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 4Ps.

It is too bad that software isn't available on a USB drive somewhere.

Thanks for the info, though. Much appreciated,

Ken W7EKB

 

[mmckenna]

The floppies that Icom sold for that series radios always shipped to me on 3.5" floppies. I used to have a bunch of them, but tossed them all when that computer died and I no longer had any Icom gear.

The software is hiding out there under the usual internet rocks, if you look in the right places.

 

[ramal121]

CS-F500 package can still be downloaded from the Icom dealer portal. Maybe a jingle to your local shop?

 

[W7EKB]

CS-F500 package can still be downloaded from the Icom dealer portal. Maybe a jingle to your local shop?

I have the CS-F500 programming package and it works very well. But I need the "adjustment" package.

And I do not have a local shop. I AM the local shop for our Search and Rescue folks here.

These radios are rather old, but they, so far, seem to be excellent radios and they are easy to repair.

I managed to completely repair 6 of those we had been "gifted". Most of those had bad 2nd IF filters, and a couple had eaten their transmitter output ICs. The filters are still available from Icom America and the output ICs are available from eBay. They are Mitsubishi RA60M1317 60 watt units. Those 60 watt units seem to be very unreliable, so I replace the bad ones with 30 watt Mitsubishi ICs.

It is certainly possible that the reason they fail is that Icom didn't properly install the heat-sink compound, though. At least, I have found several rigs that the heat-sink compound was not properly applied.

Ken W7EKB

 

[ramal121]

It is certainly possible that the reason they fail is that Icom didn't properly install the heat-sink compound, though. At least, I have found several rigs that the heat-sink compound was not properly applied.

Ken W7EKB

In my many dealings with the Motorola R1225 repeater PA failures I have come to the conclusion that poor mechanical contact between the hybrid PA brick and the heatsink where less than ideal. No amount of heatsink compound would make up for this. As a matter of fact the less of the goop applied the better. I got to the point where I would true up the back of the PA by laying it on flat file and giving it a good go. Taking off the high spots (usually around the screw holes) seemed to be positive as far as the PA longevity was concerned.

 

[W7EKB]

I most certainly agree with you in that the less of the heat-sink compound one can use, the better.

However, in the case of these F521s which I discovered had heat-sink compound issues, the issue was that the OEM used so little of it that there were large areas which had none at all !!!

Furthermore, in the F521s, there are TWO "sandwiches" which must be considered. It is hard for me to describe these, but one, of course, is between the Mitsubishi power output IC and the heat-sink itself, but there is another between the main heat-sink and what I guess I could call, an "extension" under that heat-sink, and BOTH areas must have the correct application of heat-sink compound in order to adequately remove the heat.

And furthermore, I really detest that white compound anyway. I much prefer that silver-bearing stuff I use for computer CPUs..

Now, Icom America still sells the 30 watt version of the Mitsubishi power ICs, but they want $80 for one. However, they no longer have or sell the 60 watters. In my experience and my general feeling about this, I strongly suspect that the 60 watt power ICs were always unreliable, although I am also somewhat convinced that the main reason they were unreliable in the F521 was due to incorrect application of the heat-sink compound by the OEM.

Thanks for the info. I very much appreciate your kindness.

Ken W7EKB

 

[MTS2000des]

These, like many compact mobiles, run HOT. They barely have enough heat sinking metal to dissipate heat at rated duty cycle. It only attributes them to early PA death when used by a gas bagging ham or folks build repeaters out of them. Running one on high power or even "mid" results in a blistering hot heat sink surface with temps above 145F.

They have good receivers sans the common Murate filter rot, and are well built but I'd run them on low power if one plans on exceeding a 5-5-90 duty cycle if you want them to last, or install a high CFM fan on the heat sink.

 

[W7EKB]

Yes. I have "noticed" that attempting to run these at 50 watts output has serious issues. I have taken to replacing the 60 watt Mitsubishi modules with the 30 watters, and keeping the maximum power down to 25 watts. For our uses, we don't need 50 watts.

I wish we could find the 60 watt modules, but those seem to be much harder to find than the 30 watters, and when one does find them, they are a lot more expensive than the 30s. Running a 60 watt module at 25 watts output would be what I would prefer to do.

Even so, and despite this, I still have found that the proper use of the heat-sink compound is seriously lacking in many of our rigs that I have checked.

Heat-sink compound should be as thin as one can possibly manage. Its purpose is, supposedly, to smooth out the "hills and valleys" between the power output module and the heat-sink itself. Too much compound just makes the matter worse. It actually insulates the module from the heat-sink.

Well, I had better get to work here. Again, thank you for the help. I really appreciate it.

Ken W7EKB