GD-77 FW 3.0.6 and CPS 2.05 -- problems

[doctordruidphd]

New upgrade on radioddity download page. Don't be too quick to flash the radio just yet, though.

.dat files from 1.xx cps software are NOT compatible, you will have to export contacts and channels BEFORE upgrading, then re-import into 2.05. Only difference seems to be to change the header lines. But you will have to reprogram everything as most of the data is stored in the internal database, not in the channels.csv file.

Now it is possible to upload a contact.csv file in a separate space, similar to MD-2017,
but only 10,000 contacts.

However:
Documentation says now allows 64 channels per zone, but I can get only 16.
Also says 31 channels per scan list, but I can get only 16.
Also, setting up a scan list, if you close the scan list and reopen it, many of the channels have changed.

Maybe this wasn't supposed to be released yet. Seems like alpha software.
But if they get it working, this will bring the GD-77 up to par with the 2017 and others.

 

[alcahuete]

There are definitely 31 channels per scan list.

 

[doctordruidphd]

I removed and reinstalled the 2.05 software.

I am getting > 16 channels per scan group now, but there is something even more strange.

When I add channels, then close the group and re-open it, the channels have changed.
What it is doing is subtracting 256 from the channel number, so if I add channel 258, then what I wind up with is channel 2 in the list. It does this in multiples of 256; adding channel 514 results in channel 2 being in the group. Apparently I cannot add any channels above 256.

Is yours behaving this way?

 

[alcahuete]

Yep! I'm having that problem too.

I haven't been able to tell if it's doing the 256 multiples, as I don't have that many channels loaded in mine yet, but yes, that is the only thing this update broke for me, from what I can tell. No matter what I put in the scanlist, it seems to be replacing it with random channels. Does that for every scan list.

 

[doctordruidphd]

Looks like there is the same problem with digital TX contacts. It's wrapping contacts over 256, so can't set up TX contacts for anything over row 256.

 

[N4GIX]

Maybe this wasn't supposed to be released yet. Seems like alpha software.
But if they get it working, this will bring the GD-77 up to par with the 2017 and others.

Jasmine was quite clear that this is beta software, which is why it is only available from the Facebook group and not posted on the "official"
Radioddity website.

 

[doctordruidphd]

Jasmine was quite clear that this is beta software, which is why it is only available from the Facebook group and not posted on the "official"
Radioddity website.

Just to keep things straight, I don't know anything about any Facebook group; I don't use Facebook.
This was downloaded from Radioddity's support download site. No mention there of it being beta.
"https://www.radioddity.com/radioddity_download/#"

So that explains why it has problems. I do hope they can get it working, the new features are a serious enhancement.

 

[EA3BIL]

GD-77 FW and CPS 2.05... More than a simple bug ???

Hi @ll,

Problems you report are NOT the only ones we (me and at least two other colleagues) noticed.

Having had the FW properlly updated,
Having had "Factory Reset" to clean the customization (Codeplug, or call it as you like)
Having had a NEW codeplug from a BLANK file, with only TWO channels (one on V other one in U) both digital, both color 1, only FOUR contacts declared TG1, TG2, myregional and myself, 2 RX Gropus ok...

The results make NO SENSE AT ALL:

By pressing PTT, it goes "OnAir" (red led on),
There is (supposedly) RF signal constantlly,
Another correctlly working handy (other brand) set with same parameters.

It does NOT receive the GD77 for about 5...6 seconds then IT DOES but... ONLY for about 500mS (half a second), then it DOES NOT receive it again, and... again, and again...

Yeah, it sounds stupid, but test have been done with THREE Radioddity GD-77 handys with same results.


Here is what we have came across:

It seems OLDER serial numbers DO WORK correctly with 2.6.6 + 1.1.10 ALSO 3.0.6 + 2.0.5 and...
NEWER serial numbers DO NOT WORK on the mentioned 3.0.6 + 2.0.5 and they DO WORK with 2.6.6 + 1.1.10.

Next question you may have on your mind:
How to tell OLD from NEW s/n. ???

As far as we noticed:
Serial number looks as this:
yywwAnnnnn where,
yy YEAR
ww WEEK
those two make the "birth date"
A Separation char (no meaning at all as it's also used on other models by Radioddity)
nnnnn SERIAL NUMBER

In our case,
OLD number is UNDER 01500
NEW numbers are ABOVE 01500 -only a few above- (in fact, the newer unit is about 03270).


Ok, that's all folks!!! (by now).

So sorry for this LOOOOONG text. (We call them BRICKS)

I had my GD-77 about to go on the TRASH and it was "Saved by the bell" on the last minute.


P.D.:
Yeap, I agree about NOT having these BETA versions on a OFFICIAL website...
Only ALPHA (stable) versions should be in there.
(So sorry for language mistakes, English is my 3rd and I do my best)

73''
Rafa.
EA3BIL
JN11ck.

 

[popnokick]

Have 3 "new" serial number GD-77s. All three recently upgraded to FW 3.0.6 and CPS 2.0.5. None of the problems reported by EA3BIL in any of them.

 

[doctordruidphd]

Have 3 "new" serial number GD-77s. All three recently upgraded to FW 3.0.6 and CPS 2.0.5. None of the problems reported by EA3BIL in any of them.

Does the programming software (2.0.5) work for you? Are you able to program scan lists, receive groups, etc without the errors reported in the original post?

I have an "older" GD-77, but I have not proceeded to flash the radio as the CPS software is unusable for the reasons described in the original post.

 

[jaspence]

Newest firmware

Once I created a clean code plug in the new CPS, everything works as it should. In a low end radio like this it is one of the things you have to endure, but the dual band ability makes it less painful than maintaining two separate radios and code plugs.

 

[popnokick]

I've been running CPS 2.0.5 and firmware 3.0.6 since 22 Dec with no issues, other than initially having to re-add some of the zone and rx group list settings to my pre-2.0.5 codeplug. Channels were all there.

 

[doctordruidphd]

Once I created a clean code plug in the new CPS, everything works as it should. In a low end radio like this it is one of the things you have to endure, but the dual band ability makes it less painful than maintaining two separate radios and code plugs.

I started from scratch as the 2.0.5 software would not load the 1.x codeplug. But I cannot add transmit groups or add channels to scan lists without it changing them. If it is working for others, then I have no idea what could be wrong. It makes no sense.

 

[EA3BIL]

Ok then...

Let me understand the path you've been trought to update:

FW 2.6.x to ??
CPS 1.1.x to ??
Actions taken before updating FW?
Actions taken after updating FW?

Here is mine:
FW 2.6.6 to 2.6.7, ->.8, ->.9, ->3.0.6

About CPS...
Went through:
1.1.10, ->.12, ->.13, -> 2.0.5

In between each update I exported -before- and imported -after-,
having manually updated when needed the codeplug.

NOTE:
All combinations for FW / CPS have been checked. Only "compatible ones" did work.

On desperate status, I had FW "Cleared" by using the updating sotware and downloaded each version directly, then codeplug transfered to radio.
(Now we all know about RX groups "blowing" when moving up CPS version)

As mentioned on my previos msg, those was the results....

Now IT WORKS smooth with 2.6.6 + 1.1.10 with ALL channels I have, TGs, RX Groups, and ONLY two contacts on agenda (and the TGs, of course)...

Did I get crazy?? (Hope not)

 

[doctordruidphd]

Here is what I have done:

Radio/firmware: 2.6.6 -> 2.6.8 -> 2.6.9
I have NOT flashed the radio to 3.0.6 yet, because the CPs does not work, and therefore I cannot program the radio.

CPS: 1.1.10, ->.12, ->.13, -> 2.0.5

Ran CPS 1.13, exported channels and contacts.
Ran the CPS 2.05, exported the channels and contacts files.

Using Libreoffice, rearranged the 1.13 channels and contacts files so they are in the same format at the 2.0.5 templates, with the 2.0.5 header rows.

Ran CPS 2.0.5, imported the channels and contacts. They loaded without any problem.
Then I tried to add scan lists, RX and Tx groups, etc, and the problems mentioned in the first post appeared.

So as of yet I have not done anything to the radio, because the 2.0.5 CPS software won't let me add channels or talkgroups over row #256, and therefore I would not be able to program the radio.

 

[doctordruidphd]

I have tried doing everything over from a blank slate, still the same problem -- I cannot add receive groups over row #256, or channels in row numbers greater than 256 either to zones or scan lists, without them being changed.

Also another minor point, but might be a symptom of a problem -- in the contact list, it lists group call contacts as "Group All" and not "Group Call".

 

[doctordruidphd]

I hate to belabor this, but it's getting very frustrating. Flashed the radio, reinstalled the software, did everything as instructed. The stupid CPS software still will not handle more than 256 contacts or 256 channels.

Is this working for ANYONE?

Try adding a channel with a row number greater than 256 to a scan list, or try a talkgroup with a row number greater than 256, and see if it works.

 

[alcahuete]

I hate to belabor this, but it's getting very frustrating. Flashed the radio, reinstalled the software, did everything as instructed. The stupid CPS software still will not handle more than 256 contacts or 256 channels.

Is this working for ANYONE?

Try adding a channel with a row number greater than 256 to a scan list, or try a talkgroup with a row number greater than 256, and see if it works.

I have over 800 channels in mine, and have no problem adding them to zones or using talkgroups. I do have the scan issue. The scanlist will not work at all, and simply adds its own channels to the list. Not a huge deal for me, as I don't really use the scan lists very much, but yes, it does need to be fixed.

 

[doctordruidphd]

OK, thanks for letting me know. The problem must be on this end then.

 

[Chaplin]

I have the same problem with my GD-77 and my scan list with over 800 channel and sw 3.06. Have you found a way to solve the problem of frequencies that change erratically? I also have a problem with maintain programmation the TOT function, TOT rekey and Admit criteria.

Thanks and 73!