VX-3000U programming issues

[ImNoSpaz]

Just signed up here, and glad I found the site!

I recently purchased an unused new old stock VX-3000u. The darn thing was sealed in the box including the manual, screws, warranty card, and even the Yaesu bumper sticker! The only downside I see is no way to do alpha numeric display.

All this newer UHF and programmable radio stuff has me a bit confused as I am an old VHF user who had to get to the guts to change anything.
This radio only has 7 of the available 120 channels programmed in, and not one of those channels provided any data to know what they were. So after several weeks I found the ce-19d and USB programming cable. The sw does not work in Windows 7 64 bit, so I fired up my old XP machine. After figuring out the com port issues (and the backwards 'download' 'upload' selection) I finally got a read on the radio.

Not 1 of those channels do me any good, so I added the two I need. Yes I tried to save the original file, but I can't figure out how to change the path to save on the desktop. The sw disc already has a vx file?, so when I tried to save the original, it failed saying the file already existed, then I could not figure out how to change the file name. I went ahead and downloaded the new channels anyway. I'm running the sw from the disc because the help files won't work in DOS.

For some reason I can not hear the tx to my Motorola talkies? I can receive from the Motorola to the Vertex though. I noticed when on some of the original channels when I key the mic, I get 3 beeps and the display shows a large TX1 and counts up from the 1. Some of the others do nothing? On the 2 new channels, I get no beeps and the display still shows the channel and the tx is quite small on the upper left of the display.

I have read every post here on this model and am not finding answers. Am I missing something in the sw settings? I have the same freq in receive and the transmit columns. If someone needs a screenshot of the radio I will, post it....if allowed

Any help appreciated. Thank you

 

[bama9999]

Is it possible the Motorola's you are using have either ctcss or DCS turned on, and you are not encoding on the Vertex transmit? That would allow the Vertex to hear them, but not the other way around.

I have the VHF version of the VX-3000 and I don't recall ever seeing anything like a large TX1 on the screen. Mine is the 48 channel version, so that might have something to do with that.

In the software, CE19d, there is a place to name the channel whatever you want to call it, so no idea why you're not seeing a way to do alpha-numeric on it.

 

[ImNoSpaz]

OK, I figured out how to save a file. Its been awhile since DOS for me so I forgot the cursor is 1 step behind where it needs to be. Too bad I didn't catch that before I wrote to the radio. Hopefully when I took the settings back to original and THEN made the file, it should be good. This sw is a bit wonky though. A couple times after downloading, it finished, but when I did a re-read, it didn't show the changes. I now have 15 different config files that don't work in there, but at least I have a record of what I tried.

The CTCSS DCS deal. I tried both, but have no idea what value should be in the encode and decode fields. I tried many with no luck. If I enabled DCS, I had to turn the squelch on (audible) to be able to hear rx, but still no tx on anything I tried.

The 'chan name' fields are highlighted with the rest, but I can't put anything in there. I can click each dash and either nothing happens or the cursor moves to the receive field or back to the w/n field. I assume my model doesn't do channel names and the manual says nothing about them.

The Motorola RDU2020. I read it and it shows nothing about CTCSS or DCS. All I see in there is PL and DPL. And 'Compander ON' for all channels. It shows 12.5khz, PL code 124 to 129hz, 67.0, DPL 214 to 218 and 023?. All I have as far as sw for that is the user sw. Maybe different sw has the ability to see more?

Anyway, my brain is about fried for today but here is a screenshot of this radio in as built state. It's still in wide not narrow. I will change those tomorrow. Also notice there is no file listed toward top right? When I open the sw I get an error popup that says problem opening file DEFAULT.v3k (pictured below) I assume that file should show up there?

 

[ImNoSpaz]

I Tried

Is it possible the Motorola's you are using have either ctcss or DCS turned on, and you are not encoding on the Vertex transmit? That would allow the Vertex to hear them, but not the other way around.

I have the VHF version of the VX-3000 and I don't recall ever seeing anything like a large TX1 on the screen. Mine is the 48 channel version, so that might have something to do with that.

In the software, CE19d, there is a place to name the channel whatever you want to call it, so no idea why you're not seeing a way to do alpha-numeric on it.

I replied in my latest post before Realizing the 'quote' button.

Today I read documents till my eyes bled about PL and DPL. I figured out the Motorola settings...kinda, and see I either need to go CTCSS for the 67.0hz or DCS to get the 023 but I can't do CTCSS and DCS at the same time. Neither worked so I did what I should have done in the beginning as if I got a used radio.

First I turned on the ole Uniden 760xlt and put in the 7 frequencies the Vertex has programmed. Keyed the mic on each channel.....nothing. Then I hooked up the 120-500mhz SWR meter. Here is where I think the problem is. I tried to set to 0 but when I keyed the mic, the needle bounced back and forth badly. Could not even see what the SWR was. So I either have a blown circ in a brand new radio, or a short in a brand new mic, or these radios are so picky the antenna has to be mounted on the vehicle, which I highly doubt because I should be able to transmit extremely poorly with bailing wire. You know what I mean. BTW, I never keyed the mic without an antenna. It just wasn't on the truck.

I do have the model with the short UHF pigtail for the antenna, and where the crimp is at the back of the radio, is solid as a rock both in the crimp and cable before it....no wiggle or bends at all.

Any suggestions other than a repair shop? The main one here charges $110 an hour for a bench test with a $110 minimum!

I also figured out the error when opening the ce-19. I just changed the original read file to the name default. Now when the sw opens, it shows the default/original file instead of the ce-19 default VHF 4 channel file you see BEFORE you upload. It makes it much easier to change settings/frequencies in that file before downloading to the radio. Just don't save that changed file before or after downloading unless you want it saved but save it as a different name with the new settings.

 

[ImNoSpaz]

Figured alot out

I found my transmitting issues along with my spastic SWR issue on trans at high power.

My issue with no trans on anything is because I didn't understand the encode/decode settings pre-programmed into the radio. Its clear In the picture I provided above (CTSCC 67.0/67.0 vs CTSCC 67.0/off on others vs ----- on others) because I just ignorantly copied some of those settings for the freq's I needed. It took me a some reading to figure this out on my own which was a good thing, using a scanner as an aide. I now can transmit and receive what I need.

The other issue transmitting on high power was the fault of the power supply I was using. The voltage rating was fine, but the amperage was not enough to transmit, but just enough to not blow a fuse. I found that out when I installed it in my truck. It worked fine there until I transmitted on high power and it blew the fuses until I went directly to the battery instead of the panel or the cig lighter. I knew better. Arrgghhh!

The SWR meter was faulty, and I got a refund. I learn fast, so I would not suggest a Workman model 104 meter if you are picky. Sorry if that offends but it was both costly in time and caused much stress. It does have a hole on the back to adjust the watt readings, but it adjusts both low and high settings at the same time. The low power reading was correct, but the high pegged the needle above 150 watts and bounced back and forth. If I transmitted in high power and adjusted the needle to rated output, it would also lower the low watt reading to 0. Not good if you want to see both. Now I need to find a decent affordable SWR meter.

Now on to figuring out the repeaters in my area. Like I said, I'm new to this Ham stuff.

 

[jboczek]

I'm having issues trying to program a VX-3000 with CE-19D ver 4.04 software. I'm running it on an XP computer in Windows 95 mode. When I try to "upload" from the radio (which according to the display is in CLN mode) the Upload Function box just says "Please Wait". I found a few questions in forums about this but nobody gave an answer as to why it's not reading the radio. Com port is right and I'm using a USB cable.
Any ideas what it's doing? or not doing?

 

[ImNoSpaz]

I'm having issues trying to program a VX-3000 with CE-19D ver 4.04 software. I'm running it on an XP computer in Windows 95 mode. When I try to "upload" from the radio (which according to the display is in CLN mode) the Upload Function box just says "Please Wait". I found a few questions in forums about this but nobody gave an answer as to why it's not reading the radio. Com port is right and I'm using a USB cable.
Any ideas what it's doing? or not doing?

Try running the computer in normal mode (XP).
You may need to install the driver for the usb cable if you didn't do that already.
Make sure the com port is right. Double check that because mine went back to the default when I clicked out of the software and didn't notice it the next few tries.
Also, in win 95 it may be showing the com port you specified but might be using it for something else that has priority. Win xp and above won't do that. CE19 only has the option of choosing com ports 1-4. My computer was using those, so I had to go to device manager> com ports> then change one of them to a different port to be able to use one of the 4.

 

[jboczek]

I've done all those things already. Tried XP first several times before I tried it in 95 mode. Didn't make any difference. I think the cable is working OK because when I plug it in both ends CLN comes up on the radio display. I don't get any lights on the radio, though. I saw a couple posts where the transmit and receive lights would both come on, neither of mine do. I don't know what's up.

 

[ImNoSpaz]

I've done all those things already. Tried XP first several times before I tried it in 95 mode. Didn't make any difference. I think the cable is working OK because when I plug it in both ends CLN comes up on the radio display. I don't get any lights on the radio, though. I saw a couple posts where the transmit and receive lights would both come on, neither of mine do. I don't know what's up.

It may sound odd, but are you running the software from the disc, or from the desktop?
When I ran mine from the disc it acted strange.
Also, there is a chance the cable is not communicating all the info needed. I had the same problem until I realized I was clicking "download" to read the radio because that was the normal way when going from device to computer.

Maybe take a magnifying glass and see if any of the pins on the radios mic input are touching or gone, and make sure the cables pins are in the right place. If you got a generic cable, they are all made in china as far as I know, and can be defective at the start. There should be a blinking light on the cables usb end that blinks when transferring data. If its not blinking, its not working. Mine are on the bottom side and hard to see working.

If you installed the driver to work with the FTDI cable, that driver was assigned a com port. It may or may not be the com port you specified the computer and radio to be on. I don't quite understand that, but that's what written on my cables package. It says "This device requires an FTDI VCP driver. You need to manually assign the com port in your device to match the com port assigned during driver installation" I didn't need to install the driver on my XP computer, but needed to on my XP laptop.

Maybe try uninstalling that driver and try it without. If it still does not work, reinstall the driver and try again. Another thing, did you get a driver disc with the cable, or did you download the driver from the FTDI site? I have no faith in Chinese drivers supplied with anything. So if you need the driver go to valley-ent.com/drivers .I have no other ideas.

 

[jboczek]

I never did get the USB cable to work but I found out that the serial cable I had would work with an old XP computer I had. The software works fine with that setup.
Now I just need to figure out how to adjust the squelch on the radio. There's nothing that I can find in the software to do it. Any ideas on that?

 

[ImNoSpaz]

I never did get the USB cable to work but I found out that the serial cable I had would work with an old XP computer I had. The software works fine with that setup.
Now I just need to figure out how to adjust the squelch on the radio. There's nothing that I can find in the software to do it. Any ideas on that?

Mine has no squelch adjustment. When the radio is on, you hear nothing until someone keys up. If you want to hear that squelch sound, press the "moni" button for a couple seconds and you hear it. That's how I hear distant people talking that are too weak to break the squelch. When you want it silent, just press the "moni" button again quickly.

 

[bama9999]

I never did get the USB cable to work but I found out that the serial cable I had would work with an old XP computer I had. The software works fine with that setup.
Now I just need to figure out how to adjust the squelch on the radio. There's nothing that I can find in the software to do it. Any ideas on that?

The squelch can be adjusted with the service software. But if you get and use the service software, be careful, because you can really goof the radio up if you're not very sure of what you're doing. The VX-3000 that I have has the transmit out of whack because someone who had the radio before I did tried using it to adjust the squelch and inadvertently messed up the transmit side.

 

[NR7J]

Service Software

The squelch can be adjusted with the service software. But if you get and use the service software, be careful, because you can really goof the radio up if you're not very sure of what you're doing. The VX-3000 that I have has the transmit out of whack because someone who had the radio before I did tried using it to adjust the squelch and inadvertently messed up the transmit side.

Where can I find the Service Software ? Is that the only way (by software) to lower the power ? Thanks

 

[bama9999]

It's been so long since I got it, I really don't remember where I got it from. I'm thinking it may have came with the radio when I got it. If I remember right, I "think" you can set the power in the programming software, instead of having to use the service software.

Honestly, it's been such a long time since I've used that radio for monitoring, that I've pretty much forgot what little I did know about it. Hopefully someone else will drop in and say for sure about setting the power.

 

[NR7J]

Thanks anyway.

It's been so long since I got it, I really don't remember where I got it from. I'm thinking it may have came with the radio when I got it. If I remember right, I "think" you can set the power in the programming software, instead of having to use the service software.

Honestly, it's been such a long time since I've used that radio for monitoring, that I've pretty much forgot what little I did know about it. Hopefully someone else will drop in and say for sure about setting the power.

Thanks for the info sir, I know it's possible to set the output with the programming software to 5 - 25 - 50 watts but I was hoping to lower the output to 20 watts with the service software or many there's a pot on the RF board. New cars' cigarette lighters wires seems that they cannot handle too many amps. Thanks for the reply.

 

[bama9999]

You're more than welcome. I'm just sorry that I wasn't able to really be of much help. However, I wasn't particularly adept with programming/servicing this particular radio back when I was using it some, and now that it's been a good while, what little I did know has left.

Again, hopefully someone with more knowledge will come along and be able to help you out.

 

[MBill]

NR7J,
Not familiar with the VX-3000U. There are a few sites that claim to let you download a free copy of the service manual. If you can get that, it should tell you how to adjust the power.
If the VX-3000U is like the VX-2000U, then I believe there is a pot on the board that you can adjust the output power. On the VX-2000U in dealer mode, all the software lets you do is select high or low power. I would hazard a guess that in the software programming mode under the radio heading, if all it lets you do is either upload or download to the radio, and there is no alignment or adjustment selection, then the radio most likely has pots on the circuit board for manual adjustments of squelch, power output, etc.

 

[cdesigns]

I never had luck programing a VX-3000 with a XP computer, I'm running Win 98 and I need to open many programs so the processor gets slower and then I will be able to read the radio lol.

My old Toshiba Tecra 730CDt works excellent on old radios. Serial not USB.

 

[cmdrwill]

Older software, and you may have to close other programs running so the radio programming software has access exclusive to the ports. Also applies to other radio brands.