IC-R8600 and RT Systems Software

[N3CI]

Recently purchased the IC-R8600 receiver and am learning about some of its features. I am interested in trying the RT Systems software for this receiver and downloaded a copy today. It is easy to use the software to build the database I want, but I am having trouble getting the software to communicate with the receiver. The software keeps saying to make sure the USB cable is plugged in, but it clearly is. I tried both the regular (right side) and the I/Q port, but neither worked.

I am using a generic cable, not the one RT sells. Is there something special about their cable?

Would appreciate any tips from folks who have successfully used the RT software with this receiver.

Many thanks.

 

[AOR-262]

Have you installed the latest USB Driver from Icom for this receiver?

Here ...

Firmware Updates / Software Downloads | Support | Icom Inc

 

[N3CI]

I have installed it, but I think I will do so again just in case. Thanks.

 

[tumegpc]

I am using a generic cable, not the one RT sells. Is there something special about their cable?

Would appreciate any tips from folks who have successfully used the RT software with this receiver.

Many thanks.

If it's just a USB cable make sure it's high quality. I've been burned a couple times using a cheap cable .Now I always buy the RTSystems software and cable. Never had any issues since.

 

[N3CI]

Cheap cable

I think you make a good point. I returned the cable I had and will order an RT Systems cable to use. They have always worked for me in the past on several radios.

 

[KE5MC]

I think you make a good point. I returned the cable I had and will order an RT Systems cable to use. They have always worked for me in the past on several radios.

I see you have used RTS before so your are familiar with the uniqueness of their cables. Looking at their website I was surprised that the cable for that radio looks like a regular cable without the electronics. One thing that was of note was two models one for the front connection and another for the back.

Any chance that at the radio the ports have to be enabled for use?

Good Luck!
Mike

P.S. Another possibility to check is if the software allows comxx port selection, because of the standard looking cable. That's not usually the case with their other cables, but I'm thinking this might be different.

 

[N3CI]

Success

RT Systems software now working fine on my IC-R8600!

Called the company and the tech suggested that I go back to an earlier version of the software. (I had downloaded the latest from the web.) That ploy worked in that the radio and the computer could now talk to each other. When I tried to load my programming to the radio, no luck. The computer showed all files loaded, but the radio hung up and showed files still being exchanged.

Another called produced the suggestion that I change the transfer speed from the default to the higher speed. That change did the trick and everything is working fine now.

This software makes the power of this radio more easily accessible and I am slowly building the memories to cover my interests.

BTW, I did buy the RT Systems cable, but it is just a generic A/B USB cable.

 

[KE5MC]

Fine business,

I thought the cable looked like a generic one. Going to the higher speed is one of last things I would have thought of. Usually its the other way.

Mike

 

[palmerjrusa]

I'm using the RT software for the 8600.
I'm using a generic cable that I had laying around and had no problem communicating back and forth between the receiver and my PC on the high speed setting.

One thing though, although the 8600 has 100 groups with up to 100 channels/group the RT sofware only appears to have 20 groups at 100 channels/group.

Am I missing something here?

 

[AOR-262]

I'm using the RT software for the 8600.
I'm using a generic cable that I had laying around and had no problem communicating back and forth between the receiver and my PC on the high speed setting.

One thing though, although the 8600 has 100 groups with up to 100 channels/group the RT sofware only appears to have 20 groups at 100 channels/group.

Am I missing something here?

Nope -- that is an issue with the WSC-8600 software which the developers are aware of. The official programming software from Icom works just fine all throughout. I have no idea what happens if you have more than 20 Groups full of frequencies using RT Systems WSC-8600 software. I guess if just won't sync past Group 20? :roll:

 

[palmerjrusa]

Nope -- that is an issue with the WSC-8600 software which the developers are aware of. The official programming software from Icom works just fine all throughout. I have no idea what happens if you have more than 20 Groups full of frequencies using RT Systems WSC-8600 software. I guess if just won't sync past Group 20? :roll:

A major deficiency which they curiously omitted to mention.

If I'd known this I wouldn't have purchased the software.

 

[AOR-262]

@palmerjrusa

A major deficiency which they curiously omitted to mention -- you say. The software writers at RT Systems must of known about this? I didn't know myself until someone mentioned it. Perhaps emailing them and asking if they plan to address this issue in future updates to the program. You could also argue that the software is not fit for purpose as it doesn't do what it's supposed to do?

 

[palmerjrusa]

@palmerjrusa

A major deficiency which they curiously omitted to mention -- you say. The software writers at RT Systems must of known about this? I didn't know myself until someone mentioned it. Perhaps emailing them and asking if they plan to address this issue in future updates to the program. You could also argue that the software is not fit for purpose as it doesn't do what it's supposed to do?

I left an appropriate review at their site.
In effect their software only is able to program 20% of the receiver.

 

[KE5MC]

I left an appropriate review at their site.
In effect their software only is able to program 20% of the receiver.

I pulled the manual and after reviewing the specifications and memory programing, which clearly does not make me an expert. My impression is the hard limit is 2000 memory channels. They (RTS) elected to limit the number of groups to 20 and allow 100 channels per group for a total channel number of 2000.

A fair statement is that only 20% of the groups can be used. Something similar to the early ID-51 software for repeater list. Radio could handle 30, but software only allowed 20 and the cutoff count was 750 repeaters. On import any repeater in 21 and above was ignored. Easy fix and was necessary because the US was 20 and the next three. A little work in Excel and all US and Canada repeater (746 total) with a few slots not used for hotspots.

Not using groups above 20 could be a problem, but is it? If you can't program 2000 channels that falls short of expectations. Limited to 2000 channels in 20 groups thats not as limiting as expressed. I can see the program engineer taking the short path to coding. Keeping track of the total number of used channels across 100 groups is more challenging.

All of what I wrote was based on 2000 total channels allowed. Nothing I read quoted anymore, but depending on how you interpret the information (100 channels x 100 groups) maybe 10,000, but that number is nowhere quoted.

Just an opinion...

Mike

 

[palmerjrusa]

I pulled the manual and after reviewing the specifications and memory programing, which clearly does not make me an expert. My impression is the hard limit is 2000 memory channels. They (RTS) elected to limit the number of groups to 20 and allow 100 channels per group for a total channel number of 2000.

A fair statement is that only 20% of the groups can be used. Something similar to the early ID-51 software for repeater list. Radio could handle 30, but software only allowed 20 and the cutoff count was 750 repeaters. On import any repeater in 21 and above was ignored. Easy fix and was necessary because the US was 20 and the next three. A little work in Excel and all US and Canada repeater (746 total) with a few slots not used for hotspots.

Not using groups above 20 could be a problem, but is it? If you can't program 2000 channels that falls short of expectations. Limited to 2000 channels in 20 groups thats not as limiting as expressed. I can see the program engineer taking the short path to coding. Keeping track of the total number of used channels across 100 groups is more challenging.

All of what I wrote was based on 2000 total channels allowed. Nothing I read quoted anymore, but depending on how you interpret the information (100 channels x 100 groups) maybe 10,000, but that number is nowhere quoted.

Just an opinion...

Mike

I think the ic-r30 has a memory limit of 2000 channels distributed across 100 groups as the user sees fit.
When I'm programming my receivers I like to space different groups quite widely apart to allow for "fill-in" later on of extra frequencies. Also some groups will have few frequencies that I'm specifically interested in. Using this approach I quickly run out of groups.

Up to now when I've purchased radio software it's reflected the memory architecture of the receiver. This is the first time I've bought radio software that has placed constraints on the memory configuration and limits the functionality of the receiver, the opposite of what this kind of software should be doing.

 

[palmerjrusa]

Butel has announced forthcoming software for the ic-r30 and ic-r8600 Icom receivers:

Butel Software

 

[palmerjrusa]

@palmerjrusa

A major deficiency which they curiously omitted to mention -- you say. The software writers at RT Systems must of known about this? I didn't know myself until someone mentioned it. Perhaps emailing them and asking if they plan to address this issue in future updates to the program. You could also argue that the software is not fit for purpose as it doesn't do what it's supposed to do?

Have some news here.

I did email RT Systems about this issue and asked if it was going to be addressed in a future update.
They just emailed to let me know there's a new update.
Performed the update and now there's 100 groups available for programming so they seem to have resolved this issue.

 

[N3CI]

Good news

Thanks for the update...very good news. I will be updating my software.