BUG WARNING - RT Systems - IC-R8600 Programmer Software (ver. 5.00.10)

[AOR-262]

6th September 2018

I cannot comment on other software from RT Systems, this post applies to users of the Icom IC-R8600 using the RT Systems - IC-R8600 Programmer Software aka WSC-R8600 Programming Software - current version 5.00.10

Official link here ... https://www.rtsystemsinc.com/IC-R8600-Programming-Software-p/wcsr8600-u.htm

Since RT Systems regularly update their software and in particular since they updated the WSC-R8600 Programming Software to version 5.00.10 I have discovered a bug in the software.

When the IC-R8600 is connected to a PC/Laptop and the WSC-R8600 software is running, the menu at the top of the screen called 'Communication' opens a sub-menu called 'Get Data From Radio'. This will instruct the software to fetch all of the Groups and Settings into the software ...

The issue since the update is the software is not fetching all Channels stored in a Group and is also placing Channels into random Groups. If anyone isn't careful to notice this and makes any changes before sending data back to the IC-R8600 you will lose frequencies you have stored in Channels and Groups.

I have emailed RT Systems asking for them to ask me whatever they need to know -- am still waiting for a reply.

 

[palmerjrusa]

Thanks for bringing this to the forum's attention.
Please keep us updated on any developments.

 

[AOR-262]

Update: Friday, 14th September 2018


RT Systems have now acknowledged the bug in the latest version of their WSC-R8600 Programing Software for the Icom IC-R8600.


My recommendation for anyone using version 5.00.10 is to not use the software -- you will lose data!

Look at the two screen shot images below. Screen shot 1 is before synchronizing data and Screen shot 2 is after synchronizing data.

In Group 10, I have 95 frequencies stored ... (see Screen shot 1)

After synchronizing, Group 10 now only has frequencies stored from Channel 00 to 59, Channels 59 to 98 are now blank and the contents of Channel 60 is now in Channel 99.

Also Groups 11, 12 and 13 are now completely blank.

All the frequencies I had stored in Group 8 (not seen in the screen shots) are all gone -- apart from one frequency which has now been placed in a newly created Group, Group 14.

The same applies to Group 15 as with what happened to Group 8.

If you synchronize your data from your IC-R8600 to the WSC-R8600 software -- DO NOT SAVE THE FILE when you exit the software -- the software will ask you if you want to save any changes -- Click NO.

If you synchronize your data, exit the program, saving any changes you've made -- as you can see from the screen shots, you will have lost frequencies you have stored.

It is the recommendation of RT Systems to downgrade version 5.00.10 to version 5.00.08 until the issue is fixed.

You can download an older version of the WSC-R8600 setup file for the IC-R8600 from the link below.

Downloading this file will revert version 5.00.10 back to version 5.00.08.

At the end of the install, just ignore the updates it'll ask you to do.

You can download it from the link below ...

http://www.rtsystems.us/Downloads/091318/ICR8600_Setup.exe

 

[AOR-262]

As a way of an update ...

Do not downgrade version 5.00.10 to version 5.00.08

This version also does not work.

You will lose data!

 

[palmerjrusa]

As a way of an update ...

Do not downgrade version 5.00.10 to version 5.00.08

This version also does not work.

You will lose data!

Thanks for this update!

 

[kruser]

As a way of an update ...

Do not downgrade version 5.00.10 to version 5.00.08

This version also does not work.

You will lose data!

As another mentioned, thanks for this info.

Question, short of actually doing an upgrade from the software, is there a way to know if they have released a new version?

Thanks!

 

[AOR-262]

@kruser

Quite simply, open up the program, click on 'Help' ... in the drop down menu, click on 'Check for updates".

If there are any updates, you will be notified. Click 'Cancel' if you choose not to accept.

If it wasn't for having an SC Card inserted into my 8600 with everything backed up to the SD Card, since RT Systems updated the WSC-R8600 software to version 5.00.10 -- I would of lost a considerable amount of data.

I'm considering biting-the-bullet so to speak and purchasing the official programming software from Icom (CS-R8600).

 

[kruser]

@kruser

Quite simply, open up the program, click on 'Help' ... in the drop down menu, click on 'Check for updates".

I figured it was probably that simple.

I did some reading and I found that this software from RT Systems for the R8600 has had similar or other bugs since it was released.

I do own a copy of Icom's CS-8600 software and it works okay.
I do hope RT Systems can and will fix this bug as I like the idea of being able to work with the data outside of the software which is not as easy with Icom's software. RT software has a few common import and export formats built in as well as importing from Radio Reference in addition to its built in editor. That all sounds good so hopefully they will fix it.

Thanks again for the info!

 

[AOR-262]

*Update to the thread BUG WARNING - RT Systems - IC-R8600 Programmer Software (ver. 5.00.10)

RT Systems have just released an update for the WSC-R8600 software which provisionally I'm going to say has fixed the issue I encountered when using the software with my IC-R8600. I will be running a few tests on the software i.e. moving Groups with the use of Cut/Copy and Paste, erasing singular and multiple entries etc.

The latest update updates the WSC-R8600 software to Version 5.00.11

So far so good -- all seems to be working just fine.

(hopefully this thread has now ended with the latest update and I won't be posting any further issues -- fingers crossed!)

 

[JSTARS03]

Program Radio

Can you program the radio with the software?
I can Read from it but when I Send Date to radio
The software looks like it works, I get the dialog box with the status bar.
It then goes away like it is finished but the Radio still shows Clone in Progress.
I leave it and but it never changes, I have to turn the radio off.
When I turn it back on it cleared all the programming.
I am running the newest .11 version .10 also did it.

Thank you

 

[AOR-262]

@JSTAR03

There could be a number of reasons why you're experiencing the issue you have -- I would say it's more likely to be your CI-V settings are incorrect. Make sure the USB Drivers are upto date, which you'll find on the Icom website.

 

[JSTARS03]

Sending Data

Thank you, I updated the drivers on my Windows 7 64 Bit machine, but
that did not resolve the issue. I switched over to a Windows 8 machine
because my Windows 7 machine does have a R1500 and R2500 already on it.
That did not solve the problem either. I even switched USB cables.
I am using the USB on the rear of the radio.
Just weird because the software Reads the data off the radio.
Thank you
JSTARS

 

[AOR-262]

@JSTARS03

Can you upload a video?

 

[kruser]

Thank you, I updated the drivers on my Windows 7 64 Bit machine, but
that did not resolve the issue. I switched over to a Windows 8 machine
because my Windows 7 machine does have a R1500 and R2500 already on it.
That did not solve the problem either. I even switched USB cables.
I am using the USB on the rear of the radio.
Just weird because the software Reads the data off the radio.
Thank you
JSTARS

I may have missed it but have you tried both data transfer speed settings available in the software's options?
Sorry if you did mention this.

Can you upload anything to your 8600 or is it just a problem when using a particular file or setting?

Good luck with this one, these type problems can be frustrating.

edit: Original post had info intended for another user and thread!

 

[AOR-262]

@JSTAR03

Thank you, I updated the drivers on my Windows 7 64 Bit machine, but
that did not resolve the issue. I switched over to a Windows 8 machine
because my Windows 7 machine does have a R1500 and R2500 already on it.
That did not solve the problem either. I even switched USB cables.
I am using the USB on the rear of the radio.
Just weird because the software Reads the data off the radio.
Thank you
JSTARS

As a way of a reminder, make sure you are using the latest USB Drivers from Icom website, link here:

Firmware Updates / Software Downloads | Support | Icom Inc

The latest and usable version of RT Systems WSC-R8600 Software is Version 5.00.11

The IC-R8600 settings (that I use) for CI-V are:

CI-V Baud Rate - Auto
CI-V Address - 96h
CI-V Transceive - ON
USB/LAN -> REMOTE Transceive Address - 00h
CI-V USB (Rear) Port - Unlink from [REMOTE]
CI-V USB (Read) Baud Rate - Auto
CI-V USB (Rear) Echo Back - OFF

Open the WSC-R8600 Programming Software

-- click on 'Communications'

in the drop drop menu, move the mouse over 'Adjust Sending Speed' and set to Fast.

Use the WSC-R8600 software to write in your own entries, modify or do whatever ...

No reason why that shouldn't now work.

 

[DeepBlue]

A very similar thing has been happening to my AOR AR-DV1 programming software from Butel. I have done exactly the same thing by documenting with screen shots the loss of fields when pulling information from the radio to the software. My issue has been nearly identical to this issue. I have only the software to point to as the issue as the radio is updated to the latest firmware and there are no proprietary cables necessary for my radio. I purchased the software about a year ago and noticed this when I too saw fields unpopulated or incorrectly populated after sending the reworked listing back to the radio. I did start with a clean slate by resetting the radio to factory then pulling in a totally unpopulated "sheet" and typing everything in by hand.

In my case I mostly noticed the wrong digital formats being written back to the radio after making minor program changes elsewhere. Those fields were never touched and yet they were being written back to the radio incorrectly. I informed Butel, they opened a ticket and after sending them documentation, never heard from them again. I have learned to triple check all my work every time I rework anything.

I find it very odd that RT Systems AND Butel are having identical issues with different radios.

Sean
KB8JNE

 

[JSTARS03]

Sending Speed Fast

All the CI-V settings were the same.
I changed the Sending Speed to Fast (which is the same speed)
and now it works!! So Thank You!

JSTARS

 

[AOR-262]

@JSTAR03

All the CI-V settings were the same.
I changed the Sending Speed to Fast (which is the same speed)
and now it works!! So Thank You!

JSTARS

That's great. The next time there's an update available for the WSC-R8600 software, I think I'll stick to the ole saying ... If it ain't bust, don't fix it. In other words, it's working just fine now for me so not going to apply any further updates in case I end up back to square one with the software unusable due to a bug in the update and having to wait weeks and weeks for an update-fix to be released.