F5061D issues

[W7EKB]

Our Search and Rescue unit here in Moscow, Idaho has been given several IC-F5061D transceivers. Some of these have been programmed incorrectly for our uses, AND when attempting to re-program them using the correct software and cable, the program asks for a password. The previous person who programmed the radios has left the organization some time ago, and we cannot contact him. Is there some way we can either reset the CPU, or is there an over-ride password we can use to get around this, or must we send the radios to Icom America to get them usable?

I have searched the forum for anything related to this question and, so far, have found nothing helpful.

Please advise.

Ken Gordon W7EKB

 

[W7EKB]

Never mind. I found the fellow who originally programmed the units and he remembered the password. So THAT issue is cleared up.

Now, I have another issue that has popped up: it appears that neither of the two 5061Ds I am working with will send SOME CTCSS tones: in this case, 127.3 Hz. Other tones are sent correctly. I also have a 5021 which does the same thing.

Anyone have a clue as to what might cause this?

Alignment of some sort?

Ken W7EKB

 

[brushfire21]

Never mind. I found the fellow who originally programmed the units and he remembered the password. So THAT issue is cleared up.

Now, I have another issue that has popped up: it appears that neither of the two 5061Ds I am working with will send SOME CTCSS tones: in this case, 127.3 Hz. Other tones are sent correctly. I also have a 5021 which does the same thing.

Anyone have a clue as to what might cause this?

Alignment of some sort?

Ken W7EKB

I was just programming up one of my 5061D and no issues as one channel I have is using 127.3 on a repeater channel. Confirming the channel is set to analog and not digital and you have the encode set for 127.3 as well?

 

[W7EKB]

I was just programming up one of my 5061D and no issues as one channel I have is using 127.3 on a repeater channel. Confirming the channel is set to analog and not digital and you have the encode set for 127.3 as well?

Thank you. I'll the analog vs digital issue and report back. I didn't think of fhat.

Ken W7EKB

 

[W7EKB]

At this writing, I have two F5061Ds and one 5021 which will not send the correct tones. I am thinking that there may be an issue with programming, but so far, I can't find anything related to that. Why would they not send 127.3 Hz when several other tones work fine?

Well, I'll work on that and try to figure it out. If anyone here has a clue or experience with this, please let me know.

Thanks,

Ken W7EKB

 

[fontanei]

At this writing, I have two F5061Ds and one 5021 which will not send the correct tones. I am thinking that there may be an issue with programming, but so far, I can't find anything related to that. Why would they not send 127.3 Hz when several other tones work fine?

Well, I'll work on that and try to figure it out. If anyone here has a clue or experience with this, please let me know.

Thanks,

Ken W7EKB

Can you post a screenshot? That's interesting.

 

[W7EKB]

Can you post a screenshot? That's interesting.

Well, after spending some time talking with Tech Support at Icom America, we have arrived at a solution: it turns out that if/when the subject rigs have had their firmware updated to the latest version, the rigs can no longer output wideband signals, but all output is limited to no more than 12.5 kHz bandwidth.

Furthermore, it is almost impossible to "step back" to an earlier version of the firmware which would open up the widerband width. Furthermore, there is a function in the programming which will "Force Narrow" whether you have programmed wide for a channel anyway.

All amateur radio repeaters are wideband, 25 kHz at this point, and MOST such repeaters will not recognize tones sent in narrowband. SOME, very few, will recognize those tones. Here in the Moscow, Idaho region, only two out of many others will do that.

The rigs ARE transmitting tones: the problem is that the repeaters won't "hear" them.

What this means for us here is that the only Icom LMRs of which we are aware which we have that will work on the ham band repeaters are the F521. The later models won't, although they work fine for the narrow bandwidth repeaters and radios, like those that our Search and Rescue groups use.

Ken W7EKB

 

[mmckenna]

That's standard now for most modern commercial/LMR radios. Kenwood, Motorola, Harris, all do that, and it's part of the FCC rules.

What some companies have done is release wideband options that will reactivate the capability. Not sure if Icom is offering it, but it might be worth asking.

Harris/Kenwood require copies of licenses to prove that the user has a legit need to get the feature.

Some radio manufacturers allow wideband below 150MHz, where it's still legal.
70cm is narrow, since amateur radio is secondary allotment on those frequencies.

 

[W7EKB]

Well, apparently, Icom does not offer that. At least the Tech Support fellow who I was chatting with certainly never mentioned it. Furthermore, he told me that it was nearly impossible to "revert" any of the radios involved back to the wideband mode.

Thanks for the info.

Since I am not really heavily into LMR stuff, I did not know any of this. I only took on the job of helping our local SAR folks as a favor to a good friend.

Ken W7EKB

 

[a417]

as a favor to a good friend.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
famous last words.

that'll learn ya'.

 

[N1PBC_ME]

Out of curiosity: is there documentation about which firmware versions force narrowband online anywhere? Seems like useful documentation that I haven’t found before.

 

[MTS2000des]

Stay below V4.9

 

[mmckenna]

Out of curiosity: is there documentation about which firmware versions force narrowband online anywhere? Seems like useful documentation that I haven’t found before.

I don't know about Icom. But generally firmware that's pre ~late 2012~ should allow it. The narrow banding mandate didn't become rule until January 01, 2013. On the Kenwood side, most of the forced narrow band firmware came out in November/December 2012.

 

[EWC_BDN]

Does the set the Computer's clock back to before 2012 work on Icom? (That's how you do it on Vertex)

 

[MTS2000des]

No. The limitation is in the firmware not the cloning software,

 

[Roddy55]

New member from Canada here
Hope I can shed some light on Forced Narrow issue.
Have 4 5061D's purchased new in Canada Also purchased in US were 2 3161's and 1 3261.
The Canadian 5061D's are wideband enabled from new.
Currently Canada has both wide and narrow licensing.
The 3161's and the 3261 were locked in Narrow Band as they were US sourced. All have 5.4 fiirmware.
Only Icom Canada can remove the Narrow flag from firmware.
Dealers cant remove Forced Narrow flag.
You must supply copy of radio licence(s).
Techs lookup licence online to verify.
Icom charges 30 minutes labour per radio to remove Narrow flag, enabling 25kz.