So, I picked up a 1st generation PD362 from the world's flea market, and I've been messing about with it. Solid little radio, excellent performance which I was a bit puzzled by given the very small molded-in antenna. Anyway, I wanted to share my experience building a programming cable since I didn't want to wait and order the required PC69 cable, as well as successfully updating firmware and programming it on a Mac (by way of Virtualbox and a Windows 8 VM).
1. The Cable. The radio came to me with a plain old micro USB cable, which worked to charge it but obviously didn't to program it. A quick search turned up dire warnings about using the wrong cable, and rumors of some "ID chip" in the cable which verified it as genuine. Both patently false, as the cable is a very simple USB to serial arrangement and can be made in minutes. Following is the pin-out for the micro USB connector, discovered at This Link
This link recommended a Prolific USB to RS232 module, which I have never had good luck with. I had an FTDI one laying around from another programming cable adventure (Tait TM8105, but that's another post sometime). This one had a switch to toggle between 3.3v and 5v, which I set to 5v. Connected the wires as diagrammed, and moved on to software.
2. The Computer. Couldn't be more straightforward... Early 2011 Macbook Pro, MacOS High Sierra, running current Virtualbox with essentially default settings and a fresh vanilla Windows 8.1 VM. Installed FTDI drivers, CPS 2.05.05.002NA2, and UpgradeKit 1.06.02.001, and away we went. Read the radio, firmware upgraded without a hitch, proceeded to build a basic codeplug and upload it as well. Read it on my Windows radio-programming machine just to make sure it took, again with no issues at all.
I'm still trying to get my head around the whole amateur DMR/hotspot thing, which seems to randomly clip RX audio with this handset, but on the commercial side (I use this radio for some Part90 frequencies at work) it works flawlessly in a mostly-Batwings DMR/Analog mixed environment.
1. The Cable. The radio came to me with a plain old micro USB cable, which worked to charge it but obviously didn't to program it. A quick search turned up dire warnings about using the wrong cable, and rumors of some "ID chip" in the cable which verified it as genuine. Both patently false, as the cable is a very simple USB to serial arrangement and can be made in minutes. Following is the pin-out for the micro USB connector, discovered at This Link
Code:
Red Wire --- +5V
Black Wire --- GND (Ground)
Green D+ --- RXD (Receive Data)
White D- --- TXD (Transmit Data)2. The Computer. Couldn't be more straightforward... Early 2011 Macbook Pro, MacOS High Sierra, running current Virtualbox with essentially default settings and a fresh vanilla Windows 8.1 VM. Installed FTDI drivers, CPS 2.05.05.002NA2, and UpgradeKit 1.06.02.001, and away we went. Read the radio, firmware upgraded without a hitch, proceeded to build a basic codeplug and upload it as well. Read it on my Windows radio-programming machine just to make sure it took, again with no issues at all.
I'm still trying to get my head around the whole amateur DMR/hotspot thing, which seems to randomly clip RX audio with this handset, but on the commercial side (I use this radio for some Part90 frequencies at work) it works flawlessly in a mostly-Batwings DMR/Analog mixed environment.
