Icom F3161/4161 firmware update

[g8tzl2004]

If you want to update the firmware, do you require a separate firmware updater program or is there a "hidden" menu in the standard programming software?

There does not appear to be much discussion on the internet about updating Icom firmware but maybe I'm not looking in the right place?

 

[TRNcommLLC]

If you want to update the firmware, do you require a separate firmware updater program or is there a "hidden" menu in the standard programming software?

There does not appear to be much discussion on the internet about updating Icom firmware but maybe I'm not looking in the right place?

Yeah it's software.
v4.9.2 I think is the newest.

 

[stevelton]

No, firmware is separate from the Programming software.
Using your CS_F3160_F5060 programming software, you should be able to read the firmware of the Main board, and if any modules are installed as well with the "Clone Info" button.
If you are in need of updating the firmware, contact your dealer, and they should be able to email you the firmware loader. Open the firmware loader, select your COM port, connect the radio to your programming cable, turn on the radio, and click OK. X to close when it says its finished.

The latest firmware for the F3161 series is v5.2, and the latest software is v5.0

Steven

 

[g8tzl2004]

Thanks Steven.

My F4161 is running v2.9 firmware.

I think there is a bug in this version of firmware as the scan does not resume after a carrier has dropped. I need to restart the scan manually. I have tried all the obvious adjustments as well as loading a default freq file and using an early (v2.6) version of software just in case there is some kind of software/firmware mismatch..but nothing has worked. So I think it must be a firmware bug!....although I will probably eventually find out its something simple...but I really have spent hours trying all alternatives - so updating the firmware is probably the only thing left to try.

Do you know if the firmware loader is floating around the internet? Do you have the exact name of the firmware updater file so I can search on that.

Thanks

 

[stevelton]

I know Icom is pretty tight with the software, but you might be able to call them directly in Washington, and ask for the firmware. Worth a shot. But I will leave you with this question: Would you really want to load a "firmware" that's "floating around" on the internet onto your radio? Mess up the radio with software, no big deal, but you screw up the firmware, and you just bricked your radio.
Call any dealer, I doubt they will charge you much for the firmware. I can point you in the direction of the guy I work with. You can also search Icom America's website for a local dealer.

One other thing....Are you going to be using the radio on any Amateur Radio repeaters?
Seems like I remember that the later versions of the firmware force the radio into Narrowband mode.
This isnt a problem for my or the guys in my ham club, because we switched everything to NXDN or NB on our ham stuff anyways, but for hams in other parts of the country, this could cause some audio issues for you or anyone you might talk to.

 

[g8tzl2004]

Thanks Steven.

I have a big "collection" of ex commercial radios and find Icom very helpful in providing stuff to radio hams. But I generally try and locate stuff elsewhere before I trouble Icom. I only like to contact them for the really difficult to find stuff!!

OK on the later version of firmware forcing the radio into narrowband mode. I read somewhere that radio hams should use v4.9 rather than v5.2 so I guess this is because of the forced narrowband mode in the later version of firmware.

Thanks

 

[stevelton]

I think youre right. I remember reading that too. But ive never tested that, again, since we all switch to Narrowband, and any repeater around here that is still wide-band, I just use narrowband on there and make them struggle to hear me. But I havent had any complaints yet.

 

[retiredinsemo]

I bought a F3161 w/ software in the summer of 2013. It came loaded with 5.0 firmware and the software was V 4.9. I found that the latest firmware/software combination that would allow me to manually select wide/narrow was 4.1 firmware with 4.0 software. Any later firmware release like 4.4 and 4.7 would force the radio into back into narrow only. You can actually have the radio unlocked with the current firmware intact but it's a dealer/service function.