ICOM IC-R8500

[NML-21]

I am hoping somebody can help me out.....

I purchased 5 Icom IC-R8500 at an auction for $100.
They were sold as-is and in very bad shape.
However, they came loaded with the CW filter, CR-293 option, and voice synthesizer.
When I tested them, none of them worked, but after some troubleshooting and a service
manual, I was able to get 3 to work. They are powered using a 10amp PS and I found the molex
connectors for them at RAD SHACK.

Programming these things are a bear.....

Is there any software out there that will assist in remote operation and programming
other than Ham Radio Deluxe and is there anywhere that I can order a control cable
from a domestic source.
I cannot use Ham Radio Deluxe because I already have it running to control my TS-480 and
it will not allow me to run 2 instances of it.

 

[ka3jjz]

Take a look at these - all of these links come from our wiki

Home

RadioControl - Modular Control Software for Radio Receivers and Transceivers

Bonito RadioCom 6 -- Premium Multimode En- & Decoder Software for: Weatherfax, SatFax, RTTY, SSTV, PSK31, Sitor, SDR Integration, Perseus, Excalibur, DRM, radio control, plus SubDecoder as well as TX Encoder

Commander

CTR Home

TRX-Manager

HTH...Mike

 

[parnass]

..
Is there any software out there that will assist in remote operation and programming
other than Ham Radio Deluxe and is there anywhere that I can order a control cable
from a domestic source.
I cannot use Ham Radio Deluxe because I already have it running to control my TS-480 and
it will not allow me to run 2 instances of it.

You can use tk8500, the free, open source software I designed to configure and operate the ICOM IC-R8500. I use it on Linux, but most most people run it on Windows. You should be able to use it with a Mac, too.

You can scan multiple memory banks sequentially using tk8500, a feature not found in most other software.

See tk8500

 

[NE1C4NSC4N]

You can use tk8500, the free, open source software I designed to configure and operate the ICOM IC-R8500. I use it on Linux, but most most people run it on Windows. You should be able to use it with a Mac, too.

Hello Parnass,

Thanks for the link, and providing another option for the 8500. Does the software work with Windows 7?? I've followed the instructions for installation, when I try to load the program from the batch file, I get a command prompt looking window, and then it goes away and then nothing..

I tried to run it in compatibility mode for XP, and as an administrator, but still it wont load. Any ideas?

 

[parnass]

This should probably moved to a PM or the software forum.

I'm not sure which version of Tcl/Tk you installed. If it is 8.6.something, then you should try changing the last line of the tk8500.bat file into

"C:\tcl\bin\wish86.exe" "C:\tk8500\tk8500.tcl"

(86 instead of 83).

 

[NE1C4NSC4N]

This should probably moved to a PM or the software forum.

I'm not sure which version of Tcl/Tk you installed. If it is 8.6.something, then you should try changing the last line of the tk8500.bat file into

"C:\tcl\bin\wish86.exe" "C:\tk8500\tk8500.tcl"

(86 instead of 83).

Thanks, that got it working!

 

[woody_46]

Thanks for a great program Bob! I have mine working nicely with Windows 7 64bit. I just needed to edit the file as explained above.

 

[parnass]

Glad that you find the tk8500 software useful. It was fun to develop.

 

[NE1C4NSC4N]

Thanks for a great program Bob!

I'd like to second that

I've owned my 8500 for closer to two years now, and was never able to get other software to work with it. I only had about 30 frequencies programed into it before I found TK8500, now its got just about everything I listen to, so thanks!

 

[KE4RWS]

tk8500

I bought an R8500 last year that came with Icom's RS8500 software which I liked but I also tried out tk8500 and liked it every bit as much.

I've seen a lot of Icom R8500's that look like they were dragged behind a car and stored in a lake. It's never made any sense to me how or why anybody would treat such a wonderful receiver so poorly but then again if you aren't the one PAYING for these things some people just don't don't care how they treat them