Icom: Icom ID51 - Should I have taken this task on ??

[G8CVF]

Hi thanks for the interest.

A good friend of mine of MANY years bought an Icom ID51 and asked me 'as a favour', Pete can you get this working "PLEASE" of course says' I, - WRONG !!

I am USUALLY aufait with programming Icom rigs having in the past owned a ID31, a IC2820 and a ID5100 all programmed without a problem but my friends ID51 has me 'beaten'.

#1. Insert a SD Card to download the 51 data onto the card, it can't even format to start the ball rolling. It comes up with a window saying "Function is active - QSO Log - RX History Log" in the window then a second later reverts back to FORMAT.

#2. Thought OK lets buy an FTDI cable and forget about the SD Card problem and do the programming in software, but the cable will not 'see' the TX it just puts the ID51 into transmit mode have tried a real assortment of drivers as well (Win10).

#3. And this one is the last straw. When looking at what is available in the 51 at the moment to play with it looks normal BUT! when going in the Menu to SELECT the REFLECTORS listing is missing.

#4. Thought OK lets put all info on an SD Card and import it, Simples - Wrong! switch to download the data from the SD Card and it doesn't find my lovely files Ugh!

#5. Help! I've run out of ideas and headache tablets.

Thanks for ANY ideas 73 Peter G8CVF

 

[KE5MC]

It's a dual band version of the ID31 very likely no difference in programing, I have a ID51+2. At the time I had a few other HTs and was using RT Systems so I bought their programing cable and software. Icom list a OPC-2218LU as the cable to use and software on their site to download. I'm not sure generic cables or drivers will get the job done.

I select MENU and next to last in the list is SD CARD with 6 options. FORMAT is next to last in the list above UNMOUNT. Its been awhile since I first setup my 51 and don't recall if first use of SD card requires MOUNTING or not. Your step #1 may be indicating you need to format, but not sure you have tried based on supplied information. I'll include a screen shot of an SD card from my 51 for reference.

It looks like the saved memory files are in SETTINGS and the file name is a data stamp with ICF file extension. I opened one of the 302KB files after changing the extension to TXT. Looks like the file is ASCII HEX format. There is a IMPORT/EXPORT option under SD CARD. I've not used that so no help here. So how were you setting up the SD card for step #4? Did you export the radio info to the card to get an idea of what it has to look like for import?

I know the Repeater list can be changed/edited and is a file on the card. Its under CVS-->RptList-->Rpt<datestamp>.csv. I don't recall how an updated list gets into the radio memory. Maybe the data got 'wacked' before you got to 'make it work'.

Sorry as I don't think I was that helpful, but maybe something in my post will help redirect your efforts. I know that if things don't go as expected on the front end the difficulties snowball like an avalanche and don't get better only worst. I'm dealing with something like that with this Win10 PC. Turned on updates for the upcoming Win10 update and things went south, badly. Reset the PC which reloads the OS and blows away and programs not part of Win10. Saving grace is the removed application are saved by name to a file on my desktop making it easier to figure out what's missing.

P.S. Import/Export is only good for Your Call Sign, Repeater List and GPS Memory. As double check I formatted and saved today and got the directory tree attached. Under Settings, now only one ICF file with todays date, before I had several as I made changes to radio configuration. I have not reinstalled the Icom or RTS programing software so no help in that direction. Looks like you will have to have one of the two programs to get an ICF file. I wonder if CHIRP supports the 51.

 

[jwt873]

#1. Insert a SD Card to download the 51 data onto the card, it can't even format to start the ball rolling. It comes up with a window saying "Function is active - QSO Log - RX History Log" in the window then a second later reverts back to FORMAT.

A long shot.... But is the QSO logging and/or the RX History function turned on? It may be that formatting is disabled when these functions are active.

To turn off QSO and RX history logging:

Push the Menu button on the top left of the pad
In the menu that pops up, scroll down to where it says QSO/RX log and press the blue button (in the center).
You'll see three options. (QSO Log, RX history log and CSV format).
Select QSO Log and press the blue button. The state will be shown. It should be off. If not, choose off.
Now select the RX history log. It should be off, if not choose off.

If these options were off, then you can disregard my reply

 

[KE5MC]

JWT873,
Good point and checked mine are off. I’m thinking if ON for Peter and card does not have the directory tree it is telling him to format to establish the correct tree structure for ON to work. I’m waiting back to see if he went to SD Card and selected FORMAT and it didn’t work or he has not done that yet.
Mike

 

[G8CVF]

A long shot.... But is the QSO logging and/or the RX History function turned on? It may be that formatting is disabled when these functions are active.

You have gone straight to the top of my Christmas card list PERFECT all is now fine, can't thank you enough as it's been one headache I can tell you.

My compliments and MANY thanks again Peter G8CVF

The post is now closed