New R8600 owner

[iMONITOR]

I use original ICOM programming software. It worked right out of the box, no issues, installed and running within minutes. Highly recommended.

Does either ICOM or RT's software interface/download with RR?

 

[iMONITOR]

I stopped using it after it blew away the settings on the radio - I didn't feel it was worth the risk. I think its one main feature is that it is good for bulk edits. Other than that I find it inexplicably slow and unstable.

The Icom software seems expensive for what it does, but it does it fast, and without surprises.

You wonder why RT Systems keeps selling defective software if it doesn't work right? They should either fix it or refund everyone's money. No software is perfect but it seems everyone is experiencing instability and loss of settings and data. There's no excuse for that, it's obviously an unfinished product.

I feel bad @AOR-262 as I was the one that steered you toward RTS back when you first bought your R8600 and you were looking for an alternative to ICOM's software. I only knew that they sold it but I didn't ever use it as I didn't have the radio back then. I apologize.

 

[kruser]

I'd recommend Icom's software. RT's is cheap enough that it can usually be added as a companion but I always make a backup read from the 8600 using Icom's software first and then try and make changes with RT's software.
I've had RT's really mess up my memory channel structure more than once that I really can't trust it. I find if I make small changes with RT's software, it 'usually' seems to work but anything on a larger scale, it caused memory channel loss big time!

As far as importing from RR, yes, RT's does off that but again, it's really hit or miss if the results will work or screw up your existing channel structure.
I still bought both mainly because RT's is so cheap but I guess the old saying's that "you don't get something for nothing" or "if it sounds to true to be a good deal, it probably is" both really do apply here!

 

[NYG]

I too originally bought RT's software when I first got my R8600. Never used it though after reading about all the issues. A month or so back I came across a used copy of the Icom programming software for $39. Works great. I still think Icom should bundle it with the receiver.

 

[palmerjrusa]

The problem I'm currently having with RT's software is that whenever I try to update any one of their programs it tells me to close them all first which I know I've done. Currently I can't perform any updates at all.

I also had problems with the RT software for my IC-R8600 which I bought soon after my IC-R8600 arrived. Most of the memory banks of the IC-R8600 were not accessible using the software. I wish I'd purchased the Icom software instead despite it being much more expensive.

 

[kruser]

The problem I'm currently having with RT's software is that whenever I try to update any one of their programs it tells me to close them all first which I know I've done. Currently I can't perform any updates at all.

I also had problems with the RT software for my IC-R8600 which I bought soon after my IC-R8600 arrived. Most of the memory banks of the IC-R8600 were not accessible using the software. I wish I'd purchased the Icom software instead despite it being much more expensive.

Do as it says, Close the main program only But leave just the Upgrade message box open, the one with the message about closing everything.
Once you close the main program, click OK on the updater message to close that message box and then click the Update button again in the updater program window and the updates will be downloaded and installed.
You can also run the updater program from the programs install folder without starting the main program at all. This will update all without the warning box. The standalone updater is called RTUpdater_V5.exe
Unless you changed the install location when you installed RT's software, the updater is normally located at C:\RT Systems V5\Icom\<your radio model> and not under any of the normal folders like the Program Files folders.
If you still get a warning about closing the program first, you have something running in the background. You should be able to use Task Manager to see and close whatever's still running.

 

[palmerjrusa]

Do as it says, Close the main program only But leave just the Upgrade message box open, the one with the message about closing everything.
Once you close the main program, click OK on the updater message to close that message box and then click the Update button again in the updater program window and the updates will be downloaded and installed.
You can also run the updater program from the programs install folder without starting the main program at all. This will update all without the warning box. The standalone updater is called RTUpdater_V5.exe
Unless you changed the install location when you installed RT's software, the updater is normally located at C:\RT Systems V5\Icom\<your radio model> and not under any of the normal folders like the Program Files folders.
If you still get a warning about closing the program first, you have something running in the background. You should be able to use Task Manager to see and close whatever's still running.

Hey thanks, your suggestion worked...all updated now!

 

[WiSi-Testpilot]

Hello,
happy new year.
My name is Wilhelm from Germany and I’m a new R8600 user. One of my first applications is the recording of meteor echoes. The RADAR station GRAVES (Grand Réseau Adapté à la Veille Spatiale) is located in France. The frequency is 143.05 MHz. So far I have tested HDSDR, SDR-Console and now Spectrum Lab as software. The image was created this morning. For image processing I’m using IrfanView and ImageJ. The antenna is a dicone, which is mounted under the roof.

 

[WiSi-Testpilot]

Thank you!
Yesterday, on January 3, I logged the annual Quadrantids meteor shower, see example plot.
Best regards,
Wilhelm

 

[WiSi-Testpilot]

Thank you very much!
I have attached a gif created with SDR-Console from December 11th.
Best regards,
Wilhelm

 

[WiSi-Testpilot]

Sorry, the GIF in the previous thread doesn't work and I can't edit the post either.
So I'm showing a spectrogram of a 25 s long echo from this morning.

 

[jazzboypro]

Just bought one from DX Engineering