Purchased a used IC-R5- cannot write memories. Anything I should try?

[modrachlan]

I bought an IC-R5 used (I own an IC-R6 and have had a few IC-R2s, so this series is not totally unknown to me). I have tried setting new memories in the banks both manually and via ARC5 and a cable. No dice. In ARC5 I managed to get data from the radio. But I cannot send new memories. I can wipe out whole banks, clone it to the radio, and the old memories are still there.

Does anyone have any advice? Should I factory reset it and how would one do this? Is there a diagnostic to confirm the memory functionality? Or is there a way to lock/unlock memory writes?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. A radio like this with so few buttons is basically worthless without being able to program memories unless you only listen to one or two things.

 

[DudleyG]

According to the manual, to do a complete (factory) reset, you do the following.

Turn off the device, then

➥ While pushing [FUNC] and [V/M•S.MW•~], turn the power ON to reset the CPU.

 

[modrachlan]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll see if that helps.

 

[modrachlan]

It didn't help.

Now I only have the default settings. No cloning in.

I'm using the Prolific USB to serial with the PL2303 chipset. Has anyone had success with it?

 

[kruser]

I'd guess you checked but in case not, have you verified your cable still both reads and writes to the R6 and your other older models?

That test should confirm an issue with the radio or if something happened with your cable or your USB to Serial adapter since you'd last used it with your other models.

Good luck and I hope it ends up being something simple!

 

[modrachlan]

Thanks- I did try. It seems to be this radio. Little bugger can't save memories, sadly. Guess something's broken in there.

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[WB9YBM]

I bought an IC-R5 used (I own an IC-R6 and have had a few IC-R2s, so this series is not totally unknown to me). I have tried setting new memories in the banks both manually and via ARC5 and a cable. No dice. In ARC5 I managed to get data from the radio. But I cannot send new memories. I can wipe out whole banks, clone it to the radio, and the old memories are still there.

Does anyone have any advice? Should I factory reset it and how would one do this? Is there a diagnostic to confirm the memory functionality? Or is there a way to lock/unlock memory writes?

The only two possibilities I can think of are:
1.) if there's an on-board battery (usually a "button cell"), maybe it's dead/low and that's making the radio act squirrelly, or:
2.) a nearby static discharge was strong enough to cause a glitch in the programming without being strong enough for a total failure.

 

[zenomorf]

there is no button cell.

 

[kruser]

The only two possibilities I can think of are:
1.) if there's an on-board battery (usually a "button cell"), maybe it's dead/low and that's making the radio act squirrelly, or:
2.) a nearby static discharge was strong enough to cause a glitch in the programming without being strong enough for a total failure.

Some didn't use button cell batteries. They used older forms of what are called super capacitors today.
I have an old AOR AR-2002 that uses a capacitor memory backup. It does not last super long after power is removed but some I've seen in other designs can last for weeks or even months.

I've also seem some really old static ram chips start to fail with age similar in how today's flash drive ram fails.
Not a lot can be done about that other than hope for a suitable chip that can be swapped in place.

Do you have a service manual? Perhaps you can ID the memory chip and hope some of the memory contents are not stored on the processor.. If not, you may be able to see if there is some type of capacitor supplying voltage for backup or worse case, see if a replacement chip can be found.

It may be more work than it's worth but many people are up to a good challenge at the same time so that may be a last resort! I used to love that challenges but I'm not so sure my eyes are up to it these days!!

 

[WB9YBM]

Some didn't use button cell batteries. They used older forms of what are called super capacitors today.

Do you have a service manual?

I'm not sure at what time period the switch was made between "super caps" and "button cells" or even if the switch is done universally (haven't heard the term "button cell" used in decades because in more recent years those cells have gotten so flat they don't look like buttons anymore).

Unfortunately I don't have a service manual.