[chirp_users] "Most unusual" "Radio did not ack programming mode"

[Richard Haney]

In uploading and downloading radio images I got a few of the following
error messages:

An error has occurred

Radio did not ack programming mode


I supposedly solved those problems and now it seems the the problem may be
permanent.  Or is it?  I found the comments about such error messages,
including that the error is a "very common problem".

Well, I then took heed and special care to apply pressure to the plug when
I undertook these operations.  I then achieved both an upload to the
computer and a subsequent download to the radio with a new programming of
memory channels.  But a few times I also occasionally forgot to turn off
the radio before unplugging (and possibly plugging in) the plug for the
radio.  So I suspect that some very delicate parts may have been damaged.
 I hope not.  But if so, I hope it's damage to some electronics in the
cable assembly and not in the radio itself.  (The cable is cheaper to
replace and may even be easier to repair.)

But I am also dismayed that the system seems to be so temperamental.  I
would think that basic engineering design principles would be employed to
guard against very common errors.

Anyway, I was able both to upload the radio's image to the computer and to
download a revised channel-memory to the radio, a Baofeng UV-B5.

Then I noticed that I could not change the SHIFT direction in channel mode.
 (I got the impression from something I read in a miklor.com web page that
I should be able to modify the SHIFT direction in channel mode.)  I
suspected that the failure of the radio to perform such a SHIFT update was
a sign of corrupted memory in the radio.  So I downloaded the
factory-settings image "UV-B5(factory).img" to the radio as recommended to
resolve memory corruption problems.

I think I also either unplugged or plugged in the cable to the radio while
the radio was still on.  Anyway, ever since then I have not been able to
either upload an image from the radio or download an image to the radio.
 But I did use the CHIRP display of channel assignments to manually program
the radio's channels, and the radio does not seem to have any problems that
I've noticed other than the inability to upload and download radio images.

As for the supposed corruption of the radio's memory, I see in menu item 21
that the manual says the radio should be in "VFO mode" (i.e., "frequency"
mode) in order to change the SHIFT direction.  So it appears that the only
way to manually change a channel's SHIFT direction is to reprogram the
channel from scratch (essentially in frequency mode) and then load the
combined collection of preset parameters into a channel.

Anyway, please, please, somebody, tell me all is not lost and that there is
an easy fix for this problem.

Incidentally, I would like to know what is the exact nature of the more
usual problem that causes the "Radio did not ack programming mode" error.
 Is it a failure of physical contact of conductors in the connection?  Or
is there some some sort of electronic memory effect, such as wayward
capacitance associated with the connection.  Or is there erratic resistance
of some sort in that circuit.  An answer to that question may perhaps help
with resolving what seems to have become the more persistent version of
that problem that I have now run into.  I did inspect the connection area
and noticed a very slight raised bit of radio-case material where the
recommended cutaway of the plug would avoid a protruding "rub" with the
radio body near the connector, but the effect seemed to be extremely minor.
 So I suspect there is some other problem related to the connector perhaps
via "unusual" erratic effect on sensitive semiconductors connected to the
sockets.

As for my (I now think erroneous) impression that it is possible (by intent
of design at least) to modify the SHIFT direction in channel mode, see this
page <http://www.miklor.com/UVB5/UVB5-ProgMem.php> and note that "Enter
'SHIFT' " immediately follows "- Press [VM/SCAN] to enter channel mode."

By the way the computer I'm using is a Dell XPS L502X running Windows 7
Home Premium, SP1.
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