[chirp_users] Mac user - inconsistent ability to contact radio

[Drew from Zhrodague]

	While this is true, I do have the correct driver installed for OSX, and 
still have two cables that work the same (TX on plug-in), and one cable 
that does not have this behavior. Again, luckily, I haven't had to 
re-program my baofengs in a while. This is more of an annoyance than an 
actual problem for me. All three cables look exactly the same, except 
the 'working' cable has a sticker on it.

	Same deal with these two cables when using Linux - I suspect that these 
cables are just poorly made, improperly wired, or even cast-offs from 
the factory that still somehow made it onto Amazon (or EBay).

	(I am a very happy CHIRP user, and hope to help work out TS-480 and 
IC-7100 issues)


On 10/29/15 12:32 PM, Jim Unroe wrote:
> More often than not, if the radio transmits when the programming cable
> is plugged in, the programming has a conterfeit Prolific type
> USB-to-TTL chip and an incompatible driver is installed. Many think
> they can avoid this by purchasing the "genuine" Baofeng labeled
> programming cable. Not so. It is made with same counterfeit chip as
> the generic cables are. From what I have seen in the last 3.5 years,
> this is the #1 cause of problems for Baofeng radios users. One of the
> most common indicators of an incompatible driver is that the radio
> will transmit when the programming cable is plugged in.
>
> This issue can usually be corrected by one or more of the following...
>
> - Windows users can download, install and select the older v3.2.0.0
> Prolific driver.
> - Mac OS X users can install a generic driver or purchase a 3rd party driver
> - Use Linux or the CHIRP Live CD
> - Replace the programming cable with one having the FTDI chip
> - Modify the programming cable so it has a CP2102 chip or FTDI chip
>
> If you can't solve the transmitting problem with one of the above
> solutions, Baofeng users (and most likely others) can at least program
> a channel that has TX disabled and then select it when the radio is
> being programmed.
>
> The #2 most common problem that I have seen is not getting the
> programming cable fully plugged into the radio's socket. Interference
> between the plugs plastic shell and the case if the most common cause.
> Trimming the plug's shell can reduce this interference. There are
> other causes of this as well. Variations in length of the pins on the
> cheaper cables. Variations of the location of the socket inside the
> case of the cheaper radios. And sometimes it is the user just failed
> to push the plug in all the way.
>
> Jim KC9HI
>
> On Thu, Oct 29, 2015 at 9:57 AM, Drew from Zhrodague
> <drewzhrodague at zhrodague.net> wrote:
>>          I have three sub-generic USB programming cables for my Baofeng. Two of
>> three operate in this way, where I have to try to program the (turned
>> off) radio first, and then turn on the radio. I believe this is due to
>> the ultra-crappiness of the cables.
>>
>>          The one cable that doesn't do this, I can program normally, and it
>> operates like it should (does not open TX when plugging in the cable).
>>
>>          Luckily, we don't need to program our radios constantly. This is just a
>> minor annoyance.
>>
>>          (chirp + osx + baofeng)
>>
>>
>>
>> On 10/29/15 8:25 AM, Paul Slootweg wrote:
>>> OK, after some more playing around, I think in my case the problem is
>>> indeed mechanical.
>>>
>>> I have 2 cables. The one that came with the radio and a Baofeng
>>> branded one I bought when I couldn't get the first one to work with
>>> the Mac.
>>>
>>> I now think the original issue was not having the right Prolific chip
>>> drivers, but as I then changed the cable as well, *that* became the
>>> problem.
>>>
>>> Going back to my original cable, and it works every time. (Except
>>> after first plugging in - seems that until Chirp has tried to
>>> communicate the ports are in the wrong configuration, and it opens up
>>> the mic.)
>>>
>>> So my - so far - way of working is:
>>>
>>> Plug cable into USB
>>> Launch Chirp
>>> Try to download - this will fail
>>> Plug cable into radio (while it is off) and then turn radio on
>>> Now download (or upload, I guess - not tried yet) seems to work fine.
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Drew from Zhrodague
>> post-apocalyptic ad-hoc industrialist
>> drew at zhrodague.net
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-- 

Drew from Zhrodague
post-apocalyptic ad-hoc industrialist
drew at zhrodague.net