[chirp_users] No response from radio, TM-V71 and DR-235, Debian

[CN85rq]

These are my first attempts at using CHIRP and I'm not having much luck. 
  I've tried connecting to two different radios from two different 
computers with a total of three different CHIRP versions and three 
different cables.  I could easily be missing some tribal knowledge known 
to experienced users, so hopefully someone can point me in the right 
direction for a solution.


CONFIGURATION #1
Computer:   Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P motherboard, MCS9865 serial card, 
running Debian 7 (Wheezy)
Radio:  Kenwood TM-V71, connected with Kenwood PG-5G PC Serial 
Programming Cable
CHIRP Version:  0.1.12 (from the Debian repository)
Symptom:  “Download From Radio” results in a “No response from radio” 
message
Additional Info:  The timestamp on /dev/ttyS0 updates when the radio is 
turned on.


CONFIGURATION #2
Computer:  Raspberry Pi 1 Model B, running Raspian (Jesse) with Compass 
mods by NW Digital Radio
Radio:  Kenwood TM-V71, connected (first) with a generic USB-Serial 
cable (unknown chipset) and (second) with a Sabrent CB-FTDI USB-Serial 
cable (FTDI chipset)
CHIRP Versions:  (first) 0.4.0 and (second) chirp-daily-20160717
Symptom:  “Download From Radio” results in a “No response from radio” 
message
Additional Info:  Tested with and without the “console=serial0,115200” 
setting in the /boot/cmdline.txt file
Additional Info:  Serial speed on radio tested at both 9600 and 19200


CONFIGURATION #3
Computer:  Raspberry Pi 1 Model B, running Raspian (Jesse) with Compass 
mods by NW Digital Radio
Radio:  Alinco DR-235 MkIII, connected (first) with a generic USB-Serial 
cable (unknown chipset) and (second) with a Sabrent CB-FTDI USB-Serial 
cable (FTDI chipset)
CHIRP Versions:  (first) 0.4.0 and (second) chirp-daily-20160717
Symptom:  “Download From Radio” results in a “No response from radio” 
message
Additional Info:  Tested without the “console=serial0,115200” setting in 
the /boot/cmdline.txt file


CONSOLE WINDOW OUTPUT captured for Configuration #2
root at compass:/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717# ./chirpw

(process:911): Gtk-WARNING **: Locale not supported by C library.
	Using the fallback 'C' locale.
./chirpw:135: GtkWarning: gtk_window_realize_icon: assertion 
'info->icon_pixmap == NULL' failed
    a.show()
ERROR: Timeout waiting for data
ERROR: Giving up
ERROR: Timeout waiting for data
ERROR: Giving up
ERROR: Timeout waiting for data
ERROR: Giving up
ERROR: Timeout waiting for data
ERROR: Giving up
ERROR: Timeout waiting for data
ERROR: Giving up
ERROR: Timeout waiting for data
ERROR: Giving up
ERROR: Timeout waiting for data
ERROR: Giving up
ERROR: Timeout waiting for data
ERROR: Giving up
Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717/chirp/ui/mainapp.py", line 
1430, in mh
      self.do_download(*args)
    File "/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717/chirp/ui/mainapp.py", line 
691, in do_download
      radio = settings.radio_class(ser)
    File 
"/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717/chirp/drivers/kenwood_live.py", 
line 159, in __init__
      radio_id = get_id(self.pipe)
    File 
"/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717/chirp/drivers/kenwood_live.py", 
line 121, in get_id
      raise errors.RadioError("No response from radio")
chirp.errors.RadioError: No response from radio

root at compass:/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717#


CONSOLE WINDOW OUTPUT captured for Configuration #3
root at compass:/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717# ./chirpw

(process:980): Gtk-WARNING **: Locale not supported by C library.
	Using the fallback 'C' locale.
./chirpw:135: GtkWarning: gtk_window_realize_icon: assertion 
'info->icon_pixmap == NULL' failed
    a.show()
ERROR: -- Exception: --
ERROR: Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717/chirp/ui/clone.py", line 
249, in run
      self.__radio.sync_in()
    File "/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717/chirp/drivers/alinco.py", 
line 196, in sync_in
      self._mmap = self._download(self._memsize)
    File "/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717/chirp/drivers/alinco.py", 
line 138, in _download
      data += self._download_chunk(addr)
    File "/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717/chirp/drivers/alinco.py", 
line 116, in _download_chunk
      raise errors.RadioError("No response from radio")
RadioError: No response from radio

ERROR: ----------------
ERROR: Clone failed: No response from radio
ERROR: --- Exception Dialog: No response from radio ---
ERROR: None

ERROR: ----------------------------

root at compass:/usr/local/bin/chirp-daily-20160717#