tech support

Programming your two way radio from a computer is one thing. Installing the equipment needed to do it can be something else entirely. Sometimes the process is relatively simple, other times it becomes deceptively complicated. Either way, the set up of any radio programming station typically involves three primary components: a computer, the software to program your specific make and model of radio, and a cable to connect the radio to the computer.

The first two items are not that complicated to set up. Chances are your computer, especially if it is a Microsoft Windows based PC, is probably already good to go. The programming software is usually provided by the manufacturer of the radio, and although it may not always be free, once you have it, the installation is usually rather straightforward.

Then there is the programming cable. It's a critical component of the whole system because it is the direct, wired data link between the computer and the radio to be programmed. The basic concept seems intuitive enough. Plug one end of the cable into the computer, and the other end into the radio. Everything is connected and ready to go. Simple, right?

Well, if you have something like the XLT Painless Programming Cable, it usually is. In fact, this cable is about as simple and easy as it gets.

For many other programming cables, it's not quite that simple or easy. Sometimes the installation of a programming cable can be a project in and of itself. To understand why, we must first understand how the cable really works.

Years ago, radio programming cables typically had a 9-pin DE-9 (aka DB-9) serial connector to interface with an RS-232 serial port on the back of the computer. Many of these cables were proprietary and required a specific driver installed to communicate or "drive" the hardware and to move the data through the port and across the cable between the radio and the PC.

The introduction of the Universal Serial Bus changed everything. More commonly known by its acronym  USB, this connector type created a new standard for electronic devices that has, true to its name, become universal. The USB connector was intended to replace the myriad of other larger, bulkier and somewhat proprietary connectors across the market with one simple, unifying connector type that could be used to connect just about any device to any other. So far, it seems to have accomplished just that.

Over time, USB replaced the RS-232 serial port as the standard physical connection between the two way radio and the PC. However, the USB plug is on the PC end. While some business radios still use programming cables with a physical RS-232 connector designed to plug directly into a computer equipped with a serial port, most cables today are USB.

Most analog and digital radios have a single, dual or multi-pin audio port that doubles as the data port. To properly create the data connection, the USB programming cables connecting to these radios typically use a circuit or chip to emulate a serial connection between the computer and the radio.

The two most common chips used in these cables are Prolific and FTDI. Each requires the installation of its own proprietary driver in order for the computer to properly recognize and communicate with the programming cable.

Although it is not within the scope of this article to get into the technical aspects of these technologies, it is important to know that they are quite different from one another to better understand why installing a USB programming cable can sometimes be problematic.

In other words, if the correct hardware driver is not used or is not properly installed, the programming cable simply won't work.

If your programming cable won't work, it's usually due to one (or more) of following reasons:

• The cable contains a counterfeit chip. This is a common issue with cheap, sub $10 cables purchased from overseas resellers and sold on eBay or Amazon.
• The programming cable is not compatible with your radio. This is common when using both analog and digital radios, as they often require different types of programming cables.
• The provided driver is too old or incompatible with your version of the operating system (usually Windows).
• Your operating system (usually Windows again) rejected the driver and installed one of its own.
• Your operating system (usually Windows, of course) has a configuration issue or conflict with the USB port or system bus on your computer.
• There is a hardware conflict with your USB port or system bus.
• The driver was installed incorrectly. There are often specific procedures for installation of specialized USB drivers, and if not performed in the correct sequence, it can cause the installation to fail.
• Corrupt USB driver. This will require total removal and re-installation of the driver.
• The installation instructions were not followed correctly or at all.

As you can tell from this list, the reasons can be many and varied. However, the most common support call we receive regarding problems with programming cables is the very last item on the list. While it is certainly possible to receive a faulty cable, in a majority of cases, the issue is simply a matter of following, or more specifically, not following the installation instructions.

If you are having trouble with the programming cable for your radio, here is a list of resources that may help you troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

How to install the XLT Painless Programming Cable

XLT Painless Programming Cable installation video

How to install the Wouxun programming cable and driver

How to install the Programming Cable and Software for the KG-905G

How to install an FTDI Programming Cable on newer versions of Windows 10

FTDI driver update bricks cloned programming cables

How to install the Baofeng USB programming cable and software

What to do if the programming cable does not work

What to do if the programming cable does not detect the radio

What to do if the radio programming software does not detect the cable or COM port

Since its launch in 2007, the Two Way Radio Forum has served as an online, community based social and support resource for all types of radios and radio users. Now after 12 years, the forum is getting a complete upgrade and makeover!

We've been planning to update the Two Way Radio Forum for awhile now and our first thought was to simply upgrade to the latest forum software, which in this case was vbulletin. However, to keep up with social media and the advances in web based community platforms, we began to consider other options. One of these is an open source discussion platform called Discourse. Danny did some research on it and we were very impressed with it. It offers many advantages and functionality over the previous forum software and a broader, more powerful arena for discussion between members of our forum community.

Why switch platforms?

We were running on a very old version of vBulletin (3.8) that no longer receives regular updates. vBulletin uses the PHP programming language and was built for a PHP version that is now out of date and no longer receives security patches. It is clear that sticking with our current forum version is just asking for trouble, and we need to either upgrade to the latest vBulletin (5.5) or switch to a new platform.

Why not use vBulletin 5?

Upgrading to the latest vBulletin was our first instinct. In fact, we initially purchased a license for it. However, as Danny was looking into the upgrade process he found out that going from 3.8 to version 5 is more of a migration than an upgrade. It would take some effort to get the data migrated correctly, and we would basically have to reconfigure the site and build a new theme. If we’re going to have to go through all of that work anyway it makes sense to see what other options are available.

Sticking with vBulletin would have the advantage of a reduced learning curve for members, but there are definitely reasons to switch. vBulletin used to be a leader in forum software, but they seem to have really gone downhill. VB 5 itself is now 7 years old and doesn’t look like a modern platform. Also, it’s still not built to be mobile friendly. We considered that a big drawback.

Why Discourse?

While researching other options, Danny was repeatedly drawn to Discourse. He has a programming background and finds himself using Stack Overflow pretty often, so he likes the similar look and feel. It also helped that the co-founder of Discourse was also co-founder of Stack Overflow. That was good enough for him to consider it further.

Here are a few things that we like about the new forum:

• By default, the home page is a list of the latest updated threads. You don’t have to look at a list of forums that may not get new posts very frequently. There’s also a way for users to switch to category view if they prefer the old way.
• Threads aren’t broken up into pages. Just keep scrolling and posts are dynamically loaded.
• It is easy to use on phones and tablets
• Users can earn badges as they use the site and the system is easy to setup.
• The notification system is very in depth. You can receive notifications for a variety of things and it’s all configurable. You can also @ another user in a post
• There’s an escalating trust system that helps prevent spam, but users automatically gain trust as they use the site.
• We have the ability to turn on logging in with other services, such as Google, Facebook and Twitter. This might simplify the registration process and encourage more users to sign up.
• Automatically create a post by replying to an email notification.
• Built-in support for a wiki could be a powerful tool for community driven content.
• There’s a lot more, but why not experience it for yourself?

Of course the Two Way Radio Forum community isn't here for us, it was created for you. We’re hopeful that you are as excited about Discourse as we are and it makes you want to spend more time there. We also hope it is more inviting for new users and helps grow the community. That said, we know change can be tough and there could be features that you want that aren’t here. That’s why we tested the platform first with a beta site and solicited feedback from our community members before we decided to jump in and make the move.

We're excited about the new forum and we hope you like it too. We’d like to know if you see any formatting problems or other issues that look like bugs, but most importantly we want to know what you think of the platform. Is there anything about the forum we need to change or improve on? Is there anything missing that we need to include?

If you currently have a Two Way Radio Forum account, your existing login credentials should work. You should also have the ability to login with your Facebook, Google or Twitter account. If you do have trouble logging in, please let us know, so we can fix it ASAP. If you don't have a forum account, we invite you to create one. The forum is free to use, and we encourage everyone with an interest or passion for radios to join the community.

Feel free to check it out, "kick the tires" so to speak, and let us know what you think. Visit the all new Two Way Radio Forum now!