Alinco DJ-G7

Old Reflector
1

Afternoon all

Has anybody managed to PC program a DJ-G7 yet?

I have finally retrieved mine from the deep drawer in the shack where it was shoved in disgust some time ago.

Been of typical tight Yorkshire persuasion I bought “official aftermarket leads” from ebay. having been through several of them now, and still no nearer to making the Alinco software work I turn to sota world for help!
I have an official Alinco EDS10 cable and need either an RS232 lead, or the USB beastie - both of which in the “official plastic bag” are near to 40 quid…

I was particularly impressed with the note on the Alinco website – “don’t contact us with software problems – we do not support it”… nice touch, maybe it should be re-written “thanks for the cash for the radio, thanks for an extra 50 quid for the £5 worth of leads, now go away and ask somebody else how to use it, and by the way, we are bringing out a new version so yours is now obsolete and worth a tenth of the price you paid for it”

Does anybody have schematics for either RS232 or USB lead? Advice other than use it as a paperweight, or an idiots guide please?

I am constantly underwhelmed by modern equipment, it usually requires messing with to make it work, downloads to the latest version, or just plain fails to deliver the promised expectation, I am not just talking about radio gear here either!

Maybe its time to push for a retro radio? Press PTT, make call, release PTT, receive call. 3 bands, 50 channels each, no toaster interface, no alarm clock, No GPS, GPRS, GPO, C3P0, R2D2 or any other function. Novel eh? Mobile phones should go the same way too. Make call, recieve call, sms.

Yes folks, currently at work fighting with the latest super functional technology and using 1% of the capability…

Anyway, rant over, please excuse me…

Any help gratefully received.

73

Tim

G4YTD

2

In reply to G4YTD:

I’m sure you’ve “goooogled” it, but user groups are always a good starting point, both for searching older posts or asking advice.

I’m sure there are others available.

3

In reply to G4YTD:

“Is it real or is it Memorex?” went the advert about 30 years ago.

Bringing that up to date “Is it the G7 or the cable?”

You can stuff the software and cable into a bag and send them to me and I’ll try it on my G7 if you want.

Andy
MM0FMF

4

In reply to MM0FMF:
Thanks for the offer Andy. I sent the cables back to the suppliers, the only one i have here is the breakout/splitter cable from the 3.5mm socket on the radio. Do you know the pin outs to make the connection cable from splitter to PC? It is not shown in the manual, just a reference to the Alinco part number (very expensive cable to buy!).

73

Tim

G4YTD

5

In reply to G4YTD:

Do you know the pin outs to make the connection cable from splitter to PC

No but I know a website that does! http://tinyurl.com/czetxym :wink:

The circuit doesn’t look too hard to build on a scrap of veroboard, 3 transistors and a few diodes and resistors. Whether it works any better that what you had is anyone’s guess.

Andy
MM0FMF

6

In reply to G4YTD:
Sounds like you’re having one of my normal days Tim.

G7 - bought mine used from eBay, came with the USB lead. Already have the RS-232 which I bought to programme the little C7(?).

My biggest problem was getting the right software. Both my radios have been opened up, but still only programme with the E version of the software. The G7 I programme with either the desktop XP system (when it’s working… another story) or with my NetBook running Win7 starter. I found attempting to read the radio first was a good way to get the data comms problems sorted.

The G7 is not a bad little radio, but rather quirky in its operation. Programmed the memories with little trouble, then took me a while to figure out how to access them (and that includes RT.M!!) from the front panel.

I’d offer a test with the PC and cables here, but unless you’re going to be near Cheltenham anytime soon, that probably wont help.

Good luck,
Graham G4FUJ

7

Thanks Andy for the circuit daigram, and good to work you on CW today whilst working at home in the fog.

Graham, so it’s not just me then!!

I like the radio, the audio quality is good, and the battery lasts a good time between charges. like many others, it was very apparent early on that the rubber duck is as much use as (intsert your own saying here - mine is too filthy for an open forum). That said, it would be nice for the manufactuers to sacrifice features that kind of work, for things that are easy to use and actually do work…

Thanks for the offer of the test, I do get to Cheltenham now and again… The cable should be finished tomorrow (from Andy’s post) so will report back what happens.

Thanks for all the help.

73

Tim

G4YTD

8

It may not be any help at all, but…

I was programming memories in a couple of identical radios for club members who did not have a clue when it came to following the instructions as how to do it. I think they were Kenwoods but they may have been Yaesus. I had the whole set of memories ready to just write across but the radio and the computer would not communicate. I tried reading the (blank) memories from the rigs in to the computer but nothing. I put a single entry by hand in to one of the rigs and then read it back successfully to the PC. When I tried to write from the PC this time it worked. I repeated the same trail with the next radio. It seemed a virgin memory block could neither be written to or read. I had to do the same thing again a week later when my pal had done a factory reset on his rig. Maybe the Alinco is similar?

Steve GW7AAV

9

In reply to GW7AAV:
Thanks Steve - will give it a go. Waiting for the postie to deliver the transistors for the cable…

73

Tim

G4YTD