MD9600 no RX/TX

K0CPU
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Joined: Mon May 13, 2024 10:17 pm

MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by K0CPU » Wed May 15, 2024 3:09 pm

I opened my MD-9600 and the board shows MD9600-UV-V2.1-170608

I have installed the latest V2 firmware and have entered in my codeplug what I believe to be the proper settings for my local repeaters. I cant seem to transmit and I do not believe the receive is working 100% either.

I have tried to use version 1 as well as version 2 of the OpenGD77 firmware with similar results. Anything I can try to adjust?

G4EML
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Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 10:01 am

Re: MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by G4EML » Wed May 15, 2024 3:14 pm

V1 and V2 firmware are identical apart from the backlight control. So either should work.

Does the radio work on FM? If so then you are using the correct firmware version.

What happens when you try to transmit on DMR?

Colin G4EML

SA0BUX
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Re: MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by SA0BUX » Wed May 15, 2024 5:34 pm

K0CPU wrote:
Wed May 15, 2024 3:09 pm
I opened my MD-9600 and the board shows MD9600-UV-V2.1-170608

I have installed the latest V2 firmware and have entered in my codeplug what I believe to be the proper settings for my local repeaters. I cant seem to transmit and I do not believe the receive is working 100% either.

I have tried to use version 1 as well as version 2 of the OpenGD77 firmware with similar results. Anything I can try to adjust?
My radio has the same marking on the PCB and I use V2 software.
Do you have some other radio that you can listen on to verify that radio is transmitting ?
Screenshot 2024-05-15 193044.jpg
Screenshot 2024-05-15 193044.jpg (60.74 KiB) Viewed 2689 times

K0CPU
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Joined: Mon May 13, 2024 10:17 pm

Re: MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by K0CPU » Thu May 16, 2024 2:15 pm

I have a beofang handheld that is working and can test with. I will attempt to test again tonight and post my findings.

I have not tried the DMR yet, just FM. I am new technician and trying to get to a couple local repeaters and then move to DMR.

GM4SVM
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:50 am

Re: MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by GM4SVM » Fri Sep 20, 2024 11:52 am

Same issue here Colin, but its a recent radio. Definitely says that version.

I tested the radio on original firmware and it was sending and receiving on FM.
I did that just to check the hardware and then I ran a backup of the original system.

Tested on FM it goes into transmit but no RF out.
On receive it receives nothing - not even from a handheld in the same room.
Its clearly a firmware version.

I think what's happened here is there are V4 or V5 radios in the wild with V2.1 screen printed on the board!
Mine had the GPS sticker on it but no GPS as someone else had mentioned. Although mine wasn't sold as GPS anyway.
Same number sticker on the side too.

I am going to flash the V5 firmware to it and see if that works.
If it doesn't I will try V4.

Probably not today as I am a bit tired, but its one of the challenges doing this type of thing!

73.

GM4SVM
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Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:50 am

Re: MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by GM4SVM » Fri Sep 20, 2024 1:32 pm

GM4SVM wrote:
Fri Sep 20, 2024 11:52 am
Same issue here Colin, but its a recent radio. Definitely says that version.

I tested the radio on original firmware and it was sending and receiving on FM.
I did that just to check the hardware and then I ran a backup of the original system.

Tested on FM it goes into transmit but no RF out.
On receive it receives nothing - not even from a handheld in the same room.
Its clearly a firmware version.

I think what's happened here is there are V4 or V5 radios in the wild with V2.1 screen printed on the board!
Mine had the GPS sticker on it but no GPS as someone else had mentioned. Although mine wasn't sold as GPS anyway.
Same number sticker on the side too.

I am going to flash the V5 firmware to it and see if that works.
If it doesn't I will try V4.

Probably not today as I am a bit tired, but its one of the challenges doing this type of thing!

73.
Hi Colin.
I decided to give it a go after I had my lunch.
V5 firmware worked.
Full TX/RX. DMR and FM working perfectly.

So we do have radios out there with V2 printed on the board that wont work on V2 firmware.

Open GD77 is a great enhancement of these radios.

G4EML
Posts: 994
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 10:01 am

Re: MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by G4EML » Fri Sep 20, 2024 6:59 pm

That's good news. The markings on the board can't really be relied upon. Our definition of V2, V4 , V5 is only something we invented for our own use. The manufacturers don't seem to identify the different versions.

The differences are in the synthesiser chips and the IF chips, so only the correct version will work.

If the radio receives and transmits then you must be using the correct version.

Colin G4EML

GM4SVM
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Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:50 am

Re: MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by GM4SVM » Sat Sep 21, 2024 9:25 am

Thanks Colin,
I suspect that if someone buys a brand new one from a high volume seller they would be best to try V5 firmware first regardless of what it says on the PCB or the original CPS read of the radio.
Most likely that people are getting the latest version if its from a high volume seller.

VK3KYY
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by VK3KYY » Sat Sep 21, 2024 10:21 am

GM4SVM wrote:
Sat Sep 21, 2024 9:25 am
Thanks Colin,
I suspect that if someone buys a brand new one from a high volume seller they would be best to try V5 firmware first regardless of what it says on the PCB or the original CPS read of the radio.
Most likely that people are getting the latest version if its from a high volume seller.
Probably all radios bought new now will be what we call V5.

Its strange however that your PCB has V2.1 written on it, because my two MD9600 which are over a year old have V4A written on the PCB, and since there are also radios with V4 written on the PCB, we call the V4A radios V5.

I'm pretty sure someone posted here saying their PCB acually had V5 written on it.

So its quite bizarre your V5 board has V2 written on it.

GM4SVM
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:50 am

Re: MD9600 no RX/TX

Post by GM4SVM » Sat Sep 21, 2024 10:53 am

Someone else posted that their had 2.1 printed on it too but was a v5.
His had the same stickers on the side too.

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