KG-UV920R: Programming from your PC

So the programming software for the KG-UV920R was uploaded to the Wouxun Yahoo Group. And it turns out that Wouxun has called the software: KG_UV920R Commander V0.1.0. Beta - Programming Software by Wouxun. Ed notes that Wouxun is aware they have appropriated the name "commander" that has been used by Jim for his popular KG-UV Commander software for quite some time.

I guess we should just be happy they didn't call it the Commander CHIRP programming software.

I also see you can get the USB programming cable on eBay now.

Updated after posting: VA3ISP has a fix for an import error when trying to use the software with an Excel file.

KG-UV Commander 0.1.2 Beta

The KG-UV Commander 0.1.2 Beta is now available.

- Fixed crash when multiple decimals inadvertently entered in freq field
- Prevent entry of invalid Encode field
- Errors on CSV import reported with line number
- CSV header detection non-case sensitive
- Fixed mouse scroll wheel scrolling on settings tabs
- Fixed problems with welcome message ("black boxes" and problems in Wouxun software)
- Opened up welcome msg and single receive msg to whole ascii character set
- Fixed problem importing some TW files which imposed maximum tunable memory channel

Software One for the Valentine One Radar Detector

I was looking at the KG-UV Commander software again for the previous post about CHIRP and I noticed KC8UNJ's link to his Software One application for the Valentine One Radar Detector. I don't even have a radar detector, but I still think that's pretty slick. If I were a programmer, I think I would have to learn how to work with serial communications - that stuff is everywhere. I would be all powerful if I could talk to machines through the serial port and do database selects, inserts, deletes, and updates on the back-end!

Universal Radio Programming Software - CHIRP

Instead of having a program to update the UV-3R and a program (or two!) to update the KG-UVD1P, how about a "one size fits most" application for programming radios. CHIRP will update, as of this writing, three Alinco, seventeen Icom, one Jetstream, seven Kenwood, nine Yaesu, and three Wouxun models. It will not do everything the radio specific software will do, but will update the basic memories for your favorite frequencies. You will still need the appropriate cable for your radio.

KG-UV Commander 0.1.1 Beta

Jim, KC8UNJ, announced that a new version of the KG-UV Commander (0.1.1 Beta) is now availbale for download from his web site. Original post here.

He lists the changes:

- Fixed crash when using TAB key on Config/VFO/FM tabs
- Fixed crash when deleting RX frequency
- Fixed crash when deleting VFO frequency
- Fixed crash when pasting blank line over blank TX frequency
- Fixed CSV import crash bug where it didn't properly handle blank TX field
- Fixed CSV import when CSV file contains no line feeds
- CSV import no longer requires placeholders for all fields
- CSV import now converts imported fields to uppercase characters
- Updated TPE import based on provided files
- Tweak for cut-off line on some printers in Landscape mode
- Fixed bug where mouse scroll wheel did not scroll to channel 1
- Fixed bug where multi-select didn't work for Cut operations
- Changed communication to continue if radio responds to HiWouxun with ID
- Workaround to try and get writing to work without error in WINE
- Small tweaks to communication

KG-UV Commander Yahoo Group

Looks like a Yahoo Group for the KG-UV Commander has been started.

KG-UV Commander

Ed announced on the KG-UVD1 Yahoo group that Jim Mitchell, KC8UNJ, has released the KG-UV Commander software for programming the Wouxun handhelds.



David added some background about how it came to be:

"I was aware that Jim had developed programming software for certain Yaesu and Icom radios, so I contacted Jim last August, asking whether he would be possibly be interested in porting his software to the Wouxun radios. I told Jim that I had already prepared memory maps for the "tw" files and for the internal memory space of the radios (which I was making available to all who are interested). I was so pleased when Jim responded and said that he would be interested in porting his software.

I then discussed this project with Ed Griffin, proprietor of wouxun.us, and Ed very generously contributed radios for Jim to use in developing the software.

For the last eight months Jim has been working on this project, and a small group of beta testers have been playing with interim versions of the software and providing feedback to Jim. On April 30 Jim released a version which he is making available to the public.

The KG-UV Commander software is a very impressive package. I believe that it empowers the user to program literally every programmable feature of the Wouxun radios (including modifying band limits, which until now has required the separate unlock program). The Commander software reads and writes TW files, and also reads and writes CSV files (which are easy for Excel programmers and others to read and write for any future special programming applicatoins). And the program even reads ARRL TravelPlus frequency files! Furthermore, the program has a great user interface, and includes the normal spreadsheet editing features such as Add, Edit, Move, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, and Sort."

I must say the software is a huge leap forward. I needed to add some frequencies to mine, so this was the perfect opportunity to try it out. I had an Excel spreadsheet with some data I wanted to copy over. It wouldn't let me do multiple rows at once - in fact, it was like the app wasn't taking the latest information from the Windows clipboard. I ended up adding the entires manually, but with the auto-offset feature enabled, it just took a minute to do it.

The sort works great - you can sort all the entries or just select a few rows. I used that feature to keep my favorites at the top of the list and independent of all the others that I just wanted sorted by frequency.

There is also a function to search for duplicates. The search is really slick. You can tell it to ignore duplicate frequencies if one entry has a tone configured while the other does not.

The software really levels the playing field with the big boys. It reminds me of the software I have for my VX-3R.

Jim did a great job and this is just another example of how Ed continues to support the community and why he will get my business/endorsement.