• Ensure the firmware version of the radio matches the cps version. Writing codeplugs created from later cps versions to radios with earlier firmware versions (and vice-versa) can freeze the radios. When new firmware is released, a fresh version of the cps is packaged along with it.
  • Backup the codeplug on the radio with the NEW/UPDATED CPS before flashing the radio with the new firmware.
  • Firmware flash mode: Press and hold the two PF buttons while switching the radio on. The red LED will flash continuously until firmware is successfully loaded after which it will FACTORY RESET.
  • Factory reset sequence: Press and hold PTT and the next function button below it while turning the unit on. If the reset screen does NOT display, then the codeplug has been set not to allow resetting! Modify the codeplug and find the option to allow reset to ON, reload the codeplug into the radio and then try the factory reset sequence again.
  • The DJ-MD5 and DJ-MD5X require their own separate programming software or “cps”. One version does not allow programming of the other. I can have both programs open side-by-side to do comparisons but not while writing to a radio. (Could be due to firmware version differences. Yet to check.)
  • In the case of AnyTone radios if the firmware tool doesn’t open within the cps: When CPS is running, open a File Explorer and go to “C:\Program Files (x86)\Anytone\D578UV_1.16\” and double click on UpdateQX_Firmware_Update.exe. (I HAVE come across this problem with the Alinco software so I had to drill down into the Alinco area of Program Files to do the same thing.)
  • Can’t remember what happened when I first programmed the MD5 but the MD5X throws up a “Band Error” when first attempting to write a codeplug to it. This is resolved with the separate “AT_Options” utility, (set to Band 1.) Without this utility, the MD5X wouldn’t even write back its own factory codeplug. This procedure only has to be done once.
  • Alinco software is very particular about duplicate “Channel Names,” more so than AnyTone cps. Channel Names must be unique, otherwise time-consuming tail-chasing problems re-matching imported zone layouts occur. Codeplugs from the outset must have unique Channel Names – even when creating different zones (representing the different repeaters) but with essentially the same Talkgroups within them. The cps will accept duplicate Talkgroups but not Channel Names. So for example Channel Name “TG 505 Gar s2” in the Garland Zone must use a different Channel Name in the Goulburn Zone such as “TG 505 Glb s2.”
  • The procedure then is to create duplicate Channel sets for each Zone. The Zones and the Talkgroups only have to be created once. The Zones have to pick up completely individual channel sets because of the different repeater frequencies, but the Zones then link to just the one defined set of Talkgroups.
  • So to reiterate: You cannot create Channels and then copy and paste them to create new channel sets with different frequencies within zones without ALSO CHANGING THE CHANNEL NAME.
  • To program the Alincos in high power mode by default, the earlier MD5EGP has to be set to TURBO and the MD5XEG set to HIGH.
  • The memories available (200,000) for the Digital Contact List are not enough for the global “user.csv” to fit into either of the MD5 variants. I generated oceania.csv files which work fine.
  • Things continue to get a bit strange. The Zone and Scan files exported from the Alinco do not seem to be supported by my AnyTone D578UVIIPlus but fortunately the Channel files exported from the Alinco is. I’m pretty sure though that the Zone files were compatible but right now, they’re not. Even so the Channels all have to be set by hand to the Scan List required for the Anytone to scan.