VX-7 Configuration for /Un.x/
No Windows, thank you.
The Files
vx7perl-0.2.tgzThis version can write to the radio, and includes a basic script for reading the memories out of the config file.
Old: vx7perl-0.1.tgz
Here is a functional version of the reading thing I wrote earlier this week. I've added checksum computation, and it won't write the file without a valid checksum unless it's forced. Please test out the file and let me know how it works. The more architectures, the better.
Commentary Junk
The VX-7 is probably my favorite HT ever. At least, in theory. See, I'm into ham radio a lot, but I discovered recently that I don't actually like talking to people on the radio, these days. It's not that I don't like them or anything like that. My capacity for rag-chewing seemed to die right around the time I moved to Arizona. And honestly, hardcore DX'ing never seemed to do it for me, save for the occasional field day bonanza. So mostly, I just listen and only pop in if I have something relevant to the conversation at hand.The VX-7 is a three-and-a-half bander (don't tell anyone about 220! shh!) with wide covereage recieve. It's a decent (AM only) shortwave with the right antenna, I can (apparently) work 1 watt AM on 6 meters, and it's got dual vfo action1. And I can configure the whole thing via PC.
And therein lies the rub. I'm not a PC user. Even worse, the only PC software available for the VX-7 is for Windows. I have never2 been a windows user. I get lost in windows. So I saw what I could do to fix that.
First, I could run VX-7 Commander in VirtualPC. This works great, and it's what I initially programmed my radio with. However, it was still Windows, and it required that I have a copy of Virtual PC and Windows (2k in this case) on my Mac. Windows may be okay (even necessary) for you, perhaps.. but well, you know. Also, VX-7 Commander has a nasty habit of crashing VirtualPC every once in a while during a serial action. I place the blame solely on VPC7, but I still fear that this'll happen during some important phase of the write and bung my radio.
After finding the radio, I looked into software for Unix. I found a set of command line applications for older Yaesu radios, but they didn't work with the VX-7 at all.
Then I found a set of documentation from a guy in Japan about how the VX-7 data protocol works. I took a look at it, and well, it seemed simple enough. I figured I could probably hack something up with little trouble.
However, my C skills are the suck, to say nothing about C++ or Objective C. So I return to my hacking language of choice, perl.
As of this moment, I've been able to pull a valid config file off the radio, and successfully load it up in VX-7 Commander. Before I release anything, I want to make sure I understand how to at least do the checksums in the config file. But I will release it.
My plan right now is to write a command line version for everyone, and one with a nice MacOS X (or GNUstep) front end for people who need a graphical interface3. There are some great perl utilities to help me out with this.
Anyway, that's where I am now. More info soon.
Links
- KC8UNJ -- Home of VX-7 Commander, hands down the best windows interface for the radio. It's also helped me figure out timings and extra byte issues with the data transfer.
- The Experimentation of Editing Cloning Data of VX-7 -- Excellent name, excellent translation. Everything you wanted to know about getting data into and out of the radio. Initially in Japanese, but since it's technical stuff, it translates well. This guy's even a Mac user, too.
- CamelBones -- Objective C/Perl bridge framework, more useful for giving perl apps a MacOS X look and feel. It also works with GNUStep. I will be using this package to create a Mac front end, if I get that far.
1: DIRTY!
2: Contract work doesn't count.
3: I am one of those people.
2: Contract work doesn't count.
3: I am one of those people.
