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K-PO DX 5000+ Service Menu


Why would you even fool with the service menu?
Well, there is no huge need. These radios rock right out of the box. But I was the kid that took his new toys apart on Christmas day. I just had to see inside, even if I didn't understand what I was looking at. Fast forward about 40 years, the first thing I do when I get a new radio is take the covers off. Maybe turn the modulation up a little and turn the carrier down to run an amp or something. If the radio is off frequency, I have recently learned how to dial it in. The service menu is the replacement for the adjustments that used to be on the board. Add to the curiosity by having some super secret menu with all the adjustments and then I just have to figure it out. It wont be long before someone comes up with some software hacks to add or modify some features, I am sure.
 
Here's the software update to get you the 5khz step.

It's pretty cool that they've released it to the public, now if only CRT would do the same for us 7900V turbo owners.

 
Here's the software update to get you the 5khz step.

It's pretty cool that they've released it to the public, now if only CRT would do the same for us 7900V turbo owners.

Absolutely fantastic to see K-PO and Anytone doing the right thing, while CRT are still totally ignoring their customers.
 
I wonder if the existing CRT firmware can be uploaded and modified? Maybe one of our software engineers can elaborate.
Are you talking about the 7900V firmware? This hasn't been made available to the public at any stage, on any version that I'm aware of. If it has, can you please let me know?

What we do have is the latest AT-5555N2 firmware. But this would need some changes to work on the 7900V. Mainly, the way the CPU sees the radio "mode" at startup (BAND 1 or BAND 2 menu on the 7900V, VS the Wire and Jumper position on the AT-5555N2). The hardware is different! The Startup code is different! But the rest of the radio an the firmware is the same.

In other words, the Anytone AT-5555N2 Firmware can't tell what mode to be in, if it is loaded onto a 7900V, because it is looking for the hardware that the 7900v doesn't have (NOTE_ This missing hardware is NOT able to be added - it's not as simple as just adding a missing wire link etc. It a significant change to that part of the PCB and component placement is very different. (Loading AT-5555N2 firmware on a 7900V *will* break your 7900V, and we don't have the 7900V firmware to go back too - so don't do it!!!) You have been warned!

Do we have a software engineer here? ;)
 
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If the firmware ever becomes available that's great but it doesn't change the fact that this 7900v is a top shelf radio. Yeah a few added feature is alway a plus but not a deal breaker in my case. Worked all over the country with this bad mutha so no harm no foul.

But it is crap that crt won't do what others will, and nobody even asked them to.
 
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Are you talking about the 7900V firmware? This hasn't been made available to the public at any stage, on any version that I'm aware of. If it has, can you please let me know?

What we do have is the latest AT-5555N2 firmware. But this would need some changes to work on the 7900V. Mainly, the way the CPU sees the radio "mode" at startup (BAND 1 or BAND 2 menu on the 7900V, VS the Wire and Jumper position on the AT-5555N2). The hardware is different! The Startup code is different! But the rest of the radio an the firmware is the same.

In other words, the Anytone AT-5555N2 Firmware can't tell what mode to be in, if it is loaded onto a 7900V, because it is looking for the hardware that the 7900v doesn't have (NOTE_ This missing hardware is NOT able to be added - it's not as simple as just adding a missing wire link etc. It a significant change to that part of the PCB and component placement is very different. (Loading AT-5555N2 firmware on a 7900V *will* break your 7900V, and we don't have the 7900V firmware to go back too - so don't do it!!!) You have been warned!

Do we have a software engineer here? ;)
Would it be possible to read the frimware on a radio? I guess its not that easy?
 
Would it be possible to read the frimware on a radio? I guess its not that easy?
First step towards doing that is to gather data about the chips in the radio and figure out how to interact with them. Since any new firmware would probably be pushed over a USB programming cable it could be possible to extract it the same way, but you'd need to know what the hardware is to know how to do it if it can be done.

Then you have the problem of can what was dumped be understood and can it be modified? There are various ways of preventing reading and/or modification including encrypting stored data or at least having a cryptographically signed checksum. I don't know if the vendors go to this much trouble but it is something to be aware of.

I think that's why Mark19960 chose to build his own board for the Uniden 980. Couldn't get at the firmware directly so he substituted his own along with the hardware. The vendors don't want us playing around at that level. The smart ones are releasing updates so we don't feel like we have to.
 

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