For some reason, in Vista, the port numbers are the opposite way round to in XP (COM1 on the right in XP). My PC motherboard has no serial ports fitted (there is a COM1 internally but no connector, I've disabled this), so I've installed a PCI dual serial port card. The software for the dual bander seems to be like this too, I had trouble getting that to work at first. Otherwise there is an error message saying something like the serial port can't be opened. I found that to get it to connect for the first time, you select the serial port while the radio is switched off and then switch it on. At first I couldn't get it to connect to the radio (I'm using a serial cable which worked with my Puxings and dual band Wouxun).

CSV file.ĭownloaded and tried the programming software for my 4 metre Wouxun KG699-E. I used XLink to export the contents of my EL-6890 to a. But the problem with phone keypads is that even with a QWERTY one like on my Nokia E63, it's hard work typing something in like a callsign because the numbers are on letter keys, so it takes a lot of shifting between letters and numbers. This sort of databank is becoming obsolete because of mobile phones which all have some kind of address book and often a notepad. I've had this for nearly 9 years and used it on hundreds of SOTA activations. The data cable works as a programming cable for the Icom IC-E91 handheld though. There are other applications available which let you view the data, such as EL-Link and XLink but I've just typed the contacts into other software by hand. There is a serial port on the side using a 2.5mm jack socket but the supplied software doesn't let you do anything with the data except make a backup copy which isn't readable on the PC. It's as easy to use as switching on, typing something and pressing enter to save the record. I like this one because it starts up instantly, has a display which can be readable in sunlight (and has a backlight) and has a full qwerty keyboard with numbers. This might have something to do with being used out in the rain yesterday. The Sharp EL-6890 databank, which I've been using for logging while out portable, is starting to lose parts of its LCD display. This is connected to a dipole in the loft. It has 23 channels, from 70.2 to 70.4875 MHz in 12.5 KHz steps.

Here is the 4 metre radio at home, a Philips FM1000 ex-PMR.

Icom ic e91 programming software