Three questions about the Wouxun 935G

[WRVE426]

So I broke the piggie bank and got myself a Wouxun KG-935G for Christmas

First impression?  Love the radio!  But, having read the user manual several times, I still have 3 questions:

1) Where/how do I assign repeater input and output tones?

2) the second channel window shows "KG-935G" (if I do not have dual channels enabled).  Can I change that and, if yes, where (I would like to place my callsign).  Alternatively, the very top like also reads "Wouxun KG-935G" - can I place my callsign there and, if yes, how?

3) I got the programming cable and driver on a mini-CD, but I don't have a CD/DVD player.  Can I download that driver somewhere (I used WIndows 10)?  Right now, the KG-935G programming software cannot "see" the radio and the "com" menu is greyed out.

Thank you!

PS: I tried the CHRIP software tool too but I could not get it to work under Windows and Linux, but with Windows it does not see it, and with Linux I have permission problems so, if at all possible, use the radio without any programming software

 

[wrci350]

Did you get the Wouxun programming cable?  If so, throw away the CD since it doesn't have a Windows 10 driver on it.

https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-pco-001.html

NOTE: Windows 10 should automatically detect and install the cable driver when it is first plugged into the PC. For older versions of Microsoft Windows, the cable driver can be downloaded from the Downloads tab above.

The programming software and manual are available on the "Downloads" tab for the radio.

https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-kg-935g.html

[pcradio]

What's the difference between the Wouxun cable and this FTDI cable?

[wrci350]

$2 ?  

The Wouxun cable uses a Silicon Labs serial-to-USB chip, the other uses a FTDI chip.  They should both work just fine with Windows 10 and 11.

Either one would be a better alternative to one of the cheap "Baofeng" cables, many of which use conterfeit Prolific chips that won't work with the modern Prolific driver (by design).

[OffRoaderX]

1 hour ago, WRVE426 said:

1) Where/how do I assign repeater input and output tones?

2) the second channel window shows "KG-935G" (if I do not have dual channels enabled).  Can I change that and, if yes, where (I would like to place my callsign).  Alternatively, the very top like also reads "Wouxun KG-935G" - can I place my callsign there and, if yes, how?

3) I got the programming cable and driver on a mini-CD, but I don't have a CD/DVD player.  Can I download that driver somewhere (I used WIndows 10)?  Right now, the KG-935G programming software cannot "see" the radio and the "com" menu is greyed out.

1) On the repeater channel - Tune to that channel then go into the CTCS/DCS RX and TX setting - it will save the tones to the channel you're on - OR do it in the software (much easier that way)

2) IIRC, you can only do this in the software - IF you can do it at all. Some radios let you change it, others dont (I play with too many different radios to remember which ones do/dont allow it)

3) See what @wrci350already posted

[WRVE426]

Thank you so much. OffRoaderX, your videos and your presence here have been a huge help for me!

[WRVE426]

33 minutes ago, wrci350 said:

$2 ?  

The Wouxun cable uses a Silicon Labs serial-to-USB chip, the other uses a FTDI chip.  They should both work just fine with Windows 10 and 11.

Either one would be a better alternative to one of the cheap "Baofeng" cables, many of which use conterfeit Prolific chips that won't work with the modern Prolific driver (by design).

When I use this cable on Windows, it does not "see" the radio.  Frankly, I have not used Windows since 2000 (have been on Linux instead).  How can I find out to which USB port my cable is connected and what I shall call it from inside either the Wouxun software or CHRIP (for Windows)?

[WRVE426]

12 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

1) On the repeater channel - Tune to that channel then go into the CTCS/DCS RX and TX setting

Sorry, but which menu specifically is it?  RX-CTCSS TX-CTTSS RX-DCS OR TX-DCS or all four (input on RX-CTCSS and RX-DCS and output on TX-CTCSS and TX-DCS?).  Sorry for being such a noob!

[wrci350]

11 minutes ago, WRVE426 said:

When I use this cable on Windows, it does not "see" the radio.  Frankly, I have not used Windows since 2000 (have been on Linux instead).  How can I find out to which USB port my cable is connected and what I shall call it from inside either the Wouxun software or CHRIP (for Windows)?

Windows 10, right?

Unplug the cable from the PC.

Open Device Manager (under Control Panel) and expand "Ports (COM and LPT)".

Plug cable into the PC.  If it's working OK, a new COM port should appear.

[WRVE426]

5 hours ago, wrci350 said:

Windows 10, right?

Unplug the cable from the PC.

Open Device Manager (under Control Panel) and expand "Ports (COM and LPT)".

Plug cable into the PC.  If it's working OK, a new COM port should appear.

The device manager found this: Location: Port#0005 Hub #0001 (so the new COM port has appeared I suppose, port 5)

But when I tried to use it I got this message:

"The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28) There are no compatible drivers for this device. To find a driver for this device, click Update Driver."

When I try to update the driver I get this:

"Windows was unable to install you CP2102 USB to UARD Bridge Controller. Windows could not find drivers for your device"

On the Wouxun software, I cannot pick a port, under the "port" menu, all the ports are greyed out and port 1 the only one checkmarked.

and when I try to read from the radio I get this message: "Failed connection!  Please check if powered ON or well connected the com port!""

One the CHIRP software I cannot see ANY ports from the dropdown menu. 

Any ideas?

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by WRVE426
minor corrections

[WRVE426]

Actually, I finally managed to get CHIRP working on Linux!

So my final question: in CHIRP, where do I set the repeater input and output tones?

Thank you in advance for putting up with me!

[MichaelLAX]

5 minutes ago, WRVE426 said:

So my final question: in CHIRP, where do I set the repeater input and output tones?

And I am holding you to your promise! 

[WRVE426]

7 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

And I am holding you to your promise! 

 

LOL, okay fair enough, but just tell me (the dodo-brain) which column exactly is for the repeater input and output tones and I will keep my promise!

[MichaelLAX]

Transmit = Tone = Output of 935 (Input of repeater)

Receive = ToneSql = Input of 935 (output of repeater)

For CTCSS

send me Venmo and I’ll renew your question quota! 

[WRVE426]

I don't use Venmo, but I will bestow upon you my eternal gratitude

also, to thank everybody here, I was thinking of posting a review of my radios "for noobies by a noobie", maybe that will help others in their first steps

Kind regards, tons of thanks, and Merry Christmas!!

[wrci350]

@WRVE426 Glad you are all set with you Linux box.

Don't have a good explanation for why the driver didn't load for you on Windows.  You *are* running Windows 10 or 11, right?  And using the red Wouxun cable?  Works fine for me on both Windows 10 and 11, I plug it in and the driver loads.  One other thing to try is to delete the device (with the cable plugged in) and see if it loads the correct driver.  (You might have to do "check for hardware changes" from the Device Manager menu.)

If you are running Windows 7, then you DO need to download the driver from the Wouxun cable page.  That way you don't need the driver CD.

[WRVE426]

I gave up on trying to get Windows to work (frankly, I hate it and find if baffling in its illogical complexity).

I have no idea why exactly I could not get it to work with Windows (in my case Windows 10) but if I can use CHRIP on Linux I am a very happy camper

Windows might be too complex for my tiny brain, Linux is for dummies, including me!

[MichaelLAX]

Did you get in to any of your local repeaters?

Is there an "old" Smyrna Beach? 

[WRVE426]

15 hours ago, MichaelLAX said:

Did you get in to any of your local repeaters?

Yes, but not with this radio (yet), I got them to work with my Btech GMRS Pro,

Is there an "old" Smyrna Beach? 

Yes, the ancient city of Smyrna in what is today modern day Turkey.  Initially, there was New Smyrna and Coronado beach.  Then the two were fused and it became New Smyrna Beach.  That being said, after Hurricane Ian and, especially, Hurricane Nicole we might as well rename the city "New Smyrna Shores" as we lost several feet of sand on the beaches .  Hopefully, it will come back with time.

Cheers!

 

[KAF6045]

On 12/24/2022 at 1:59 PM, WRVE426 said:

2) the second channel window shows "KG-935G" (if I do not have dual channels enabled).  Can I change that and, if yes, where (I would like to place my callsign).  Alternatively, the very top like also reads "Wouxun KG-935G" - can I place my callsign there and, if yes, how?

I don't see any entry in the software where one may enter short text/call sign for display.

On 12/24/2022 at 1:59 PM, WRVE426 said:

PS: I tried the CHRIP software tool too but I could not get it to work under Windows and Linux, but with Windows it does not see it, and with Linux I have permission problems so, if at all possible, use the radio without any programming software

You may have to go into the Windows device manager, find the COM device being used by the radio, and manually change it to be COM1. At least for the Wouxun software, which seems to lock on COM1 and ghost any selection choices. CHIRP might be able to use whatever COM# the cable was assigned by Windows, but you will have to track that down.

[MichaelLAX]

On 12/24/2022 at 10:59 AM, WRVE426 said:

Alternatively, the very top like also reads "Wouxun KG-935G" - can I place my callsign there and, if yes, how?

 

[WRVE426]

thank you MichaelLAX!!

[WRVE426]

54 minutes ago, KAF6045 said:

I don't see any entry in the software where one may enter short text/call sign for display.

You may have to go into the Windows device manager, find the COM device being used by the radio, and manually change it to be COM1. At least for the Wouxun software, which seems to lock on COM1 and ghost any selection choices. CHIRP might be able to use whatever COM# the cable was assigned by Windows, but you will have to track that down.

thanks, but now since I am back to my (Linux) comfort zone, I think I will stick to it!

But thank you for your clarification!

[KAF6045]

Hmmm, I must have missed that edit window when I looked at the programming software...

[WRVE426]

23 hours ago, KAF6045 said:

 At least for the Wouxun software, which seems to lock on COM1 and ghost any selection choices.

Which strongly suggest to me that the software was botched in its design.

I will go with CHIRP which I trust much more.