RT97S Software Install

[OffRoaderX]

I am testing a new automatic RepeaterID device for the RT97s, and when installing the programming software for the RT97S i am getting this question

- 

Did/does anyone else get this question when first running the install, and if so, what is the correct answer?

Software was downloaded from the support-section of the Retevis.com website.

[LeoG]

Choose paper for English.  And yes, everyone gets this same question.  Not sure if they think it's funny.  But it is.

Can't wait to see the video that emerges from this LOL

[SteveShannon]

Here’s a link to the video:

 

[LeoG]

Awwwwww...   No rock, paper, scissors.

[OffRoaderX]

37 minutes ago, LeoG said:

Awwwwww...   No rock, paper, scissors

Instead you got The Shining, Office Space and Emergency-51 !

[LeoG]

If I can ever get my repeater working properly I'll be getting one of those whether I need it or not.  My fars are being very limited.

[LeoG]

Maybe you can mention to the company that it might be nice to have a way to have the IDer and the microphone on at the same time.  Or a cable that can accommodate that.

[SteveShannon]

2 hours ago, LeoG said:

Maybe you can mention to the company that it might be nice to have a way to have the IDer and the microphone on at the same time.  Or a cable that can accommodate that.

Just talk through the repeater with a handheld while the IDer is connected.

[LeoG]

That's one way to do it.  But it has a mic and it'd be nice to still be able to use it.  I'm not always gonna have the radio on me (blaspheme ) , the mic is always there.  And yes, I can remove the IDer and plug the mic back in....

[SteveShannon]

10 minutes ago, LeoG said:

That's one way to do it.  But it has a mic and it'd be nice to still be able to use it.  I'm not always gonna have the radio on me (blaspheme ) , the mic is always there.  And yes, I can remove the IDer and plug the mic back in....

There are DB-9 switch boxes that accept two different cables and allow you to select which one to connect. I’ve used them for serial devices (20 years ago!)

[LeoG]

Maybe they still exist. 

 

Lots of my radio knowledge comes from that era and before.

[LeoG]

.

[SteveShannon]

7 minutes ago, LeoG said:

Maybe they still exist. 

 

Lots of my radio knowledge comes from that era and before.

They’re certainty still around, but they were designed around serial communications standards, not analog signals.  I don’t know if that’s compatible with the microphone and IDer. I’ll see if I can find a source.  It used to be Black Box.

Edit: I see you found one.

[LeoG]

Love how they say "Yes, people still use these"

[LeoG]

On 6/10/2024 at 10:05 PM, OffRoaderX said:

Instead you got The Shining, Office Space and Emergency-51 !

Hey Randy.  Wonder if you could do something for me.  It has to do with the Embedded Message.  It's found under the Edit tab in the RT97 programming software.  I asked Retevis about this and they said it was just a place to put a notation.  So I put my initials in the top line and the date I put it into action in the second line.  Unbeknownst to me that was the start of some issues.  I didn't realize it but this is when my problems with the receiving range of the repeater started.  I thought it was because of the rain because that's when I discovered it, right after the rain.  But I also programmed the Embedded Message with my initials and date.  It seemed to act like it was on squelch of 10.

 

When I started to fool around with it more trying to solve my problem I finally reprogrammed the whole thing.  Using the 450-500M band.  I did that and now I got no power out.  Kept playing and finally got it to transmit but now it was doing 5.3 watts.  It's always done 7.8 watts into my antenna.  I went back into the Embedded message and erased everything on both lines and then I was back up to 7.8 watts.

Originally there was some gibberish in both lines.  Maybe you want to copy and paste that somewhere so you can put it back.  Wanted to see if you would dare to go into the Embedded Message and erase everything to see if yours also went up to 7.8 watts.  Just make sure to record what the output is before and then after.

As long as there is nothing in both of those lines it seems to work.  Put anything in either line and my goes on super squelch and you can only get about 1/4 mile away before it'll receive anything.

 

Whadda you think?  Wanna give it a go?

[OffRoaderX]

22 minutes ago, LeoG said:

Hey Randy.  Wonder if you could do something for me

The RT97s I have right now is a loaner so I dont want to do anything to risk borking it.

[LeoG]

Oh.  I don't blame you.  I thought you might have paid for it with your own monies.  I haven't killed mine off yet.  I got it back to where it was before it started acting weird.

OK, here is a question for you that can't do any harm.  On the bottom right of the software panel after you read the RT97S it gives a frequency range. 

Does yours say UHF(400M-520M) or UHF(450M-520M)?

I put mine in 450-520 and it started saying 1.5 watts out.  Then I screwed around some more and got 5.3 watts.  Then I put it back to 400-520 and played for a while and got it back up to 7.8 watts.  Just bizzare.