tk120 - Experimental Software for
the Yaesu VR-120 and VR-120D Receivers

Overview

tk120 is open source software designed for the Yaesu VR-120 and VR-120D receivers. Though tk120 is intended chiefly for Linux, MacOS X, and BSD users, it will work on Microsoft Windows (95 and later), too.

An introductory article about this software was published in August 2002 Monitoring Times magazine.

I worked with other VR-120 owners to develop tk120. The current, experimental version of tk120 works with USA, Japanese, and Export VR-120 and VR-120D models and can:

Read a memory image from a VR-120 receiver or from a file.
Using a graphical interface, display data from a memory image and let a user change various settings.
Permit access to an undocumented User Port option in the radio.
Sort memory channels by frequency or by label within any bank or all banks.
Check for duplicate frequencies.
Import and export memory channel data from and to a csv (comma-separated values) file.
Write a memory image back to the receiver or to a file.

I implemented tk120 in the Tcl/Tk scripting language which enables it to run on a variety of operating systems. I am looking for beta testers to try tk120 in the MacOS X environment. I have not tested it on other platforms, but it will probably work on them after little or no modification. The free Tcl/Tk interpreter software must be installed on your computer prior to using tk120.

tk120 is distributed free of charge, but it is neither shareware nor in the public domain. tk120 is a copyrighted work released under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation. tk120 is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

Memory Channel Files

tk120 can export memory channel data to a file. The memory channel data file is formated in csv (comma-separated values) format. The first line of the file is this heading:

	Ch,MHz,Mode,Pref,Label

All the other lines will contain these fields:


	Channel number (0 - 639)
	Frequency in MHz
	Mode, case insensitive (optional: am, nfm, wfm)
	Preferential flag p (optional)
	Label (an optional 6-char name)

This is a sample memory data .csv file:

	Ch,MHz,Mode,Pref,Label
	0,0.0000,nfm,,
	1,460.5250,nfm,p,"KENDP1"
	2,460.5750,nfm,p,"KC F1"
	3,460.3750,nfm,p,"KENDP2"
	4,462.9750,nfm,p,"KC F2"
	5,155.4750,nfm,p,"ISPERN"
	6,155.5800,,p,"OSW P"
	7,145.1700,nfm,,"IHRPTR"
	8,146.5200,nfm,,"HAM"
		...

When the mode for a memory channel imported from a CSV file is not specified, the mode will set according to the Auto Band plan.

You can use a separate text editor or spreadsheet program to create, edit, and print memory channel files. tk120.

Computer Interface Adaptor

You will need a suitable TTL-to-RS232 level adaptor to connect the radio to your computer serial port. A direct cable connection won't work and could damage the radio and/or computer serial port hardware. I use an RT Systems CT29A cable, sold for the VR-500. RT Systems sales staff may be contacted at sales@cloningsoftware.com. (Note: I am not affiliated with RT Systems).

Tsunetaka Mitsuyasu describes, in Japanese, his 2-transistor home made interface.

Stefano Sella IW3IBF describes, in Italian, a 2-transistor home made interface, but Rubens Monteiro Luciano PU2RML had to replace DZ1, the 4.7 volt Zener diode, with a 3.3 volt white LED acting as a Zener to make the circuit function properly with his VR-500.

Mr. Skinny uses a MAX-232 IC based interface.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Russell Hall, Gary Kinsman, and Torsten Grochowski for testing tk120. Jim Vincent, KC7RYD, and others helped by sending me image files from their VR-120s. Thanks to Dan Wanchic, WA8VZQ, for posting detailed information about the RDF file layout to the VR-500@yahoogroups.com email list.

tk120 is undergoing development. To download a beta test version, including source code, click on the appropriate link to the left.

Revised April 6, 2004

tk120 - Experimental Software for the Yaesu VR-120 and VR-120D Receivers

Overview

Memory Channel Files

Computer Interface Adaptor

Acknowledgments

tk120 - Experimental Software for
the Yaesu VR-120 and VR-120D Receivers