Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transceiver Programming - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

AnalogueMan · 16th Jun 2023, 8:02 pm

I've been gifted one of these 'as-is', it's working but will need to be programmed for use on the 2m band. Does anyone have the programming software or know where I can get it? A search online brings up a few places that purport to have it for download but the links just take you to dead sites or porn. There are others that claim to sell it but it also seems there are numerous versions for different radios and I'm loath to risk money on something that might be the wrong one. Can anyone advise? Is there any way to program channels without the software?

SiriusHardware · 16th Jun 2023, 10:58 pm

There is a list here which states that the ICOM programming software you require for that radio is called 'CS-F1000'.

https://www.ameradio.com/doc/Icom-Pr...able-guide.pdf

It's quite a long list so once you have the page up, hit CTRL-F and enter IC-F1010 into the search box which pops up.

In the short time I spent looking I didn't (yet) find that software lying about anywhere.

Obtaining the software is only the first step - most likely you will need an oldish, possibly even DOS computer with a serial port and to that you will need to add a programming cable, either homebrew or bought.

It might be worth asking / searching around to see if anyone (like a PMR radio supplier) can program these to your requirements for a modest fee - it could work out to be the cheapest way to get it working the way you want it to.

SiriusHardware · 17th Jun 2023, 9:32 am

From the same site (American unfortunately) the software is offered but without a stated price:

https://www.ameradio.com/product/8194/description.html

It does usefully state that the models supported by the software are:

Quote:

IC-F1010N
IC-F1020
IC-F2010 N/W
IC-F2020

On the same page there are contact details, including email address, for the company - you could drop them a line and you might get a civilised reply, they might at least confirm that the software is the right version for your set.

AnalogueMan · 19th Jun 2023, 6:22 pm

I tried a large UK PMR company who list programming among their services and they said they specifically exclude anything to do with Amateur frequencies so sorry but no.
I'll try emailing those guys you suggest, and if I get no joy there I might be forced to risk 25 quid on one of the ones floating around on Ebay.

G6Tanuki · 19th Jun 2023, 7:05 pm

In times-past I had a bunch of PMR gear that was sold by a company called "Communique" in London; it was early synthesized stuff which was great because you could hook up your 4.77MHz IBM-PC and squirt TX/RX frequencies and associated CTCSS/5-tone codes into them rather than having to mess around and wait to get crystals ground for you.

A decade back I rediscovered one of these radios, and built an interface that supposedly would let me program it. Even found the original DOS3 software somewhere online.... but couldn't get my Toshiba laptop [the only thing I had that still included a RS232 port] to clock sufficiently slow to run it.

I gather that there are people with New-Zealand-built Tait radios that have had similar programming issues. These early-in-the-evolutionary-chain flashable radios rapidly became superseded, just as Trunked PMR took over and then was in turn displaced by cellphones.

SiriusHardware · 19th Jun 2023, 10:26 pm

Icom radios of this period typically have the ability to 'clone' their contents to another identical radio using a simple 'cloning' cable which cross connects the radios' RX and TX data lines in the appropriate manner - you'd need to look at the user manual (which I think is online) to see if that is the case with this particular set, but if it proves to be the case then plan B might be to find someone - ideally in your local area - who already has one of these on amateur frequencies and attempt to clone its programming to yours.

One other thing I checked was the popular, free, radio programming software CHIRP which partly or wholly supports the programming of a great many radios including quite a few PMR sets but all I could find was a request from someone, about 9 years ago, that the IC-F1010 be added to CHIRP's supported radios list. Unfortunately this does not ever seem to have been implemented.

Another line of attack might be to identify the memory device in the radio in which the programming is held, read its contents out, save a copy of it so that it can be reverted back to and then change the state of one single bit at a time to see which property is altered -or- to narrow things down - change one bit, check to see if it has changed any of the channel TX frequencies and if not, put it back the way it was and alter the state of another bit and so on until you eventually find one which changes the TX frequency of one channel. Then, you note to what extent changing that bit altered the frequency (by how many channel steps did it change?) By this means you ultimately work out how to manipulate the stored contents of the memory to change the settings, particularly the TX and RX frequencies, thereby bypassing the need for the proprietary programming software altogether. Yes, it is a very time consuming process. Definitely one for the bit-twiddlers.

SiriusHardware · 19th Jun 2023, 11:45 pm

IC-F1010 service manual is available via this link here:

https://www.manualslib.com/download/...-Ic-F1010.html

It does indeed show that the radio has a cloning interface, which will also be the interface to which any PC programming software and cable have to connect.

The likely suspect in terms of the memory device which will hold the alterable programming is the X25160SI EEPROM IC, IC27. This is unfortunately a surface mount IC which would make hackery even harder.

kellys_eye · 20th Jun 2023, 9:37 pm

Can't vouch for its suitability or operability but I have the IC F1000 and F1020 software.

PM me.

SiriusHardware · 21st Jun 2023, 6:37 am

If those are separate versions of software, CS-F2000 and CS-F1000 respectively, then CS-F1000 should work.

The software for the ICF1000 and ICF2000 (VHF and UHF handhelds respectively) is CS-F2000, but that does not apear to support the F1010 mobile.

Quote:

Icom IC-F1000 & IC-F2000 Programming Software
Icom CS-F2000 is the official programming software for Icom IC-F1000 VHF and Icom IC-F2000 UHF series two way radios.

Not for the digital version F2000D. This is for the non-D version of the F1000/F2000 radios. For the IC-F1000D or IC-F2000D software you will need CS-F2000D software which is a different download.

Compatible Radios
Radios which can be programmed using the CS-F2000 software are as follows.

Icom IC-F1000
Icom IC-F1000S
Icom IC-F1000T
Icom IC-F2000
Icom IC-F2000S
Icom IC-F2000T

AnalogueMan · 21st Jun 2023, 10:26 am

Thanks to the kind generosity of kellys_eye I'm now in posession of a folder rammed full of assorted Icom software. I'll go through, have a play about and report back. Watch this space!

Omegaman · 21st Jun 2023, 2:37 pm

I do have the software and lead/interface you require, but it would take a little time to find it. It will work in Windows 98 but nothing newer.
I'm not 100% certain, but the genuine software may not let you programme 2M as it falls outside the spec of the radio. I may be wrong, but it's years since I worked on these.

AnalogueMan · 21st Jun 2023, 5:57 pm

If you could look them out when you have time that would be really helpful. I probably have the software courtesy of kellys_eye but I'd still need to make an interface lead and having one to copy from would save lots of effort

kellys_eye · 21st Jun 2023, 7:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnalogueMan

If you could look them out when you have time that would be really helpful. I probably have the software courtesy of kellys_eye but I'd still need to make an interface lead and having one to copy from would save lots of effort

ISTR seeing some schematics of programming connectors amongst the files you now have. Look for the jpg files.

WB6NVH-GEOFF · 21st Jun 2023, 8:50 pm

CS-F2000 is Windows software and runs fine on XP.

I just went through this process when I rescued a UHF radio at a flea market. I got the programming cable on eBay from an Oriental source for something like 12 US Dollars, which was a lot cheaper than my time to make one. I prefer the cables that use a serial port rather than a USB interface as USB can be dodgy thanks to counterfeit chips and missing drivers while straight serial works great the first time and every time.

I had no trouble entering UHF amateur frequencies for an IC F2020 but have not tried the VHF version,

16th Jun 2023, 8:02 pm	#1
AnalogueMan Hexode Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 256	Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transceiver Programming I've been gifted one of these 'as-is', it's working but will need to be programmed for use on the 2m band. Does anyone have the programming software or know where I can get it? A search online brings up a few places that purport to have it for download but the links just take you to dead sites or porn. There are others that claim to sell it but it also seems there are numerous versions for different radios and I'm loath to risk money on something that might be the wrong one. Can anyone advise? Is there any way to program channels without the software?

16th Jun 2023, 10:58 pm	#2
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,605	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transciever Programming There is a list here which states that the ICOM programming software you require for that radio is called 'CS-F1000'. https://www.ameradio.com/doc/Icom-Pr...able-guide.pdf It's quite a long list so once you have the page up, hit CTRL-F and enter IC-F1010 into the search box which pops up. In the short time I spent looking I didn't (yet) find that software lying about anywhere. Obtaining the software is only the first step - most likely you will need an oldish, possibly even DOS computer with a serial port and to that you will need to add a programming cable, either homebrew or bought. It might be worth asking / searching around to see if anyone (like a PMR radio supplier) can program these to your requirements for a modest fee - it could work out to be the cheapest way to get it working the way you want it to.

19th Jun 2023, 6:22 pm	#4
AnalogueMan Hexode Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 256	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transciever Programming I tried a large UK PMR company who list programming among their services and they said they specifically exclude anything to do with Amateur frequencies so sorry but no. I'll try emailing those guys you suggest, and if I get no joy there I might be forced to risk 25 quid on one of the ones floating around on Ebay.

19th Jun 2023, 7:05 pm	#5
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 14,015	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transciever Programming In times-past I had a bunch of PMR gear that was sold by a company called "Communique" in London; it was early synthesized stuff which was great because you could hook up your 4.77MHz IBM-PC and squirt TX/RX frequencies and associated CTCSS/5-tone codes into them rather than having to mess around and wait to get crystals ground for you. A decade back I rediscovered one of these radios, and built an interface that supposedly would let me program it. Even found the original DOS3 software somewhere online.... but couldn't get my Toshiba laptop [the only thing I had that still included a RS232 port] to clock sufficiently slow to run it. I gather that there are people with New-Zealand-built Tait radios that have had similar programming issues. These early-in-the-evolutionary-chain flashable radios rapidly became superseded, just as Trunked PMR took over and then was in turn displaced by cellphones. __________________ I'm the Operator of my Pocket Calculator. -Kraftwerk.

19th Jun 2023, 10:26 pm	#6
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,605	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transciever Programming Icom radios of this period typically have the ability to 'clone' their contents to another identical radio using a simple 'cloning' cable which cross connects the radios' RX and TX data lines in the appropriate manner - you'd need to look at the user manual (which I think is online) to see if that is the case with this particular set, but if it proves to be the case then plan B might be to find someone - ideally in your local area - who already has one of these on amateur frequencies and attempt to clone its programming to yours. One other thing I checked was the popular, free, radio programming software CHIRP which partly or wholly supports the programming of a great many radios including quite a few PMR sets but all I could find was a request from someone, about 9 years ago, that the IC-F1010 be added to CHIRP's supported radios list. Unfortunately this does not ever seem to have been implemented. Another line of attack might be to identify the memory device in the radio in which the programming is held, read its contents out, save a copy of it so that it can be reverted back to and then change the state of one single bit at a time to see which property is altered -or- to narrow things down - change one bit, check to see if it has changed any of the channel TX frequencies and if not, put it back the way it was and alter the state of another bit and so on until you eventually find one which changes the TX frequency of one channel. Then, you note to what extent changing that bit altered the frequency (by how many channel steps did it change?) By this means you ultimately work out how to manipulate the stored contents of the memory to change the settings, particularly the TX and RX frequencies, thereby bypassing the need for the proprietary programming software altogether. Yes, it is a very time consuming process. Definitely one for the bit-twiddlers.

19th Jun 2023, 11:45 pm	#7
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,605	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transciever Programming IC-F1010 service manual is available via this link here: https://www.manualslib.com/download/...-Ic-F1010.html It does indeed show that the radio has a cloning interface, which will also be the interface to which any PC programming software and cable have to connect. The likely suspect in terms of the memory device which will hold the alterable programming is the X25160SI EEPROM IC, IC27. This is unfortunately a surface mount IC which would make hackery even harder.

20th Jun 2023, 9:37 pm	#8
kellys_eye Octode Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Oban, Scotland, UK. Posts: 1,129	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transciever Programming Can't vouch for its suitability or operability but I have the IC F1000 and F1020 software. PM me.

21st Jun 2023, 10:26 am	#10
AnalogueMan Hexode Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 256	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transceiver Programming Thanks to the kind generosity of kellys_eye I'm now in posession of a folder rammed full of assorted Icom software. I'll go through, have a play about and report back. Watch this space!

21st Jun 2023, 2:37 pm	#11
Omegaman Hexode Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 250	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transceiver Programming I do have the software and lead/interface you require, but it would take a little time to find it. It will work in Windows 98 but nothing newer. I'm not 100% certain, but the genuine software may not let you programme 2M as it falls outside the spec of the radio. I may be wrong, but it's years since I worked on these. __________________ Howard G7AJN/M3OCL "How hard can it be?" - Jeremy Clarkson

21st Jun 2023, 5:57 pm	#12
AnalogueMan Hexode Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 256	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transceiver Programming If you could look them out when you have time that would be really helpful. I probably have the software courtesy of kellys_eye but I'd still need to make an interface lead and having one to copy from would save lots of effort

21st Jun 2023, 8:50 pm	#14
WB6NVH-GEOFF Tetrode Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Monterey, California USA Posts: 51	Re: Icom IC-F1010 VHF Transceiver Programming CS-F2000 is Windows software and runs fine on XP. I just went through this process when I rescued a UHF radio at a flea market. I got the programming cable on eBay from an Oriental source for something like 12 US Dollars, which was a lot cheaper than my time to make one. I prefer the cables that use a serial port rather than a USB interface as USB can be dodgy thanks to counterfeit chips and missing drivers while straight serial works great the first time and every time. I had no trouble entering UHF amateur frequencies for an IC F2020 but have not tried the VHF version,