DriveR8 Control Program Suite
Supported Rigs: Alinco DX-R8 Receiver and DX-SR8 / SR9 Transceivers.
The DriveR8 Control Program Suite
consists of two programs. Then main DriveR8
Control Program and the DriveR8Convert
Utility Program.
- DriveR8 Control
Program - the original control program for controlling
and loading and saving of data to/from the Alinco
DX-R8 Communications Receiver and the Alinco
DX-SR8/SR9 Transceivers.
- DriveR8
Convert Utility Program - for reading CSV data files and
converting them to DrivR8 Control Program format data files.
These programs run on Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11.
The DriveR8 Control Program
is currently Freeware with a Careware/Charity
status and objective. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Careware).
Please Donate to my
supported charity which I would very much appreciate, as will they,
and will keep me developing and supporting the programs.
The DriveR8 ConvertUtility Program
is currently Freeware.
Both programs work individually of each other and each has their own version
numbers and release cycles.
Please note that the DriveR8 Control Program also requires
the separate installation of the necessary Serial Driver for your
interface device to be able to control the receiver.
For
Apple
PC/MAC users using BOOTCAMP, PARALLELS or VMware to run Windows then you
should be able to run DriveR8 on your system. If not then please let
me know.
DriveR8 Current Release
Information
Antivirus Programs and False Positives
Note! I check all my software before uploading with Malwarebytes Pro and
Microsoft Windows Defender Antivirus. In addition I use
VirusTotal.com to confirm as they have over 60 scanner engines.
Despite these actions you may find that your AntiVirus/Security software
may flag my software. This is generally because I use a source
protection obfuscater which confuses them.
In the table below you will find the MD5, SHA256 signatures and also the
VirusTotal.com SHA256 report for DriveR8 files. You should check
these reports for yourself and then decide if you want to create an
exception in your AV software. If you are still unsure or unhappy
then please file a false positive report with your Antivirus Software
Vendor.
Patch / Bug Release - NONE
NOTE - Patch / Bug Release EXE files
*must* be installed into the DriveR8 Current Release program
folder. If you are a new DriveR8 user then you must
install the full Current Release
and then apply the Patch EXE. A
patch EXE file will not work on its own.
Current Release - V2.8.0.0 - 22 June 2021
The current release version, files, MD5 and SHA256 checksums are as
detailed in the table below:
Version
|
File
|
MD5
/ SHA256 Checksums
|
Date
|
V2.8.0.0
|
DriveR8_V2800 |
165238AE696C7D66C8BC3209172668B7
4D84CD5EF3990A9CA306593AD765E246B156789CE4EC9983F5EBBFEBEC0000D0
VirusTotal |
22 June 2021 |
| V2.8.0.0 |
DriveR8.exe |
2CCDD097EAFB4E8D155CEACCE68F591C
6795A120BC357DAE9DA5137A04072D741CCBA45272F39397FFB9D08285A72585
VirusTotal
|
22 June 2021 |
NEW in V2.8.0.0
- Add - WAV Recording To Sub Directories
- Add - Memory Bank Data Sort and Commit back to Receiver's Memory Banks
- Add - Add/Use/Replace programs internal Recording Play with system's
default player - also fixes mciSendString error with long file name
- Add - Power OFF confirmation dialogue
- Add - Add audio file name to BASS error Message Box
- Add - Allow optional READLINE / READEVENT non sticky setting in ini
file - default still READEVENT
- Add - Auto/User Status Interval setting display label
- Add - Write Serial Port/COM error info the Runlog file
- Add - Port List, Port Used and Model to Runlog
- Add - Size check and delete of Runlog file
- Add - Retrieval of Memory Name Tag if Memory Bank not already loaded
Fixes
in
V2.8.0.0
- Fix - Incorrect date DAY format - should be 0d/mm/yy and not just
d/mm/yy - causes BASS recording error
- Fix - Bass.BASS_RecordGetInput(0, vbNull) - Invalid Parameter
occasional thrown
- Fix - Record Stop not re-enabling Options sample rate change combobox
- Fix - Changing Memory Bank AGC-F to AGC-S does not stick - wrong byte
offset coded
- Fix - Memory Name Display being cleared when selecting another memory
bank with no memory number set/specified
Known Issues in V2.8.0.0
IMPORTANT
Not all model variants of the Alinco DX-R and DX-S series of receivers are
known to the Author at this time. If your model is not recognised by
the DriveR8 program then DriveR8 assumes it can tune your receiver from
135kHz to 30Mz. If recognition fails you will receive a message asking
you to email the author with the information requested in the message.
The program will continue to work but the minimum and maximum frequency will
be limited to 135kHz to 30MHz.
ALSO I've had an anonymous comment from a user that their model is
a DX-SR9T but DriveR8 identifies it as a DX-SR9J and DriveR8 errors and
fails to connect (AL~SR_IQM error). This is interesting as all the
Alinco information I have indicates that all SR9 models support the IQ
function. Clearly something is odd here. Firmware saying it is a
SR9J model but machine is badged SR9T and IQ function not present when it
should be! I need to know about any of these sorts of errors so I can
investigate and correct the DriveR8 software - SO
PLEASE email me if you come across any
error! To Download the current
version please got to DriveR8
Download page.
All documentation, including the User Manual is included in this download.
Previous Release
Details can be found here:
Next Release will/possibly have:
- Bug fixes (if any - see known issues above)
- Possibly - Anything else users ask me for
Thanks to Everyone
Just a note to say thanks to everyone using my program. With each
release not only are new functions being added BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY those
bugs (silly or large) that people care to tell me about are getting
fixed. So if you see/experience a bug of any description then please
let me know.
I would really like all comments,
suggestions and feedback from anyone using DriveR8. I only have a
handful users at this time (unlike the many 1000s for Scan125) so DriveR8
is in it's infancy state and thus the future of the program development is
very much in the user's hands as it was for Scan125.
DriveR8
Control Program 
(for Alinco DX-R8, DX-SR8 and DX-SR Communications Rigs)
Please Donate to my supported charity which I would
very much appreciate, as will they, and will keep me developing and
supporting the programs.
The program is currently Freeware
(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeware)
with a Careware/Charity status and
objective. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Careware)
and operates with no time or other restrictions. The author reserves
the right to change the program status and limitations on any future
release. Existing releases will retain their status and your right to
use them but support may not be available.
The Alinco DX-R8E is a Worldwide region orientated receiver. The
DX-R8T is the equivalent US/Canadian region orientated receiver. They
are very similar but not identical.
This program supports both the DX-R8E and DX-R8T Receivers. In
addition the DX-SR8 and DX-SR9 Transceivers are supported but not all
functions. I must point out that as I only have the DX-R8E receiver I
have to rely on people who have the other models in being very helpful by
testing and reporting issues. If you find a problem/issue with any of
the supported models then *please* let me know so I can try and resolve it.
DriveR8 is written in Visual Basic and .NET V4.5. The program is
currently portable and will run from any "user" directory it is placed
in. It also currently makes no registry changes or any other system
changes, no required network connections etc. so is benign in nature and
operation and protects your privacy. If a Windows system directory,
like Program Files, is chosen then administrator rights will have to be
assigned to the program. For security reasons it is
suggested/recommended that a User directory is chosen.
The program also makes no hidden calls home and will not automatically check
for program updates by default. There are however some functions that
the user can manually invoke which will make a URL connection to my DriveR8
website. Also a program option can be set to allow it to check my
websites for updates every "n" days,
as set by user.
The Program also requires the installation of the Uniden_Universal_Driver
USB/serial driver which is available for download on this site.
For
Apple
PC/MAC users using BOOTCAMP, PARALLELS or VMware to run Windows then you
should be able to run DriveR8 on your system. If not then please let
me know.
Screen Shots
Everybody wants to know how a program looks so here is a screen shot.
If you view the manual
then more will be revealed.
For the Alinco DX-R8 Receiver you will see
this:
For the Alinco DX-SR8 and DX-SR9
Transceivers you will see this:
Functions And Features And History
The User Manual
is the comprehensive place to see and understand this program.
The History file details
program development features and bug fixes.
To Download the current version of
DriveR8 please got to DriveR8
Download page.
Please see the Program and Driver
Installation section of the User
Manual for program download and installation instructions.
All documentation, including the User Manual is included in this download.
User Manual
You can view the user manual here.
The manual is included in the software download which can be found on
the DriveR8
Download page/directory.
Program Driver Installation
Required
Please see the Program and Driver
Installation section of the User
Manual.
To control your Alinco receiver from your PC you will need either the Alinco ERW-7 Interface Cable or an
alternative USB to Serial Interface Cable. If you do not already have
a USB driver installed for your interface cable then you will have to
download and install the appropriate driver. The Alinco ERW-7
Interface uses the Future Technology Devices International FDTI Chip for
which the driver can be found on their www.fdtichip.com website.
Software
and
Hardware Requirements
The programs is written in .NET Visual Basic (V4.5) as a portable
applications that has no install program and does not make Windows Registry
changes.. This means that basically it will only run on a Windows PC
that has .NET V4.5 installed. I've not researched the Linux and Apple
platforms to see if they can support .NET based applications. If they
do and you can get this program to work on any other platform, e.g. Linux
and under Wine then please let me know and I will put the details here for
others to see.
For
Apple
PC/MAC users using BOOTCAMP, PARALLELS or VMware to run Windows then you
should be able to run DriveR8 on your system. If not then please let
me know.
Bug Reporting
At the bottom of this page, in the programs and in the User Manual you will
find my contact Email address.
I will do my best to fix any bugs that you hopefully do not find. If
you are reporting a bug then please give me as much information as you
can. Operating system (e.g. Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10 or MAC),
sequence of events or actions that you went through, and anything else that
may assist me.
I cannot guarantee to fix all bugs, nor agree a time frame for any
fixes. Having said this, as previously stated I will do my best.
I do guarantee that I will acknowledge your bug report as soon as I can,
providing I can contact you via a valid Email address.
If you do not wish to be contacted then say so in your bug report. I
will then just note the problem and delete your Email and associated
address at my end. See my Privacy
Policy.
Function Requests and Suggestions
Just below and at the bottom of this page, in the program and in the User
Manual you will find my contact Email address.
I welcome any Function Requests and/or Suggestions. I cannot guarantee
to implement them, nor a time frame if I decide to. If you are
contacting me to suggest function or make suggestions then it will be to
both our benefits if I can respond to you via Email.
If you do not
wish to be contacted then say so in your Email. I will then just
note the request/suggestion and delete your Email and associated address
at my end. See my Privacy Policy.
Support and Contact Information
If you want or need to contact me about this program then please Email:
| DriveR8 |
@ |
nick-bailey |
. |
co |
. |
uk
|
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© Nick Bailey 2016-2022