I have an RS3 and a Harxon HX-DU9616D that I purchased from Emlid last summer. I’d need to program my FCC callsign and frequency allocations. The Harxon brochure mentions a bluetooth app, and I’ve seen mention of a Windows-based configuration tool. I haven’t been able to find either of those.
Does anyone know if there’s a bluetooth configuration tool?
If not, does anyone know where I can find that Windows-based configuration tool? And where I can find a cable adapter that I can plug into the cable provided with the radio kit? (or what the connector is called?) I have USB-serial adapters galore, but none of them have this particular connector.
If you haven’t already seen it, there’s a thread here regarding cables for Harxon that might help:
Yes, thank you, that does help. It looks like that cable will work just fine and I’ve ordered one.
I’m still not able to find the software, but I have found a few documents around the web that purport to document the serial protocol used to program, so I’ll try that if I can’t track it down.
Yes, a bit weird with no trace at all on the Harxon download page.
You could try this, igage are ok: Index of /Harxon/HX-DU8616D-Pro_V001.02.08.exe/
I don’t have a Harxon so can’t help further but be aware there could be some quirks, refer this thread: Harxon external radio config tool
Seems Emlid should help you since they sold it to you? Try @E38_Survey_Solutions
Thanks for the referral @timd1971
Strange that that isn’t provided, we send the following in an email to our customers on purchase of that radio kit:
Here is a link to our written guide on programming your radio.
Here is a link to download the necessary programming tool.
We have a video walkthrough as well.
Thank you!
It would have been nice to get that and a cable when I bought the radio, but oh well. There also isn’t a mention that in order to legally use the radio in the US, you must have an FCC license, and I think that would be worth noting.
Agreed, we do provide a cable and that info when you purchase with us. Here is a good resource for obtaining an FCC license. We went through them for our license and recieved it in around a month or so.
Hi @jonds Did I get it right that you purchase from Emlid Store US an RS3 and Harxon kit and you didn’t get the cable?
Hi @merryna.anggriani I purchased the Harxon kit from Emlid and I got exactly what it shows in the store. That is to say, it came with the radio itself, one cable to connect between the radio and an RS3, and one power cable.
The cable I’m asking about is one that will allow me to connect the radio to a computer (DB9 connector) so that I can program my callsign and frequency allocations into the radio. I don’t see that offered for sale, and the RS3 firmware doesn’t seem to have that ability.
The document that @E38_Survey_Solutions points to - External Long Range Radio Guide v1.2 - Google Drive - shows the process for programming and one variant of the cable.
Ah, I see! Thanks for the clarification. The USB to DB-9 cable is not customized and should be available in the electronics store.
Do I understand correctly that you’d like this information on our web store? I agree it would be helpful! Let me know, and I’ll be sure to discuss it with the team.
Hi @merryna.anggriani I definitely think it would be helpful if the web store would mention FCC licensing requirements (at least for US customers).
The USB-DB9 cable isn’t the one I’m referring to - those are pretty easy to find. The cable you need to program the radio has the LIMO connector on one end to plug into the Harxon, and a DB9 connector on the other with a power connector. The cable I purchased is this one: Trimble TDL450 Pacific Crest PDL4535 HPB450 35-watt Radio Programming Y Cable | eBay but I haven’t received it yet, so can’t confirm it works. @E38_Survey_Solutions has one that’s pretty much the same that they provide the Harxon radio, and I think a few other vendors do the same. It might be worth considering selling something like that separately and also getting the programming software from Harxon to provide as well.
That’s probably all a bit of work to do, but it would sure be helpful!
jonds is absolutely correct here, there is significant responsibility required in using UHF.
All countries have spectrum laws that regulate what is legal and compliant for both import and how it is used in each geography. This includes frequencies selected, the bandwidth, the power, the type of transmission, and even the duration of the transmission. And in the US your license call-sign also must be transmitted.
All of this varies between countries and can even vary across different areas within a country, such as we do in Australia. The goal is to manage spectrum congestion and interference, including for other critical communications. For example, I’m sure you wouldn’t be happy if you desperately needed an ambulance, but it didn’t arrive because someone nearby was illegally saturating the emergency dispatch frequency with RTK.
The way all of this is managed in each country is through licensing where the region spectrum authority does all the work and allocates the parameters for you to use in your license for your specific situation.
The industry has demonstrated a lot of responsibility and self-management for UHF, for example Pacific Crest and Trimble radio channel selection could only be done by a dealer for you using their dealer version of the configuration software or dongle…and only after you provided them with evidence of a valid license and its related conditions.
Note for Emlid users this applies to UHF and not Lora/900 MHz which by design far more open and very low power and the small amount of localization is self-managed within the receivers. UHF on the other hand has the potential to cause serious carnage within a community.
Hi @jonds @wombo, Thank you for the feedback and detailed explanation!
I agree that clarifying FCC licensing requirements on the web store would be helpful, especially for US customers. I’ll pass this along to the team for review.
Now, I understand that the cable you’re referring to is the DB9-5-pin-power supply. I am checking this.
Hi! For an update in this thread, we’re discussing this case and thinking of the best solution that we can have.
Does that cable in your picture also power the rs3 or is it just power for the the radio? Is it just data for the rs3 to the radio?
The cable I purchased does have a connector for power. Be careful and check the polarity. The cable I got to connect between my power source and that cable had positive and negative reversed so I needed to use an adapter.
I just got my harxon radio. Have you ever used the Bluetooth option on the radio?