How To I Add Firmware Update To Gd-77

Update 10/3/2021
The firmware and related files are dorsum online and can be accessed at https://www.opengd77.com/downloads/. I volition piece of work to get all the links updated in this article.

The Radioditty GD-77 is a popular entry level DMR capable radio with a reasonable price point. Nevertheless the default firmware/software is not actually geared towards amateurs, especially if y'all have a ton of repeaters you want to load onto the radio.

Enter the OpenGD77 firmware and CPS written by Roger Clark. It'due south a consummate overhaul of the firmware and offers a bunch of features not institute in the original firmware while removing the unnecessary ones (similar encryption). If yous are going to be using a GD-77 as a ham you need to employ this firmware.

The User Guide for OpenGD77 is excellent and I would recommend giving it a read but I wanted to make a mail service specifically about upgrading the firmware on the radio so one doesn't have to go hunting through the user guide.

Prerequisites

A Radioditty GD-77 running the latest official firmware
The Radioditty programming cablevision
A Windows calculator
- Verified working on Windows 10
An Amateur radio license and DMR Radio ID

Earlier getting into the nitty gritty of everything let'southward first make sure that everything we demand is downloaded onto the computer. This includes both the official firmware besides as the OpenGD77 Firmware and CPS.

Official Firmware: https://world wide web.radioddity.com/pages/radioddity-download

OpenGD77 Firmware: https://opengd77.com/downloads/releases/ (Navigate to folder with latest appointment -> Firmware -> OpenGD77.bin)

OpenGD77 CPS: https://opengd77.com/downloads/CPS/

OpenGD77 FirmwareLoader: https://opengd77.com/downloads/releases/ (Navigate to binder with latest date -> sources_and_tools -> OpenGD77_FirmwareLoaders.zip)

I'd recommend not installing the pre-release/evolution versions until you're comfortable with the installation and use of the CPS and firmware. I never actually ran into any issues with the stable releases.

CPS Installation

First we're going to get the OpenGD77 CPS installed which volition also install the necessary drivers. You may go a Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warning which can exist safely ignored. To become by it click More Info and cull Run Anyway.

Click through the pop-upward and proceed with the installation. You tin choose to install it in whatsoever binder you want but make certain when y'all get to the end of the installation to choose Install OpenGD77 Comm port driver. You lot don't take to launch the CPS at this fourth dimension but if you want to you lot can.

Updating Official Firmware

Equally of the fourth dimension of this post the latest official firmware is v4.3.half-dozen. You can check this on your radio by going into the card (green button) so Set -> Radio Info -> Dev. Info and and then scroll downward to Soft-Version. If the latest official firmware yous tin can download and the version on your radio match and then yous're proficient to skip this section. Otherwise read on.

Showtime plug in your radio and become it into DFU mode past pressing the S1 and Fn buttons downwardly and turning the radio on. Those are the two buttons beneath the PTT button. If you lot did this correctly the screen volition be blank and the LED volition be lit up green.

Unzip the file you downloaded from Radioditty, open it in Explorer and follow this binder navigation: $Date GD-77 CPS and Firmware Changelog -> Firmware Software $version -> Update Software -> Eng $version and you lot should come across something like this.

Run the Update.exe program equally an Administrator. I don't know why but I ran into a lot of problems updating firmware if I didn't run the updater as an admin. It should cull the right COM port for you lot but if y'all have multiple devices using COM ports y'all'll need to select the right one. For me it's COM1.

Click the Scan push button and navigate to the sgl file, it should be two directories up. Then printing the Download push which will send the file to your radio. Information technology should look something like this.

Expect until you see the Update Success popup and then y'all can close out of the application. Ability bicycle your radio and verify that the firmware has been updated.

Upgrading to OpenGD77 Firmware

Now that y'all're on the latest official firmware you can upgrade to the OpenGD77 firmware. You can apply either the FirmwareLoader.exe standalone program or the CPS to update the firmware. I'll run through each below.

Much like before plug in your radio and get information technology into DFU mode past pressing the S1 and Fn buttons downward and turning the radio on. Those are the two buttons beneath the PTT button. If you did this correctly the screen will be blank and the LED will be lit upwards green.

Run FirmwareLoader.exe as an Administrator. Cull your radio type (GD-77) and select either Download & Update or Select a File & Update. If y'all choose the Download option it will automatically download the latest stable version and install it for you. Otherwise navigate to the firmware file you downloaded.

This procedure should only accept a minute or 2 and when it's finished power bike the radio. Verify the firmware version by going into the menu (green button) and navigating to Firmware Info in the menu.

The process using the CPS is similar. After getting the radio into DFU fashion run the OpenGD77 CPS equally an Administrator. Information technology will either open up a blank codeplug or whatever codeplug y'all last had open.

Navigate to Extras -> Firmware Loader and choose your radio version. In this case select Download & Update. Navigate to the latest Stable version and cull Select and Go along.

Similar before this process should only take a minute or two and when information technology's finished power cycle the radio. Verify the firmware version by going into the menu (light-green button) and navigating to Firmware Info in the menu.

Side by side up is an extremely important part that you must not skip.

Backing Upwardly The Of import Bits

Before doing anything else you need to back up the "important bits" of your radio and put them somewhere prophylactic. This includes the EEPROM, the Flash and the MCU ROM. If you don't back these upward you may not be able to go back to the "stock" firmware.

Plug in your radio, plow information technology on and change to a channel that isn't in use. Open up the OpenGD77 CPS and navigate to Extras -> OpenGD77 Back up. It should expect something similar this.

Select Backup EEPROM and when information technology finishes select a location for the saved file. Give it unique proper name with the appointment y'all backed it up. Do the same thing with the Flash and MCU ROM.

Put these files somewhere prophylactic similar on a network drive or Google Drive or OneDrive or something similar. You lot don't want to lose them in case y'all need them.

Downloading a Clean Codeplug

Before making whatsoever changes to the radio with either a codeplug you downloaded from the cyberspace or building your own I would recommend downloading the data from the radio and creating a "clean" codeplug. Sometimes things can get weird with a codeplug and having a clean 1 you tin load to reset things can be helpful.

Thankfully the process is pretty simple. Plug in your radio, plow it on and switch to a channel that isn't in use. Navigate to Plan -> Read or press Ctrl-R. This will read the information from the radio into the CPS. You tin can then save this codeplug out somewhere condom if you need it later.

Next Steps

From here yous can start edifice your own codeplug based off the "clean" i or you can load a codeplug you've downloaded. I created a variation on the codeplug that K1ST created and it can be found here. His original version can be found here as well.

Mine contains the NEDECN DMR repeaters and some analog repeaters in the surface area. The zones are carve up upward by state and include all possible talkgroups for each state. Refer to published TG lists for your repeaters. Feel gratis to change this codeplug too!

If you are using an external codeplug make sure you change the Callsign and Radio ID from whatever information technology is in the codeplug. Yous should also make sure you lot ready these values if you are building your own.

If you don't have a Radio ID delight sign upwardly at https://www.radioid.cyberspace/#! and get your own before standing. This requires a valid amateur radio license.

For aid with programming and using the radio please refer to the official User Guide linked above.

Going Back To The Original Firmware

If you ever find yourself wanting to go back to the original firmware the process is relatively easy assuming you backed upwards the EEPROM and Flash before y'all programmed the radio.

Similar before plug in your radio, turn it on and change to a aqueduct that isn't in use. Open up the OpenGD77 CPS and navigate to Extras -> OpenGD77 Support. It should look something like this.

However instead of Backup EEPROM/Flash we're choosing Restore EEPROM/Flash. Beginning with EEPROM and navigate to where you lot restored the file and choose Open. Brand sure you're selecting the EEPROM file and not the Wink file as they're both .bin files.

Repeat the process with the Wink file. This procedure will take slightly longer than the EEPROM restore.

Your radio should at present exist back to the state it was in earlier you loaded whatever Codeplugs onto it. You can at present install the original firmware onto the radio following the steps from Updating Official Firmware above.

If you have any questions shoot me an email (kc1oip AT arrl DOT internet) or detect me on the NEDECN DMR network with callsign KC1OIP.

How To I Add Firmware Update To Gd-77,

Source: https://farewell-ladmin.com/upgrading-the-gd-77-to-the-opengd77-firmware/#:~:text=Run%20FirmwareLoader.exe%20as%20an,the%20firmware%20file%20you%20downloaded.

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