Yaesu has finally released ADMS-16 for programming the FTM-500DR. I bought one a few months back and the software wasn’t available then, and it isn’t supported by CHIRP yet, so I faced either paying $$$ for RT Systems’ solution or programming manually. At first manual was fine. I have about ten repeaters that go every new radio for initial setup. Then another twenty or so go in while I develop the cheat-cards I keep with each model radio to remind me how to do things manually if I forget. The more I thought about how I’d use this new radio though the less appealing manually programming hundreds of repeaters gave me pause. I already compromised and got the radio knowing I couldn’t use memory banks like I do on my FT5. Was I going to compromise here too?
I ended up spending the $25 on the RT software and it was some of the best money I’ve spent in awhile. Not only was the learning curve practically non-existent the flexibility that comes baked-in with its import feature meant I was able to export my FT5’s config to an CSV, define the headers, and have all my repeaters programmed in less than 20 minutes. I was so pleased I bought the software for the FT5 and my 2730A also because, I’ve decided, after spending hundreds on these radios another $25-per for the convenience of having a common interface to program them with was money well spent.
The hardware has been out long enough users have learned to do without. It requires a firmware update on the radio to use, and it doesn’t appear that update is going to add the much-loved memory banks. It appears to only correct some bugs that this user so far hasn’t experienced. I’ll still probably update the firmware eventually after there’s been some time for other users to flesh out any new bugs. As for ADMS-16, who cares?