Yaesu VX-2E E2
 

VX-2 R (VX 2 R VX2R) European settings
Just came back from a 'business' trip to the USA and we brought some VX-2R portables.

But, I soon found out the deviation of these out-of-the-box rigs is FAR TOO HIGH for our european standard 3 kHz peak deviation system.

I found an alignment sheet on the 'VX-2R yahoo pages' but apparently with a BIG ERROR in the menu entrance section: here is how it goes really.

  • Press FW - MD - 'internet' simultanuusly while powering on.
  • Now you enter the menu settings for 440 MHz band. Rotate dial until you see 'DEV' in the left upper corner.
  • Press V/M and change setting to '49'
  • Press V/M to memorise
  • change band to 144 MHz
  • Rotate dial again until you see 'DEV'
  • Press V/M and change setting to '46'
  • Press V/M to memorise
  • exit by pressing 'HM'

And now you have a wonderful sounding radio.

 

version modification
On a factory fresh E2 model you will have following virtual jumper settings that you can edit with comamander VX-2:
1
2 tick
3
4 tick
5 tick
6 
7
8
Byte 11 E2

Hardware settings
Byte 7 file E2 saved E2
Byte 8 file 02 saved 02
Byte 9 file 02 saved 02

Other
Byte 12 02
Byte 13 02
Byte 14 01 (even if no wide TX is available!)

Just do the following to get TX expansion as follows with following ARS setting not getting lost:

140,0-173,995 Mhz. with ARS -0,600 Mhz. between 145,6-145,8 Mhz.

420,0-470,0 Mhz. with ARS -7,6 Mhz. between 438,2-439,445 Mhz.

Just remove the tick from the virtual jumper 5, byte 11 will change to F2, save to the radio and you´re all set.

Nothing else will change in the radio!

Always remember to transmit within the range you are allowed to, do not risk your license.

Vy 73 de Axel DD8GR/LU2HLR/JA1TEI

 
Frequency expansion for VX-2E
This is how expand RX and TX range of Yaesu VX2E.

New range: TX: 120 to 220 MHz, and 300 to 500 MHz.
RX: 0,5-137, 137-174, 174-420, 420-470, 470-800, 805-999 MHz.

Remove the battery, and remove the adhesive under the battery.

Now you can see 8 jumpers.

Short only the JP2 and JP3. All other open. Replace the battery, then reset the radio by pressing simultaneously F, HM/RV and (88) (this strange button).. and power-on the radio.
If this procedure fail, shut down the radio, then try to reset again by pressing simultaneously BAND,H/L and V/M, then power-on again.

NOTE if you short also the JP4, with the same procedure as above, the nw range you obtain is the following:

TX: 140-174 MHz, and 420-470 MHz;
RX: same as above.

I performed the first expansion, work well.

 

VX-2E expand TX
You can use vx2 commander to program this radio http://www.qsl.net/kc8unj/VX2R.html but when used on a european model the mars/cap and free band buttons also remove the country identity (Auto repeater shift etc).

To get extended tx 137-174 and 420-470

Use the software to read the factory configuration, on a factory fresh model in the UK this will give a current config byte of E3 and the virtual jumpers will show a tick in boxes 234 and 5 remove the tick from box 5. this will leave the correct identity for ARS.
TXT mods from I6IBE

Click on link

 

 

More utilities Info

Free software for VX-2r

Here you will find free programming software for various handheld radios

Basic cable setups for the different radios:

Remember, you can use a USB to TTL cable in place of the RS-232 to TTL cable. (see below)

 

USB Interface

Alexander Meier (DG6RBP) has designed a USB interface for Yaesu Radios, which was published in the german ham radio magazine CQ-DL. He sent me an english translation, complete with description, schematic, board layout, parts list etc.
Download the PDF Here.
Big thanks to Alexander for his unique project!




Pinouts

Here is the pinout of the 4-conductor plug for the VX-2R, VX-5R, and VX-7R.

Here is the pinout of the 3-conductor plug for the VR-120 and the IC-R2.
 

 

ATTENTION
The KB2LJJ takes no responsibility for any damage during the modification or for any wrong information made on this modification.