Subject: VX-5 alignment mode (FT-50,VX-1R)
From Jose R. Camara...

1. Alignment mode

        Enters with band+txpo+0 while turning on.
        pressing band changes among bands without need to 'reboot'
        MR toggles set/display mode (careful about auto modes)
        exiting by power off cancel changes
        exiting by HM/RV saves changes and exits alignment mode


NAME        HF  VHF  UHF  can be set manually

HIS SQL      0    0    0     YES
THLD SQL    78   82   82      NO
TIGH SQL    34   36   38      NO
S1 LEVELN  100   90   82      NO
S9 LEVELN  202  192  184      NO
S1 LEVELW   36   44   32      NO
S9 LEVELW  158  170  164      NO
HI POWER   151  163  171     YES
L3 POWER    97  107  117     YES
L2 POWER    55   60   68     YES
L1 POWER    25   28   31     YES

2. DC readings on the display

        3.6V - 4.9V   'Dry'
        1.1V - 2.2V   'Lit'
         10V -  16V   'EXT'

        Readings were accurate (within 0.1V of HP 974A reading at DC
jack)
during rx, 0.6V below during tx due to the reverse polarity protection
diode
(D3006). This diode does not affect battery readings.

        Change of voltage level from Lith to Ext DC forces radio
'reboot'

3. Power consumption 

   off battery, no display 0.31mA
   off battery, temp display 17mA   (don't store the radio liek that -
3 days and battery is gone)
   off ext.dc 27mA

               HF   UHF   VHF
   rx battery  18mA  17mA  18mA  no signal, rx during save
   rx battery  31mA  33mA  35mA  no signal, rx average 300ms save
   rx battery  35mA  37mA  40mA  no signal, rx average 200ms save
   rx battery  49mA  54mA  58mA  no signal (68mA tv band)
   rx battery +87mA lights on
   rx battery +22mA  audio, vol min
   rx battery +166ma audio, vol max

   tx ext pwr 1.51A HF,HI ??W ,12V    (I don't have a 50Mhz meter)
   tx ext pwr 0.98A HF,L3 ??W ,12V
   tx ext pwr 716mA HF,L2 ??W ,12V
   tx ext pwr 390mA HF,L1 ??W ,12V
   min reading for 5W @50MHz: 7.4V
   tx ext pwr 2.7A HF,HI ??W ,16V at jack (HI POWER set to 255,
2seconds)

   tx ext pwr 1.65A UHF,HI 5.0W ,12V
   tx ext pwr 1.65A UHF,L3 2.8W ,12V
   tx ext pwr 700mA UHF,L2 1.1W ,12V
   tx ext pwr 413mA UHF,L1 0.25W,12V
   min reading for 5W @144MHz: 7.4V
   tx ext pwr 2.8A UHF,HI 11.0W ,16V at jack (HI POWER set to 255,
2seconds)

   tx ext pwr 2.3A UHF,HI 5.0W ,12V (had to change HI POWER from 171
to 217)
   tx ext pwr 1.4A UHF,L3 1.8W ,12V
   tx ext pwr 860mA UHF,L2 0.75W ,12V
   tx ext pwr 500mA UHF,L1 0.15W,12V
   min reading for 5W @440MHz: 8.4V
   tx ext pwr 2.8A UHF,HI 7.0W ,16V at jack (HI POWER set to 255,
2seconds)


4. Battery charging
        charge at radio 300mA 
        charge at charger 400mA  2.5hr

        The external charger seems to depend on the external DC, 400ma was
with the AC adapter provided with the radio, up to 600mA @ 16V input.

        The radio has a current limiter of 300mA, and senses voltage by the
CPU. I don't know if it stops on a determined level or at a decrease
of voltage (-dv/dt), or a combination. Perhaps even monitors
temperture change (it has the cpu running and the internal thermistor,
after all). There can be no smartr charger than that... The only
advantage of the rapid charger CD-15 is that it is cheap $30, and can
charge your second battery while you use the radio.

        The truly amazing thing is the 1100mA rating of the tiny, tiny
battery (42x54x19mm 2.1x1.7x0.8"). I will run some discharge cycles to
measure it sometime...

5. Jumper settings, country codes, frequency limits

        Coming soon to a newsgroup near you...