FT-5D — ADMS-15 workflow (SD-card based, stable + repeatable)

This is the safest way to manage your FT-5D programming without fighting weird clone/transfer issues.

Goal

• Maintain a single “master” ADMS-15 file on your PC
• Use SD card as the transfer medium
• Keep dated backups so you can roll back

0) One-time setup: create a “radio baseline”

1. Put SD card in radio
2. F → SETUP → SD CARD → WRITE → ALL
3. Move SD to PC and copy the entire YAESU folder to:
   • FT5D_baseline_from_radio_YYYY-MM-DD/

This becomes your “factory + current state” snapshot.

1) Read the radio image into ADMS-15 (from SD)

In ADMS-15:

1. File → Open (or the SD/import menu)
2. Choose Read/Import from SD card
3. Point it at the FT-5D SD card structure (the YAESU folder)
4. Save immediately as your master working file:
   • FT5D_MASTER_vYYYY.MM.DD_r01.adms (or whatever extension ADMS uses)

2) Build a zone/bank structure that matches an operating profile

Given your style (daily / travel / EMCOMM is a solid standard), a clean FT-5D structure typically looks like:

Banks (or groups)

• Daily – Local Analog (repeaters + simplex)
• Daily – C4FM (local C4FM repeaters, DG-ID expectations if you use them)
• Travel – Region A / Region B (by metro/route)
• EMCOMM (ARES/RACES/club repeaters + simplex + SAR/interop as permitted)
• APRS (if you keep dedicated memories: local APRS, alt digi freq if you use one, etc.)
• Weather (NOAA)

Channel naming rules (keep them short + consistent)

• CITY-RPT or CALL-RPT (e.g., BMT-RPT1)
• Include band if needed: BMT2M, BMT70
• C4FM: BMT-C4F or C4F-<site>

3) Make your edits in ADMS-15

Minimum high-value edits:

• Memory channels + tones
• Banks/group assignment
• Power level defaults per channel (if you choose)
• APRS settings (callsign/SSID, beacon, path, symbol) if ADMS supports them for FT-5D config

4) Write back to SD from ADMS-15

In ADMS-15:

1. Write/Export to SD card
2. Let it generate the correct Yaesu structure/files
3. Eject SD cleanly from Windows (important to avoid corruption)

5) Import into the radio (READ from SD)

On FT-5D:

1. Insert SD
2. F → SETUP → SD CARD → READ
3. Choose:
   • MEMORY if you only changed channels/banks
   • CONFIG if you changed radio settings
   • ALL only when you mean it
4. Confirm and let it complete

6) Versioning that prevents pain later

Use a simple scheme:

• FT5D_MASTER_v2026.01.08_r01
• FT5D_MASTER_v2026.01.08_r02 (after another edit)

And keep SD snapshots:

• SD_EXPORT_2026-01-08_r02/YAESU/...

7) Common ADMS-15 gotchas

• Do not mix FT-5D files with FT-3D/FT-2D files (structure differs)
• If the radio says file error:
  • re-export to SD from ADMS
  • reformat SD in radio, then export again
• If your banks don’t appear right:
  • confirm you wrote MEMORY (not only CONFIG)
  • confirm bank/group assignment is enabled in the radio’s memory/bank mode