Today, I figured out how to read and write the memories on both my FT-817 and my Wouxun UV-9D Plus from my Mac using Chirp and the appropriate USB chip driver for the cable for each radio. I even made a contact on the W6PIY repeater while I was testing – someone got tired of hearing me get on and test every couple of minutes and asked if he could help. It was my first QSO in many years!
I got an offer for a full refund on the non-functional webcam – the only catch is that I have to ship it back to China, which would cost more than I paid in the first place. I may make one more attempt to get a refund through my credit card, but it sure looks like I got successfully scammed. And now I know how much PayPal’s buyer protection is worth.