CHIRP

Darrell Wasill wrote:

Likely another edition of the P15UV it would be nice to see this series CHIRP supported as the Abbree software is difficult to use.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805339694455.html
It's really a "UV-21R" with green "PRO" sticker, whatever it means. As probably everyone knows, the "UV Pro series" v1.2.4 software available from Miklor does not recognize this radio. On the other hand, nobody in the internet have yet seen or bought a "real UV-21 Pro" (with GPS etc.). Sample image from P15UV OEM software included, however useless it is. Firmware looks evidently incomplete, lacking separate tail option for repeater, backlight time etc. I believe it a temporary patch. Gossip says firmware is not hardcoded and could be upgraded. I'd rather believe this radio a leaked prototype.

If anyone is interested, here are wireshark/usbcap captures of data transfer between OEM P15UV software and the UV-21R radio, and the data image used to transfer.

This radio is a disappointment to me.

The build quality is not too bad with at least some protection efforts against the ingress of dust.

But the transceiver is based on an RD1846 (see https://github.com/ZdenekBrichacek/PCB-2way_Radio-AT1846 for datasheets and programming manual) and the main µC's marking lacks information.
Debugging pins are marked, but did not try.

For disassemply , you have to unscrew the nuts of the antenna connector and the volume potentiometer (pull of knob).
Then remove both Torx T8 screws in the battery compartment.
Carefully open, as the keyboard pcb is attached to the main pcb with a flex ribbon cable.

The two power transistors are thermically coupled to the case with heat-conducting rubber. On my radio, one was slightly off and had indents of the adjacent coil.

I added pictures of the main pcb taken with a flatbed scanner, they are available at https://github.com/speters/BF-UV21R-inside

Web Archive of a programming software is available at https://web.archive.org/web/20220209172045/http://download.abbree.com/P15UV%20CPS.rar