CHIRP

The problem was that CHIRP is padding the channel names with 0xFF out to the full length (like it is done most other radios). What the OEM software and the radio expects is 0x20 (the space character) padding of the channel names.

The OEM software generates and error when an 0xFF is encountered in any channel name. The radio will sometimes display artifacts when an 0xFF is encountered in a channel name.

The attached test driver module updates the support for names to use spaces for padding. My testing shows that all is working properly now but before I submit the changes to be included in CHIRP, I would like testing and feedback from others.

How to use test driver module: LoadingTestModules

The easiest/quickest way to "fix" (convert the 0xFF padding to 0x20 padding) existing images is to...

1. load image into CHIRP (while running the test driver module)
2. click any memory row to highlight a single memory row
3. type Ctrl+A (or click Edit -> Select All) to highlight all of the memory rows
4. type Ctrl+C (or click Edit -> Copy) to copy the highlighted memory rows into the clipboard
5. click the top memory row to highlight only the top memory row
6. type Ctrl+V (or click Edit -> Paste) to paste the memories in the clipboard back into CHIRP

Jim KC9HI

Jascubek Tiriallala wrote in #note-6:

others

That solution is on point. Radio bricked. No, I mean, Radio Software works now, followed your fix. NOTE: Reopening the desired image after importing the module (in chirp-next: help->load module from issue->10679) is important.

Thank you for tracking it down, solving, and explaining so fast :)

Now I can go ahead and export the *.updat file from the OEM Program, to hex-edit some channels, to be in the 14 mHz to 1310 mHz range (brilliant documentation from someone who did it with CB frequencies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRClHpwNGuo ). Rumor is, even the unlisted 757 to 840 mHz work fine on the BEKEN chip. Very exciting radio.

If chirp-next could support such test frequencies (analog to the UV-K5 solution) that would be absolute amazing. Unfortunately I don't know any magic behind the UI. Would that be possible technically? Like a "dev" mode, including the same UV-K5 "brick risk" disclaimer.

Thank you for working the magic, Jim!

Support for the correct name padding will be in the next CHIRP-next build.

Jim KC9HI