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Bug #9431

closed

UV-5R does not transmit on freq's above 147.998

Added by Jefrey Johnson over 2 years ago. Updated over 2 years ago.

Status:
Closed
Priority:
Normal
Assignee:
-
Category:
-
Target version:
-
Start date:
10/08/2021
Due date:
% Done:

0%

Estimated time:
Chirp Version:
daily
Model affected:
Baofeng UV-5R
Platform:
Windows
Debug Log:
I read the instructions above:

Description

I programmed the radio freq into the software and uploaded them to the radio using Chirp daily 9/30/2021.

After the upload I was checking the freq's for proper working order, only to find and freq above 147.998 would only "beep" when the PTT button was pressed.

The only two freq's that tx are the two that are defaulted in the radio.


Files

debug.log (73.2 KB) debug.log Jefrey Johnson, 10/08/2021 09:05 AM
Baofeng_UV-5R_20211008.img (6.5 KB) Baofeng_UV-5R_20211008.img Jefrey Johnson, 10/08/2021 09:05 AM
20211009_083209.jpg (3.12 MB) 20211009_083209.jpg Pic of radio and page in manual Jefrey Johnson, 10/09/2021 09:03 AM
Actions #1

Updated by Jim Unroe over 2 years ago

  • Status changed from New to Feedback

You purchased one of the new radios that will only TX from 144-148 MHz and 400-520 MHz. All frequencies outside those ranges are RX only. This should have been pointed out in the listing/literature for this radio when you bought it.

For example, here is the "Radioddity GT-5R":https://www.radioddity.com/products/baofeng-gt-5r page for their radio with this limitation.

Jim KC9HI

Actions #2

Updated by Jim Unroe over 2 years ago

I should have also mentioned that these UV-5R-like radios should be programmed with the Vendor: Baofeng / Model: GT-5R selections so that CHIRP's programming matches the radio's TX and RX frequency ranges. This way if the user programs a channel with a TX frequency that is outside of the 144-148 MHz and 420-450 MHz ranges, CHIRP, when refreshed, will automatically set the Duplex field to "off" indicating that the channel has TX disabled.

Jim KC9HI

Actions #3

Updated by Jefrey Johnson over 2 years ago

I am not sure why you are referring to this radio as a GT-5R. The radio says on the front that it is a UV-5R. And the manual shows, see jpg file, the frequency band for transmit and receive is 150-174 & 400-480MHz, which I did not know when adding the programming. Although those lower frequencies don't really matter, as all of the ones I am trying to program are above 150 MHz.

The img file I included only had one frequency I added of 148.000, to the programmed frequencies that came with the radio, 144.725 and 435.725. I have also tried 153.380 which is says should transmit and receive, but it only beeps when trying to transmit. I am not sure if it receives or not.

According to the manual, it says that 148.000 is not a transmittable frequency, that was just used as example to show when the radio stops transmitting. In this scenario the frequency of 144.725, which the radio comes preprogrammed with, should not be able to transmit either. But it does. And all frequencies up to 147.998.

Hope this added info helps?

Actions #4

Updated by Jim Unroe over 2 years ago

It is of the same type as the Radioddity GT-5R (TX limited to 144-148 MHz and 420-450 MHz). Radioddity chose to change the model name on their radio to differentiate between this new kind of model and the classic models that TX from 130-179 MHz and 400-520 MHz. Your vendor chose not to make this distinction.

The link to the Radioddity page was to show you how the vendor does tell you that the radio is TX crippled in this way but does not go out of their way to make it obvious. You didn't mention which vendor that you purchased from so I couldn't go to their listing to show you. But to prove my point, here are several Amazon listings for a UV-5R that is firmware locked to only TX in the 144-148 MHz and 420-450 MHz frequency ranges.

"Amazon listing for TX limited UV-5R example 1":https://smile.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480Mhz-1800mAh/dp/B074XPB313

Frequency Range: 144-148MHz, 420-450MHz

"
"Amazon listing for TX limited UV-5R example 2":https://smile.amazon.com/Nicama-Baofeng-Upgrade-Version-420-450Mhz/dp/B09268B6JM

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION to that the item is the latest version of the UV-5R radio, whose frequency is 144-148/420-450Mhz.
You have to set the frequency among 144-148Mhz/420-450Mhz,or the radio will not transmit

"
"Amazon listing for TX limited UV-5R example 3":https://smile.amazon.com/Baofeng-144-148-420-450Mhz-1800mAh-Battery/dp/B09CQ2XJGW

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION to that the item is the latest version of the UV-5R radio, whose frequency is 144-148/420-450Mhz.
You have to set the frequency among 144-148Mhz/420-450Mhz,or the radio will not transmit

Many people purchase these models without reading this limitation in the listing because they are only interested in the lower price. Yes, these TX crippled radios tend to be cheaper than their UN-crippled counterparts.

You can generally look at the radio and tell which ones are TX limited by the sticker on the back of the radio (FCC ID: 2AJGM-UV5R). CHIRP can't tell the difference between these frequency limited models and a classic UV-5R because the cloning process and images are basically identical.

Programming a radio with the standard Vendor: Baofeng/Model: UV-5R will allow you to program channels that will "look like they should transmit", but because the radio's firmware won't allow it, TX in reality will be blocked for all frequencies outside of the USA ham bands. Using the Vendor: Baofeng/Model: GT-5R selections will let CHIRP know it TX limited model and must display any channels with a TX frequency outside of the 144-148 MHz and 420-450 MHz ranges as Duplex = "off" (TX disabled) to match the way the radio behaves.

Jim KC9HI

Actions #5

Updated by Jefrey Johnson over 2 years ago

BINGO!

You got it! Jim

Don't know why I didn't see that in the listing. I did purchase it from Amazon, and it does say that in the listings. GRRRR, Pay attention! Buyer beware. Seems crappy that they can sell the same model with different variants in the actual radio.

Ok, now I just have to buy the correct radio and all will be resolved.

Thanks, sorry for the bother, glad you were able to bring the info into my field of vision.

Actions #6

Updated by Bernhard Hailer over 2 years ago

  • Status changed from Feedback to Closed
  • Model affected changed from UV-5R to Baofeng UV-5R

Root cause found.

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