On Sat, Aug 6, 2022 at 10:39 PM K0LNY_Glenn glenn@ervin.email wrote:
Hi, I have a bTech UV5X3 and it seems all messed up, that is why I acquired it. I can punch in simplex channels, but I cannot input duplex channels by hand. Chirp will not read from the radio, and even though it is a tri-band, the band button only toggles between 2M and 70Cm. I was able to punch in a 1.5 M frequency and it worked on simplex. But no matter what I do, Chirp says error reading from radio. The cable works with the Baofengs I have. Since the radio isn't toggling to the third band, I'm wondering if someone flashed it with a UV5R image. I'm not sure if it would work to upload to the radio with the proper image if I can't download from it first. Anyway, if someone has a backed original image of a UV5X3, I would much appreciate a copy of it if you would. Glenn
The [BAND] button became pretty much obsolete back in late 2012/early 2013 with the introduction of the Baofeng BF-F8+ (not to be confused with the BF-F8HP which came along in the spring of 2014). Prior to the BF-F8+ and its new firmware, the user had to select the correct band prior to entering a frequency into the VFO. If the selected band did not match the band required by the frequency that was entered, that frequency would be rejected. You either had to change to a frequency entered to match the currently selected band or switch to the band that would match the desired frequency.
Since the BF-F8+ was the first UV-5R like radio designed without a band button, the firmware was updated to automatically select the appropriate band based on the first digit entered into the VFO (1XX.XXX = VHF, 4XX.XXX or 5XX.XXX = UHF). Since this firmware was used across many similar model variants, even models with a [BAND] button acquired this capability. For this reason, the UV-82 series radios have never had a [BAND] button. Just key in the desired STEP compatible frequency and the correct band is automatically selected.
Since the tri-band BTech UV-5X3 is based on the above-mentioned dual-band radios, it comes from the factory with memory that stores and remembers the last used frequency for each of the bands is populated only with a VHF frequency and a UHF frequency. Since a new radio has no 220 frequency stored in either VFOs 220 band memory slot yet, the [BAND] button skips the 220 band's memory slot and only toggles between the VHF and UHF bands. Once you key in a STEP compatible 220 band frequency into either VFO (the band will automatically be selected: 2XX.XXX = 220), the 220 band memory slot will become populated with a frequency and 220 band will no longer be skipped when tapping the [BAND] button.
Jim KC9HI