Another update: I tried with the other radio, and that one does indeed work with the BF-F8HP model selection, and it also reports a different firmware version in Chirp: N5R3409 BFP3-25

Oh the joy :)

Cheers, Hans-Christian

On Tue, Dec 6, 2016 at 9:58 AM, Dr. Hans-Christian Becker < hcb.lists@gmail.com> wrote:

Apologies, apparently the debug.log attachment was scrubbed. Here is a Dropbox link to the file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/a02we5eyiuwyj5f/debug.log?dl=0

Cheers, Hans-Christian

On Tue, Dec 6, 2016 at 8:32 AM, Dr. Hans-Christian Becker < hcb.lists@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Hello, This is my first foray into China radios and Chirp. Yesterday I get a two-pack Baofeng UV5-RTP radios. I downloaded the latest build of Chirp (20161123). When I select "BF-F8HP" as per the FAQ, I get an "Incorrect Model" error.

After downloading with the UV5-R model selection, firmware version reported is HN5RV01 1FB297

debug.log after testing with BF-F8HP and then UV5-R models attached.

Any hints and help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Hans-Christian SM7TL/KG6POK

The HN5RV01/1FB297 firmware version indicates that this radio only has 2 power levels. It is definitely not a UV-5RTP. The correct model selection would be UV-5R.

Jim,

Many thanks for the quick response. Both radios have exactly the same menu structure and report "high/med/low" power settings. I'll try to measure the power when I get time. Serial numbers are also very close, but as noted one reports BFB325 and one BFB323 when holding 3 pressed when turning on.

I downloaded from the BFB323 radio, set a frequency, CTCSS t/r, shift, offset, and power level "low".

After uploading to the radio frequency and CTCSS tones and mode are set correctly, but shift and offset are "off" and "0", respectively. Power setting is reported as "Mid". In the display both "+" and "-" for shift are lit. Trying to change the offset to non-zero does not work.

It seems it is not entirely a UV5-R, but I don't know what it is :)

Cheers,

Hans SM7TLH/KG6POK

On Tue, Dec 6, 2016 at 8:41 AM, Dr. Hans-Christian Becker hcb.lists@gmail.com wrote:

Apologies for flooding the list with my progress or lack thereof. I have become little wiser now, though.

1- The BFB325 radio is recognized with the BF-F8HP selection in Chirp and successfully programmed.

OK

2- BUT: Memory channels with offset show "000.000" in the menu after programming, although the operation is OK (it does transmit at the shift). Shift indicators "+" and "-" are both on.

This is normal. These radios don't use shift direction or an offset value in memory channels. They aren't needed. Because of this, menu 25 (SFT-D) and menu 26 (OFFSET) do not function or have a purpose in MR (channel) mode.

What they require is the RX frequency and the TX frequency. CHIRP lets you enter it as an RX frequency, shift direction and offset amount, but then does the math and sends the RX frequency and TX frequency to the radio because that is what it requires.

Then the the RX frequency and TX frequency are not the same (as in a repeater, odd-split, cross-band or TX blocked channel) the upper status display shows "+-". It is only in VFO (frequency) mode (where menu 25 and menu 26 are used) will you see the "+" and "-" indicators separately.

3- The BFB323 radio is recognized as a UV5-R. It can be programmed (with the obvious exception of the 3 power levels) with Chirp.

This is because, right or wrong, it identifies itself to CHIRP as being a radio with 2 power levels.

4- The BFB323 radio behaves the same way as the BFB325; +/- both lit, shift shows 000.000.

Same as #2.

None of the radios above can be manually programmed for shift in memory locations manually.

This is because these radios do not use "shifts" in memory channels. It is simpler and take less memory to directly use the RX frequency and the TX frequency.

You set the VFO to the RX frequency and write to and empty channel using menu 27. (This creates a simplex channel with the TX frequency = RX frequency). Then you set the VFO to the TX frequency and write it to the same channel as before. (This updates the TX frequency to the frequency currently in the VFO).

Watch this video: https://youtu.be/CrG0El1KkIM

Furthermore, it seems that, e.g., transmit power can not be changed in a programmed memory with BFB325, but it can be with BFB323.

You cannot change any of the parameters of a programmed channel at all in MR mode. In VFO mode, you can only update the TX frequency and/or the TX CTCSS tone and/or the TX DCS code of a memory channel. You do this by setting the 3 values and writing to the channel with menu 27. To change anything else requires that the channel be erased and reprogrammed from scratch (or use CHIRP).

You can temporarily toggle through the TX power levels by tapping the [#] key.

I keep learning the quirks of these things :)

There are quite a few. Most are covered in these guides: http://www.miklor.com/COM/UV_MenuDef.php

Cheers, Hans-Christian SM7TLH/KG6POK

Jim KC9HI