[chirp_users] New user advice please
Hi all,
Last year, I purchased a Baofeng UV-5R Plus and a programming lead with the intention of setting up the radio with Chirp.
A long story cut short - the lead was one that contained a "dodgy" Prolific IC, so I recently purchased a CP2102 module, and replaced the USB part of the lead. The drivers loaded correctly, and I have set the Com port.
But, try as I might, all I get is "Radio failed to respond" from Chirp.
My guess is that I am doing something wrong. So, what is the secret?
Chirp help says to choose a quiet frequency, but makes no mention of whether the squelch should be open, fully closed, partly closed or what. Do you connect the radio to the lead, turn it on, and then click the OK button when prompted to do so? Or do you leave the radio off, and only turn it on when prompted?
Also, I don't see the UV-5R Plus listed. I have tried using UV-5R as the model, and also tried using BF-F8HP, but I get the same result from both.
So, what am I doing wrong?
Best 73
Phil GU0SUP
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Make sure you've picked the proper COM port, and that the wires you re-soldered are in the correct spots. Also it helps if you follow this process.
1. Turn radio off 2. Plug in dongle to PC wait for drivers to load 3. Plug other end of cable into radio 4. Turn radio on volume to full 5. Select Read from Radio.
If it doesn't work, then you either have a faulty dongle, incorrectly soldered wires (wrong position on the chip), or you're picking the wrong com port.
-73
KE8EXY
On Tue, Mar 21, 2017 at 3:45 PM, Phil Cooper pcooper@suremail.gg wrote:
Hi all,
Last year, I purchased a Baofeng UV-5R Plus and a programming lead with the intention of setting up the radio with Chirp.
A long story cut short - the lead was one that contained a "dodgy" Prolific IC, so I recently purchased a CP2102 module, and replaced the USB part of the lead. The drivers loaded correctly, and I have set the Com port.
But, try as I might, all I get is "Radio failed to respond" from Chirp.
My guess is that I am doing something wrong. So, what is the secret?
Chirp help says to choose a quiet frequency, but makes no mention of whether the squelch should be open, fully closed, partly closed or what. Do you connect the radio to the lead, turn it on, and then click the OK button when prompted to do so? Or do you leave the radio off, and only turn it on when prompted?
Also, I don't see the UV-5R Plus listed. I have tried using UV-5R as the model, and also tried using BF-F8HP, but I get the same result from both.
So, what am I doing wrong?
Best 73
Phil GU0SUP
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to Chance at chance.fulton@gmail.com To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@ intrepid.danplanet.com
On Tue, Mar 21, 2017 at 3:45 PM, Phil Cooper pcooper@suremail.gg wrote:
Hi all,
Last year, I purchased a Baofeng UV-5R Plus and a programming lead with the intention of setting up the radio with Chirp.
A long story cut short - the lead was one that contained a "dodgy" Prolific IC, so I recently purchased a CP2102 module, and replaced the USB part of the lead. The drivers loaded correctly, and I have set the Com port.
But, try as I might, all I get is "Radio failed to respond" from Chirp.
My guess is that I am doing something wrong. So, what is the secret?
Chirp help says to choose a quiet frequency, but makes no mention of whether the squelch should be open, fully closed, partly closed or what. Do you connect the radio to the lead, turn it on, and then click the OK button when prompted to do so? Or do you leave the radio off, and only turn it on when prompted?
Also, I don't see the UV-5R Plus listed. I have tried using UV-5R as the model, and also tried using BF-F8HP, but I get the same result from both.
So, what am I doing wrong?
Best 73
Phil GU0SUP
My first guess would be the TXD and RXD wires are reversed. Not all modules are marked the same way. On some RXD means "I am RXD so you should connect me to TXD on the other end" and on others it means "connect me to RXD on the other end". That happened to me when I made my first one.
http://www.miklor.com/COM/UV_Technical.php#progcable
Jim
Hi Jim and the group,
I already tried reversing the TXD and RXD lines in the PCB, but when I plugged the cable into the radio, the PC immediately switched off, which makes me think that was wrong!
I have correctly chosen the right COM port (Com12 in my case), and I have almost completely removed the surrounding plastic from the radio end of the cable so that it is a better fit.
I have also buzzed out each line from plug to PCB, and all is good there.
I am happy with the soldering, as that is what I do for employment.
When i changed to the CP2102 board, then connected it to my PC, Windows found the drivers automatically - although it wasn't quick - and a red LED is lit on the CP2102 PCB. However, when I open Chirp and try to download the radio, neither of the two led's associated with TXD and RXD lights up.
Although this is a UV-5R Plus, do I still use the UV-5R option, or should I be using the BF-F8HP as the model?
The Miklor site implies the latter, but reading the Chirp FAQ's implies that the UV-5R Plus is now grouped into the UV-5R models.
Oh well, plan B it is then - get 3 wires and one each of 3.5mm and 2.5mm stereo jacks!
73 de Phil GU0SUP
I wasn't referring to your soldering skills, just the placement of TXD and RXD, which you said is good. Try the BF-F8HP It's what I use on myBF-F9V2+ and I guess all of the tri-power radios use the same hardware essentially.
-KE8EXY
On Wed, Mar 22, 2017 at 1:48 PM, pcooper@suremail.gg pcooper@suremail.gg wrote:
Hi Jim and the group,
I already tried reversing the TXD and RXD lines in the PCB, but when I plugged the cable into the radio, the PC immediately switched off, which makes me think that was wrong!
I have correctly chosen the right COM port (Com12 in my case), and I have almost completely removed the surrounding plastic from the radio end of the cable so that it is a better fit.
I have also buzzed out each line from plug to PCB, and all is good there.
I am happy with the soldering, as that is what I do for employment.
When i changed to the CP2102 board, then connected it to my PC, Windows found the drivers automatically - although it wasn't quick - and a red LED is lit on the CP2102 PCB. However, when I open Chirp and try to download the radio, neither of the two led's associated with TXD and RXD lights up.
Although this is a UV-5R Plus, do I still use the UV-5R option, or should I be using the BF-F8HP as the model?
The Miklor site implies the latter, but reading the Chirp FAQ's implies that the UV-5R Plus is now grouped into the UV-5R models.
Oh well, plan B it is then - get 3 wires and one each of 3.5mm and 2.5mm stereo jacks!
73 de Phil GU0SUP
chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to Chance at chance.fulton@gmail.com To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@ intrepid.danplanet.com
I have also buzzed out each line from plug to PCB, and all is good there.
Did you "buzz" between the wires to see if any were shorted?
However, when I open Chirp and try to download the radio, neither of the
two led's associated with TXD and RXD lights up.
Still sounds like there is a programming cable issue.
Although this is a UV-5R Plus, do I still use the UV-5R option, or should
I be using the BF-F8HP as the model?
UV-5R: radios with 2 power levels (HIGH/LOW) BF-F8HP: radios with 2 power levels (HIGH/MID/LOW)
Oh well, plan B it is then - get 3 wires and one each of 3.5mm and 2.5mm
stereo jacks!
This is what I did.
Jim KC9HI
Anybody else realised that Chirp is already a "portable app".
The windows version can be installed to a thumb drive (put it in it's own directory). The only thing it will write to your Windows drive is a dummy start menu entry. Run it by clicking on Chirp/chirpw.exe .
For Linux, unpack the archive into it's own directory. Go to that directory. Execute by double clicking share/chirp.desktop and select "Launch Anyway". At least on my computer.
I noticed someone raised this as a query on the website and the question was misunderstood by the developer who replied.
On Thu, Mar 23, 2017 at 9:38 AM, Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF nigel@ngunn.net wrote:
Anybody else realised that Chirp is already a "portable app".
I take advantage of it all the time. It allows me to easily go back in history to test older versions of CHIRP.
The windows version can be installed to a thumb drive (put it in it's own directory). The only thing it will write to your Windows drive is a dummy start menu entry. Run it by clicking on Chirp/chirpw.exe .
I use the "ZIP" version instead of the "EXE" installer version.
For Linux, unpack the archive into it's own directory. Go to that directory. Execute by double clicking share/chirp.desktop and select "Launch Anyway". At least on my computer.
The Windows "ZIP" version works exactly the same way.
I noticed someone raised this as a query on the website and the question was misunderstood by the developer who replied.
Most of the time when someone asks about a "portable" version, they are asking for a version to run on an Android laptop or phone.
Jim KC9HI
Speaking of portable CHIRP: Using the command-line chirp clone ( https://github.com/tylert/chirp.hg/ - same developers as CHIRP?) and a Raspberry Pi I put together a really simple portable CHIRP updater. I manage my CHIRP image file for my QYT-KT8900 mobile radio on my laptop and save the files to a Dropbox directory. Then, I shared that specific image file and grabbed the Dropbox share link. Next I cobbled together a small script to run on the Raspberry Pi (runs out of cron on reboot) that does a wget of the latest image file from Dropbox and runs the command-line chirp.hg - then shuts down. No soldering or GPIO work needed.
So, my workflow is: 1) make any changes I want on CHIRP on my laptop, then save the file (which gets uploaded to Dropbox). 2) Go out to my car and turn on my phone's hotspot feature. 3) Plug in the Raspberry Pi (which has a USB wifi adapter and has previously been joined to my phone's wifi) and wait for it to boot, wget the latest image and upload it to the radio (which I can see based on the radio's LEDs and reboot when done - all the while I can be headed down the road). After that I know the Raspberry Pi has been issued a shutdown command so I safely unplug it and put it back in the glovebox (I also have it email me right before shutdown so I know when a new email pops up on my phone it is safe to unplug it).
I just got a $10 Raspberry Pi Zero W - so my "portable" updater will get even smaller and have wifi built in. Future ideas would be to add some buttons for different radios (like my Baofeng HT I keep in the car) and maybe "re-update" button or a manual shutdown button. A person could really go crazy with a OLED/LCD screen and buttons to select various images (maybe for different geographical regions or different scenarios - FRS/GPRS channels included/excluded, etc.). You could also get a USB hub (or use a Raspberry Pi 2 or 3 with multiple USB ports) and have it update multiple radios in one pass.
I'm hoping to get a blog post up about it soon with more detail (although I need to setup a blog, first).
-Tycen K7TYC
On Thu, Mar 23, 2017 at 8:08 AM, Jim Unroe rock.unroe@gmail.com wrote:
On Thu, Mar 23, 2017 at 9:38 AM, Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF nigel@ngunn.net wrote:
Anybody else realised that Chirp is already a "portable app".
I take advantage of it all the time. It allows me to easily go back in history to test older versions of CHIRP.
The windows version can be installed to a thumb drive (put it in it's
own directory). The only thing it will write to your Windows drive is a dummy start menu entry. Run it by clicking on Chirp/chirpw.exe .
I use the "ZIP" version instead of the "EXE" installer version.
For Linux, unpack the archive into it's own directory. Go to that
directory. Execute by double clicking share/chirp.desktop and select "Launch Anyway". At least on my computer.
The Windows "ZIP" version works exactly the same way.
I noticed someone raised this as a query on the website and the question
was misunderstood by the developer who replied.
Most of the time when someone asks about a "portable" version, they are asking for a version to run on an Android laptop or phone.
Jim KC9HI _______________________________________________ chirp_users mailing list chirp_users@intrepid.danplanet.com http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users This message was sent to Tycen at tycen@tycen.com To unsubscribe, send an email to chirp_users-unsubscribe@ intrepid.danplanet.com
On 03/23/2017 03:10 PM, Tycen Stafford wrote:
Speaking of portable CHIRP: Using the command-line chirp clone (https://github.com/tylert/chirp.hg/ https://github.com/tylert/chirp.hg/ - same developers as CHIRP?) and a Raspberry Pi I put together a really simple portable CHIRP updater. I manage my CHIRP image file for my QYT-KT8900 mobile radio on my laptop and save the files to a Dropbox directory. Then, I shared that specific image file and grabbed the Dropbox share link. Next I cobbled together a small script to run on the Raspberry Pi (runs out of cron on reboot) that does a wget of the latest image file from Dropbox and runs the command-line chirp.hg - then shuts down. No soldering or GPIO work needed.
I haven't tried the command line version but just bought the Raspberry Pi display so I can see how well CHIRP will run with the touch screen.
On 03/23/2017 11:08 AM, Jim Unroe wrote:
On Thu, Mar 23, 2017 at 9:38 AM, Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF nigel@ngunn.net wrote:
Anybody else realised that Chirp is already a "portable app".
I take advantage of it all the time. It allows me to easily go back in history to test older versions of CHIRP.
The windows version can be installed to a thumb drive (put it in it's own directory). The only thing it will write to your Windows drive is a dummy start menu entry. Run it by clicking on Chirp/chirpw.exe .
I use the "ZIP" version instead of the "EXE" installer version.
For Linux, unpack the archive into it's own directory. Go to that directory. Execute by double clicking share/chirp.desktop and select "Launch Anyway". At least on my computer.
The Windows "ZIP" version works exactly the same way.
I noticed someone raised this as a query on the website and the question was misunderstood by the developer who replied.
Most of the time when someone asks about a "portable" version, they are asking for a version to run on an Android laptop or phone.
Jim KC9HI
I've seen portable app usually refers to http://portableapps.com/ or similar.
I would think though when your trying to use a portable app, you wouldn't be able to roll back or install windows drivers so it wouldn't be of a lot of use.
Better to use a live linux distro or raspberry pi.
Linux distros have the drivers built in so the portable app should just work.
Windows will either have or go and find the correct drivers IF you have legitimate chips in your USB/Serial adapter or a genuine serial port. Just use a legit USB/Serial adapter and it should work.
On 23 March 2017 at 15:31 Eugene enine@ninefamily.com wrote:
I would think though when your trying to use a portable app, you wouldn't be able to roll back or install windows drivers so it wouldn't be of a lot of use.
Better to use a live linux distro or raspberry pi.
On 03/23/2017 04:10 PM, Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF wrote:
Linux distros have the drivers built in so the portable app should just work.
Windows will either have or go and find the correct drivers IF you have legitimate chips in your USB/Serial adapter or a genuine serial port. Just use a legit USB/Serial adapter and it should work.
The windows issue is typically the need for portable apps is because you don't have admin to download and install anything, so you don't have admin to install the drivers. FTDI has been known to false identify legit chips as counterfit, check the long running thread on EEVblog about it.
Having Admin rights is between you and the owner of the computer. That's of no concern to me.
On 23 March 2017 at 16:28 Eugene enine@ninefamily.com wrote:
The windows issue is typically the need for portable apps is because you don't have admin to download and install anything, so you don't have admin to install the drivers.
participants (7)
-
Chance Fulton -
Eugene -
Jim Unroe -
Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF -
pcooper＠suremail.gg -
Phil Cooper
-
Tycen Stafford