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Baofeng UV-3

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DaveNF2G

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Another inexpensive Chinese HT has hit the American market.

Has anyone had experience with this one?
 

BrickOLore

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Baofeng UV-3R

I have one on order, but don't have it in my hands yet, so I can't speak personally about it. (I do have a Yaesu VX-3R and can say I love the form factor.) However, I have been reading a lot about it and have compiled quite a bit of information on my site.

Brick O'Lore: Search results for uv-3r

By most accounts the radios are quite good. There have been some minor problems (S Meter not working, FM broadcast receiving, LED not working, loud receiving volume, loose nut inside the case, the manuals are out of date and are incorrect in some places, etc.)

The good news is the firmware has been updated resolving several problems. Most find the UV-3R easy to use even without the best manuals. I've not heard much about using the software to update, but again most folks have figured out the menus. At $50, most owners think it is an excellent value.
 
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DaveNF2G

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Thanks for the link. The info at your site is quite informative. I'd like to direct order one from the factory - maybe I can get a blue one, and I can ask them to include a single programming cable instead of having to order 5 of them.
 

wa8pyr

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Thanks for the link. The info at your site is quite informative. I'd like to direct order one from the factory - maybe I can get a blue one, and I can ask them to include a single programming cable instead of having to order 5 of them.

Dave,

Someone on the UV-3R Yahoo group figured out how to build a cable. I'm going to build a suitable adapter so I can use my Yaesu cabe...
 

BrickOLore

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Got my hands on one!

I got mine yesterday from RadioShop888. It took 13 days to get to the US. It has the 18 menu options (vs the 8 or 12 in early versions). As others have mentioned, the receive audio it quite loud even at the lowest setting. Someone on the Yahoo group has figured out how to fix the volume issue with a little soldering work.

It only took a minute to navigate the menus, setup a repeater, get on the air, and have a short QSO. The other station thought I sounded really good.

I've got a VX-3R and it still blows my mind that the form factor is exactly the same. It doesn't have all the features of the VX-3R, but my first impression is that it is an excellent value for the money.

For you guys that already have one, this won't be very interesting, but I've done a quick unboxing video.
Brick O'Lore: Baofeng UV-3R: My Unboxing Video

And I walk through the menus here.
Brick O'Lore: Baofeng UV-3R: Menu Options - Video
 

TrailMixture

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Baofeng UV-3R Software

I have just received two Baofeng UV-3R HT transceivers with the software disk and USB cable.

Does anyone have any experience with this software, how to extract it, how to input frequencies and options, and how to upload and download data to and from the transceiver ?
 

BrickOLore

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The software is pretty easy to use. You will want to plug the USB cable into the computer first. If you have other radios that use the Prolific USB, it should install automatically. Some people have reported that the driver on the disc does not work, so they have downloaded one for use with the Wouxun HT's. (If your USB cable doesn't use the Prolific chipset, you may have some difficulty getting it installed correctly.)

Next you will want to install the Baofeng software. My version had the screens in Chinese during the install, but the application itself was in English.

Brick O'Lore: Baofeng UV-3R: Software

The radio does not have to be put into a programming mode, so just plug it when you have the USB driver and Baofeng software installed.

There is an alternative to the Baofeng software, called CHIRP, that supports many radios (but only some features) including the UV-3R.
Brick O'Lore: Baofeng UV-3R: CHIRP Now Available for Testing

I hope that helps some.

Brick
Brick O'Lore: Baofeng UV-3R
 

TrailMixture

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I have the Baofeng and have downloaded the latest CHIRP loader which includes the UV-3R software. I have the supplied USB-Serial cable supplied by Baofeng.

My problem is getting the Baofeng HT to respond. I go as far as getting the Baofeng CHIRP windo which says "Radio did not ACK first command"

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get these devices to talk to each other ?

Is there any mode setting of the HT in preparation for connection ?
 

TrailMixture

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Thank You Brick ~

I will try some of your suggestions.

I think that having an external computer loader is important in using this little 'peanut whistle' inasmuch as manual (crank) inputting frequencies is a bit laborious - especially in the 400 MHz (UHF) band.

TNX TrailMixture

p.s. ~ And thanks for the quick reply !
 

TrailMixture

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I have struggled with this Baofeng for hours on end trying to make it talk to the computer with no avail.

I have printed out BrickOLore's instructions and tried to follow them.

I have downloaded the CHIRP loader.

I have tried the Baofeng loader as well as the CHIRP loader.

I have installed the USB driver "ser2pl.sys" and, I believe' activated it.

Certainly, I am doing something 'stupid' but what ?

Help, Please !
 

BrickOLore

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The first thing to check is that the device is correctly installed in Device Manager. With the cable plugged in and the radio turned on, click Start then Control Panel then Device Manager. Look for the Ports (COM & LPT). Click the plus to expand the list and you should see the Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port (COMx) where the "x" is the com port it is using. If there is an exclamation mark beside the device then you have a driver problem and need to try re-installing. (I'm assuming it is a Prolific chipset in your cable.)

If all looks good there, then in the CHIRP or Baofeng software, make sure it is configured to use the same port that you found above. If your COM port is a high number, it may not appear as an option in the CHIRP software, but I believe you can type it in.

I hope this helps!
Brick
Brick O'Lore: Baofeng UV-3R
 

TrailMixture

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Yes ~ Thank you Brick ~ That did it ! I went into the Device Manager via Settings - Control Panel - Systems Hardware. The Com Ports showed "Prolific USB to Serial" - but the exclamation point indicated that no driver was installed.

So I went on line to the "Drivers from Prolific" (all freebies) and downloaded the PL2303 driver. I installed the driver and rebooted the computer. Then I went back to the Device Manager, and, Low and Behold, the exclamation point was gone and the Com Port 4 was the active one.

Well, I brought up the CHIRP program for the Baofeng and configured it to Com Port 4. It worked like Gang Busters.

Thank you so much ~ Trail Mix
 

TrailMixture

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One notes that it is not possible to 'force the Baofeng out of range via the CHIRP loader - such as the emergency SAR-SAT frequency, 121.5 megahertz.

One also notes that the CHIRP format is expandable to include additional parameter columns such as, Name. Tone Sq, Cross Mode, Tune Step Bank, and Bank index.

The "Name" column is particularly useful in identifying the a radio service or call letters, etc. This, of course, is not loaded into the Baofeng, but is useful for the record.
 

TrailMixture

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Now, Here is another problem with the Baofeng UV-3R that I seem not to be able to solve. - Maybe someone can help !

Specifically - it's this - When I set the unit on a repeater frequency, it stays there nicely listening to white noise and waiting for someone to key the repeater and bring it up - no problem !

But - When I crank in a squelch condition, the idle repeater white noise goes away - no problem there either. - The problem, however, presents itself when the HT reverts itself to an FM radio channel within a few seconds and stays there - rather than remaining on the repeater frequency !

Anyone noticed this - or have a solution ?
 

TrailMixture

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Baofeng Spreadsheet

Maybe I'm missing something - But I've got about seventy-five frequencies, repeaters and otherwise, all entered into the CHIRP loader and subsequently loaded into the Baofeng. That's all very nice - and I'm happy with this feature.

What puzzles me, however, is how to print-out the CHIRP "Spreadsheet" ! Am I missing something ?

Please help, someone !

Thank You
 
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