Baofeng bf888s programming for XP, or How to get the damn thing to connect.
Start with the USB-to-serial cable unplugged.
If you have tried to install this stuff before and couldn't get it to work, please uninstall the drivers first. Insert your usb to serial cable into the usb port, right click My Computer in the start menu, click properties, click the hardware tab, click device manager, expand the 'ports (com & lpt)', right click the Prolific USB-to-serial, click uninstall and follow the prompts to uninstall. Remove the programing cable. Leave it unplugged.
Create an 888s folder in your documents folder. It makes it so much easier to have everything in one place. Copy all the files below into this folder after you download them so you know where everything is.
I found the usb driver for the programming cable here:
Fujian Nan'an Baofeng Electronics Co., Ltd.China Two-way Radio Manufacturer
Download the Usb Driver and copy it to your 888s folder.
Double click on the USB driver file to start to un-rar it. Go to the USB driver folder it creates and run the usb_XP2K09.exe file. You might be asked to restart your computer.
Download this zip file, put it in your 888s folder and extract it.
http://sysfiles-download.com/data/JK82mxJBHsrAsdHqQvsK/s/ser2pl.zip
Now it's time to connect the USB-to-serial cable to the usb port of your choise and let Windows install the drivers. Always use the same usb port or Windows will re-install the drivers and assign a new com port.
You will need to browse for the ser2pl.sys file twice during the driver install. If you followed directions you should have already extracted it to your 888s folder.
Once it is installed, go into the device profile in the device manager. Right click My Computer in the start menu, click properties, click the hardware tab, click device manager, expand the 'ports (com & lpt)', right click the Prolific USB-to-serial, click properties, Port Setting tab, Advanced, click the COM port number dropdown and chose an un-used port between 1-4. Back out by clicking ok to save the settings you just changed.
Download the programming software here
http://www.yaesu.hk/pic/download/BF-480_490_3U_888.rar Copy it to your 888s folder and double click it to extract it. Open the BF-480 folder. Open pLanguage.exe, select English, and click Finish.
You are almost there.
Open the BF480.exe file. Every time you open this file you will need to check these two settings:
Click Setup, click model, choose 400-470mhz, click OK.
Click Setup again, click Communication Port and verify that the port you selected above is checked.
Make sure your radio is off and connect it to the programming cable. Turn the radio on. Click the Program tab, click Read from Radio, and then click OK in the box that opens. You should pull the existiog programming from the radio and be able to start editing.
You should be golden.
I'm not about to tell you what you should do once you have access to programming, but since I had such a tough time getting this far I thought I should share what worked for me. The Help Topic tab explains a little as well.
Edit your radio to use the the legal frequencies you are licenced to use. If you are in the US, find out more at ARRL.org and get your Technicans licence!
Enjoy!
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