• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Bao feng uv5r+

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Air767

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Hey I'm pretty new to this radio / scanner hobby , but for the more part I like it . I have a question I just purchased a baofeng uv5r+ & I want to know if I can transmit to local precincts & if I can listen into air traffic control on it ?
 

KevinC

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I moved your post to its own thread.
 

joeuser

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No you don't want to transmit with it on any public safety - local government frequencies. I think it will monitor those frequencies, if they are VHF or UHF, just fine.

There are better solutions for air scanning, well scanning in general... This radio shouldn't be sold for scanning... Its just terrible slow.

I'd look into getting Chirp. Its free & helps program the radio. You should set it to not transmit on the local government frequencies that you choose to monitor. This will prevent accidental PTT issues.

There are ample threads here discussing this radio & everything surrounding it.
 

Air767

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Yes I have chirp & learned how to program my radio with my local , precincts . I am a correctional officer & they have given me a radio to take home for off duty emergency you know , but it's to bulky the one that was supplied to me , so I went & bought a baofeng uv5r+ & want to learn how to transmit to certain frequencies as my job requires , if you can help I would gladly appreciate it .
 

jk77

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Do you have a license to transmit? Because there are no bands where the UV-5R can be legally used without a license.

The UV-5R cannot pick up airplane communications because those are in AM and the UV-5R is FM only and even doesn't cover the air band frequencies.
 

Air767

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Jk77 , I am a corrections officer & was given a radio to take he for off duty emegencies , but it's too bulky so I bought the baofeng because it's smaller & lighter in weight . I want to learn how to transmit so can transfer over the channels from the radio my job provided .
 

quarterwave

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I think there is more to what you are wanting to do than advice here will help you with.

Programming the radio is one thing...

I would consult the system manager for your department. Some radios have PTT ID so they can track who is doing what...without an ID, your radio could be considered rouge, and then when they do figure out it is you, there could be an issue for no permission to use a non-official radio.

Might seem silly, but sometimes there is much more to it. It's a case of "You don't know what you don't know"....ASK!
 

jaspence

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Baofeng uv5r

If you have permission and the tech people don't balk, there are better radios than the uv5r that are in the same size range. They may cost more but be more appropriate for a professional system.
 

KevinC

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If you really want to use this radio (and I don't suggest it for any type of Public Safety use) your best bet is to get with the correctional facility's radio shop and let them program it for you. Also, this unit may not have signalling features your official radio is required to have.

This way you are assured of the proper information being programmed and it lets them know a radio other than the one issued to you is being used (for safety and accountability reasons).
 

Jaxco

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Considering that we buy your radios, batteries and accessories anyway - and typically top dollar stuff, why would you even want to use a baofeng for public safety usage?

I am a fan of baofengs because of their price/performance point but I cannot see use of the baofengs when better choices are literally already in your hands.

If I were you, I wouldn't want to give the imposters/wannabes any ideas.
 

Air767

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Bao feng uv5r

Ok so the once again , I want to learn how to program the radio myself so I an transmit to my local authority regardless of whom they are I just want to learn , not let someone else do it for me , I'm authorized to have it so therefore It will not be a discrepancy with the law . I just want to know how to do it myself, so when I do get a better quality radio I already know the ropes .
 

KevinC

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Ok so the once again , I want to learn how to program the radio myself so I an transmit to my local authority regardless of whom they are..

And there is the problem, you can't just program a radio and talk to them regardless of whom they are.

I would HIGHLY suggest you get with whomever is in charge of maintaining the radios where you work and ask them for assistance. An improperly programmed radio can put your life in danger as well as others.

I'm willing to bet you won't like this answer, but it's really the best route to take.
 

KC9HI

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Ok so the once again , I want to learn how to program the radio myself so I an transmit to my local authority regardless of whom they are I just want to learn , not let someone else do it for me , I'm authorized to have it so therefore It will not be a discrepancy with the law . I just want to know how to do it myself, so when I do get a better quality radio I already know the ropes .

You have 2 options to legally transmit with the UV-5R...

1. You can be a licensed amateur radio (ham) operator.
2. You might be able to operate under a part 90 land mobile radio license. The UV-5R is type approved for part 90 use, but only radios with a part 90 sticker affixed at the factory can be used. Most UV-5R radios don't have that sticker. If you get a UV-82 or UV-82C from BaoFeng Tech, it will have the part 90 sticker.

To learn practically everything there is to know about the UV-5R, you should visit the Miklor website.
Baofeng Pofung UV5R UV82 UV82X GT3 UVB5 Information Site, Two-Way, Ham Radio, Ham Radio

Jim KC9HI
 

Air767

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Bao feng uv5r

So basically you telling me that this radio can be programmed at home the way it straight out the box ? Because I know some people who have them & they are transmittable to a whole bunch of frequencies , that's the reason why I asked !
 

KC9HI

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So basically you telling me that this radio can be programmed at home the way it straight out the box ? Because I know some people who have them & they are transmittable to a whole bunch of frequencies , that's the reason why I asked !

Yes. They are programmable at home straight out of the box. Anywhere between 136 MHz to 175 MHz and 400 MHz to 520 MHz. But they can only legally transmit (in the USA) under the conditions that I explained above (you need to be a ham or covered by a part 90 license plus have a part 90 sticker).

So if your radio has a part 90 sticker, it can be programmed to the frequency/frequencies assigned to the correctional facility by the FCC. Without a sticker, you need to be a ham and only transmit on ham frequencies. To do anything else would be contrary to the FCC rules.

Jim KC9HI
 

jk77

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There are two issues here. First is programming the radio. Yes, you can program it out of the box and even without software. The Miklor site gives the procedure and once you run through it a few times, it becomes easy and intuitive.

The thornier issue is the legality of using it. I don't know much about FCC regulations beyond the amateur bands. I do know that the radio must be type certified for the band in which you want to use it (this is different from the amateur bands). There's a reason why those big bulky professional radios are channelized. So you must make sure that the radio is type-certified for the band you intend to operate on. You also must make sure that you are covered by whatever license needed, but I'm guessing that you are covered under your employer's license.
 

Air767

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Bao feng uv5r

Yes I'm backed up 100% by my job but obviously some people
Are just ignorant . I just want to learn how to program the radio to transmit so when I buy a better one I can do it on my own , not pay someone . I just need the steps on how to do it , I don't care about it needing a sticker of part 90 w.e that means I'm good I won't get in trouble for carrying it , I carry a gun all the time , radio is just in my Car .
 
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