My New Baofeng UV-B5 can not bring up repeaters needing PL 162.2 (anyone else?)

[Leelorr]

Hello,

I just bought a Baofeng UV-B5 (same as a UV-B6 except for the flashlight) and I am having a problem with it. I can bring up all the repeaters I have tried EXCEPT for the two local repeaters that use PL tone 162.2 on their input. My other HT's (different models) can bring up both local repeaters fine with one watt. I know there is an issue with these radios when using receive Tone Squelch of 118.8, but I can not find any mention of this issue I am having. I do like the radio a lot, so I would like to get a replacement radio unless it turns out that they all have this issue.

Anyone else know about this problem, or have a repeater using 162.2 that they can try?

Thanks,
Lorrin
KG5JOA

 

[Delta33]

In all honesty, you're luçky the radio works at all. You get what you pay for.

 

[cmdrwill]

Did you try just TONE only? Some repeaters do not have a tone on their transmit, your receive.

 

[Leelorr]

>> Did you try just TONE only?

Yes, I am just transmitting the tone, and I am not keying the repeater at all (I would also see the "S" meter move if the repeater was responding).
The radio works fine with all repeaters that need to hear tones of 100 hertz and below, but not with repeaters that need 162.2 hertz. I have tried 3 local repeaters that use this tone and all work with my other radios, but not this UV-B5...

 

[cmdrwill]

You would have to test the radio on a service monitor to see what tone it is actually transmitting. Maybe a scanner with a tone readout could be used.

I have seen Baofeng's with distorted transmit that the repeater could not decode. Heck, even Motorola and others with bad low frequency compensation calibration.

 

[Leelorr]

Found a fix!

I tried disabling the "save" function (battery save) and the tone problems vanished! Evidently the firmware has a an issue issuing some tones correctly when the processor is powered off and on for power saving.

Thanks for your advice.

Lorrin

 

[cmdrwill]

Lorrin,

Very interesting fix for the tone problem. I will need to remember that.

 

[jonwienke]

I tried disabling the "save" function (battery save) and the tone problems vanished! Evidently the firmware has a an issue issuing some tones correctly when the processor is powered off and on for power saving.

What version?

 

[Leelorr]

RE: What version?

Just bought it, and it only has 27 menu items...


I don't know how to get the firmware version from it.

 

[jonwienke]

Read the radio in CHIRP. You can see the firmware version there.

 

[Leelorr]

RE: What version?

I can read and write to the radio using Chirp and the Baofeng factory software, but I can not see how to get the firmware version. The "Developer Settings" in Chirp where other radios list the info don't seem to show it, and I can't find the info on the web either. Do you have a way to find the version?

 

[surfacemount]

Open .img file.
Select SETTINGS from left menu bar
Select OTHER SETTINGS from center menu bar
Firmware message one and two will tell you the version.

You may have to enable DEVELOPER FUNCTIONS in the HELP menu first, though.

 

[m-gerty]

To find out your firmware # just hold down the "3" key when turning it on. Keep the key pressed and it will display it on the screen.

 

[Leelorr]

Neither of the suggested methods works on my radio or Chirp...(screenshot attached)

>>To find out your firmware # just hold down the "3" key when turning it on. Keep the key pressed and it will display it on the screen.

My radio comes up normally when I do the above. I also tried holding down several other keys in that area while powering the radio on, and it just comes up normally.

===========

>>Open .img file.
>>Select SETTINGS from left menu bar
>>Select OTHER SETTINGS from center menu bar
>>Firmware message one and two will tell you the version.
>>
>>You may have to enable DEVELOPER FUNCTIONS in the HELP menu first, though.

I am running the latest Chirp version (11/23/2016), and I have enabled the "Developer Functions" but I do not see "Other Settings" as a choice. I do have "Settings->Test Mode Settings", but they show only the custom settings for Squelch and VHF Power levels, etc. I have examined the information shown, and can not seem to find anything that looks like a firmware level. It is almost like they no longer have the information available intentionally.