Math-Mark MML UV100
I wonder if wertoz could upload the software again the link he provided doesn't appear to work. Would really like to get some software for the UV-100.
Thanks
I now have two of these radios and the software uv100.exe direct from the factory ( i asked for it in badly translated chinese before i bought the radios) with the badly written handbook. Just getting to grips with these radios. The first thing i notice is that they look like the Puxing Px888 and on checking the batteries at 7.2v found that the spares that i have for my px888 fit perfectly and are the same voltage, so spare battery problem solved as i have 4 of plus the two provided with the UV100's.
The programming is not much different from many of the chinese cheap handhelds. They use the kenwood 3.5/2.5 (two pin) USB programming lead which i already had. They are strange little radios to program as you have to start the program first on a windows box (I use an xp laptop, the slower the better for programming), Next plug in the radio (unusually, you TURN the radio ON prior to connection to the computer, failure to do this will mean the radio will not boot up and stay blank screen). Once connected READ the RADIO and store the file for a backup image, in case of problems. The com port was recognised in the settings, drop down menu and highlighted for me to select (easy so far). Several 2m vhf and 70cms UHF frequencies later the radios were programmed. With 6.25 steps selected these radios are very flexible when entering frequencies and all channels set to Narrow Band. Next after checking them back to back, i opened my local UHF repeater with the required CTCSS and bingo, no problems there. The CTCSS is very confusing as they have 3 settings C, Rx and Tx but it turns out that C is just short for combined so if ctcss is selected in this menu the radio applies ctcss to both tx and rx frequencies, as i only need it for tx i used option 3 the tx only. The radios also have DCS and inverted DCS that can be selected. A nice touch on these radios is the change of colour when you call via keying up or sending ANI codes to activate with a ring and colour change and a vibrate mode. (ANI codes are four figure and set up by the user in the special programming page along with group ID numbers, you can basically make up any group or id number you like). The ANI system is activated via the DIAL (some very strange names are given to functions on chinese radios) setting and tested and worked fine, both radios tested and would wake up on pressing PF2 extra button on side of the radio. (PF1 being the TX key and PF3 being the squelch defeat). Next was to try the scrambler funtion which has 8 settings programmable only by computer (so once selected, you can only change the scrambler frequency by computer (like most chinese radios that claim to have a scrambler on board, they dont in fact have scramblers, but Voice Inversion x 8 settings, but good enough to defeat the casual scanner listener to your conversation if you feel that you have something that important to keep secret lol.
So what about the FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) I hear you shout, well a bit of experimentation and guess work led me to what is described in the handbook as "the secret Call of the Military High Level, which is pigeon English for FHSS. To activate you need to turn the menu on the radio to allocate PF2 button to FHSS on both radios, they call it PLOT, then pick a simplex channel on both radios, the algorithm to activate is sent via a squirt over the anologue channel on the radios. When sent it will ring/light up/vibrate radio 2 and switch it to PLOT automatically. So are they really FHSS, well sorry to disappoint I used two different frequency counters and my Albrecht AE230N (which has close call on it to fix on transmissions). On the first try, the radios once filled with the squirt code moved off of the calling frequency and moved to a frequency that i had not programmed in? They were clearly picked up by the scanner and both frequency counters and both radios talking back to back on this channel did nothing to change the frequency, just an obscure frequency in the 400mhz to 410mhz. The only way i could get them to move was to re-squirt with PF2 and they then changed to another random frequency in the same range UHF. I found that if you did not tx for 45 seconds the radios would then go back to the calling frequency and come out of PLOT mode. I have been back into the programming and changed the timing under the plot menu to 100Ms hoping that i could get them to hop frequencies, and tried various other settings to no avail. I will be putting the radios on a spectrum analyser at the weekend to find out if i am missing something. But the long and the short of it is that "the secret call of the military high level appear to NOT be FHSS, but jumping to a random pre-programmed frequency and staying there until they are re-squirted with another code, or am I missing something here? If anyone has anymore information or experience with these radios i would be very interested in your thoughts and experience as it is only day two with the radios and i cannot find any FHSS on the radios. I have used FHSS radios as i have a pair of TriSquare eXRS 900mhz FHSS radios which work fine and throw my frequency counters off the scent and after an antenna mod for BNC with 900mhz antennas on they work fine.
So the long and the short of it so far, is that i have bought 2 nice quality puxing look alikes dual band for 50 quid (£50), so i am not complaining as they are definitely much better quality than the Boafungs and the other cheap and cheerful dual bands available at that price. The Math-Mark MML UV100 is definitely good value for money, just a pity that the FHSS does not work?
Finally toxicated101 if you would like to email me at
2e0aiv@2e0aiv.co.uk I will send you a copy of the UV100 programming software for your radios, maybe you can find something about the FHSS that i have missed? If you have all read this far and not fell asleep, well done. I hope my small offering of a revue has helped some of you?
Regards
Andy
2E0AIV