A strange UV-5R Firmware

[IrnZeppelin]

I've been messing with these radios for a little over a year now and have ran into several little snags along the way. Normally a few hours of work and I can set my stations like I desire and be on about my business. Now I have this new Firmware that doesn't make sense. Its N5R2205, nothing more than that number. For some reason I can not add any of my normal frequencies and I get the same error "Pasted memory # is not compatible with this radio because Frequency 470.###### is out of supported range". I know I am well within the limits of the radio it's just a little strange to see it give this error. I'm looking for anyone that might have a fix or know another way that I can force the radio to eat my channels.

 

[WQPW689]

Where'd you get that firmware?

Although it doesn't mean there isn't one, never heard of a UV-5R firmware that didn't follow the BFB*** format.

 

[Sconnick]

New Firmware Format

They started to get away from that BFB format a while ago. See the Miklor website for all of the upgrades that come with each specific firmware version. I have four of the UV-5R radios, purchased at different times, and only two - the older ones - use the BFB format.

http://www.miklor.com/uv5r/UV5R-Firmware.php

The problem that you're having, though, I can't explain... Next time I sit down and plug in the radio I'll look into it.

 

[khaytsus]

I've been messing with these radios for a little over a year now and have ran into several little snags along the way. Normally a few hours of work and I can set my stations like I desire and be on about my business. Now I have this new Firmware that doesn't make sense. Its N5R2205, nothing more than that number. For some reason I can not add any of my normal frequencies and I get the same error "Pasted memory # is not compatible with this radio because Frequency 470.###### is out of supported range". I know I am well within the limits of the radio it's just a little strange to see it give this error. I'm looking for anyone that might have a fix or know another way that I can force the radio to eat my channels.

Can you actually tune to 470mhz? Some radios are locked down to ham frequencies by default but can be opened.

Regardless, be careful sharing settings between those radios.... Don't try to do a direct dump from one to another. Download the image and paste the frequencies into it. Regardless, if the radio isn't open at that frequency I assume it's going to fail or fail for those invalid frequencies.

 

[Sconnick]

BFB

UV-5Rs shouldn't be locked down to "ham" frequencies out of the box. Some are expandable from 480 to 520, but should be open up to 480 "stock."

Excellent advice about the software - always take an image of the radio you're programming, them make the changes, then write back to the radio.

 

[KC9HI]

Where'd you get that firmware?

Although it doesn't mean there isn't one, never heard of a UV-5R firmware that didn't follow the BFB*** format.

Baofeng switched to the N5R firmware version format towards the end of last summer for the UV-5R and its plethora of variants. There have been a few other odd ones, but the BFB format hasn't been seen since.

Don't go by what you see when powering the radio on with the [3] key pressed. Since the BFB299 firmware was released over 2 years ago, all UV-5R variants masquerade as BFB297 in this (now useless) power-on message. The "real" firmware version can only be determined by using CHIRP.

Jim KC9HI

 

[KC9HI]

I've been messing with these radios for a little over a year now and have ran into several little snags along the way. Normally a few hours of work and I can set my stations like I desire and be on about my business. Now I have this new Firmware that doesn't make sense. Its N5R2205, nothing more than that number. For some reason I can not add any of my normal frequencies and I get the same error "Pasted memory # is not compatible with this radio because Frequency 470.###### is out of supported range". I know I am well within the limits of the radio it's just a little strange to see it give this error. I'm looking for anyone that might have a fix or know another way that I can force the radio to eat my channels.

First, I will assume that your firmware is N5R2405 instead of N5R2205.

There is 1 byte that CHIRP looks at to determine if the radio is a VHF/UHF model or a VHF/220 model. I suspect that this byte is set to an incorrect value for your radio (I've seen this several times before) and CHIRP is being fooled into thinking your radio is a VHF/220 model. From the firmware version I can tell that you definitely have a VHF/UHF model.

If you can enter frequencies in the range of 220.000 to 260.000 MHz, then this is the problem.

Assuming that this is true, the way to fix it would be to get this byte changed to the value that CHIRP expects to see for a VHF/UHF model. This can be done in several ways. The easiest is probably emailing your CHIRP Radio Image file to me and I will change the byte and email the file back. Email your CHIRP image file to: uv5r [at[ kc9hi [dot] net

Jim KC9HI

 

[KC9HI]

UV-5Rs shouldn't be locked down to "ham" frequencies out of the box. Some are expandable from 480 to 520, but should be open up to 480 "stock."

Excellent advice about the software - always take an image of the radio you're programming, them make the changes, then write back to the radio.

Some radios are locked down to the ham frequencies. It depends on where in the world that the radio was being manufactured for. The band limits are set to the requirements of that country's rules. Sometimes these radios wind up in the wrong country.

Jim KC9HI

 

[Sconnick]

Didn't think about that...

Thanks, Jim...

I didn't think about them being "locked" to the ham frequencies for other countries. I was shortsightedly thinking of just those imported to the US. Good to know.

 

[IrnZeppelin]

I'm sorry that I disappeared for a little bit, work has been insanely demanding these past few weeks. I just sent the email requested with my chirp file.

 

[KC9HI]

First, I will assume that your firmware is N5R2405 instead of N5R2205.

There is 1 byte that CHIRP looks at to determine if the radio is a VHF/UHF model or a VHF/220 model. I suspect that this byte is set to an incorrect value for your radio (I've seen this several times before) and CHIRP is being fooled into thinking your radio is a VHF/220 model. From the firmware version I can tell that you definitely have a VHF/UHF model.

If you can enter frequencies in the range of 220.000 to 260.000 MHz, then this is the problem.

Assuming that this is true, the way to fix it would be to get this byte changed to the value that CHIRP expects to see for a VHF/UHF model. This can be done in several ways. The easiest is probably emailing your CHIRP Radio Image file to me and I will change the byte and email the file back. Email your CHIRP image file to: uv5r [at[ kc9hi [dot] net

Jim KC9HI

After examining the CHIRP Radio Image file, this is a VHF/220 radio. It covers from 136.0000-176.9975 MHz and 220.0000-260.9975 MHz.

Jim

 

[IrnZeppelin]

So pretty much the radio is not labeled correctly. Also when you hold 3 upon startup it shows BFB297

 

[KC9HI]

So pretty much the radio is not labeled correctly. Also when you hold 3 upon startup it shows BFB297

Remove the antenna and look at the connector end. It should indicate the frequencies it is for. Does is show (136-174 and 400-520) or (136-174 and 220-260). If it isn't the latter, then is also has the wrong antenna.

Jim KC9HI

 

[IrnZeppelin]

On the antenna and the radio itself under where the battery attaches its labeled 136-174mhz/400-480mhz

 

[KC9HI]

On the antenna and the radio itself under where the battery attaches its labeled 136-174mhz/400-480mhz

Wrong antenna for that radio. You are going to need to get something like this Nagoya NA-702 antenna which coveres both the VHF and 220 bands.

Jim KC9HI

 

[upssnowman]

Firmware program issue N5R2405

I have a new radio Baofeng UV5R+ Firmware version checked with Chirp N5R2405
I program the radio and everything goes fine using an older codeplug from another radio
but I cannot hear any channel activity unless I hit the monitor button what might be programmed wrong?
Thanks much for helping kinda stummped I know it must just be something silly I overlooked

 

[KC9HI]

I have a new radio Baofeng UV5R+ Firmware version checked with Chirp N5R2405
I program the radio and everything goes fine using an older codeplug from another radio
but I cannot hear any channel activity unless I hit the monitor button what might be programmed wrong?
Thanks much for helping kinda stummped I know it must just be something silly I overlooked

You must not cross load a "codeplug" from a radio with BFB firmware into a radio with N5R firmware (the opposite is also true). If you do, the radio will no longer receive.

You must be using a very old daily build, or worse, the 16 month old CHIRP v0.4.x stable build (not recommended). If you were using a recent daily build, it would have prevented you from doing this.

Jim KC9HI