Baofeng BSS Decoder

[AD0JP]

Baofeng / BTech has come out with a proprietary digital data mode that they call BSS. They are recommending it
for "Non HAM" users. It is similar to APRS and appears to use modulation similar to AFSK1200. It is currently
implemented in at least the Btech UV-Pro and the VGC VR-N76.

We are getting the occasional licensed Ham in our area that has one of these radios, and inadvertently has it
beaconing in BSS mode on one of our repeaters. When this happens in APRS mode we can decode it and
notify the person involved. I have not been able to find anything yet to decode BSS.

Has anyone here tried to analyze this protocol and develop a software decoder for it?

Greg Ella
N0EMP

 

[WRDX849]

working on this myself i can't seem to find much , there must be someone whose figured it out

 

[N3HFS]

A well written description of what is known is linked below.
The BSS (Beacon Signaling System) protocol is relatively simple and straightforward, actually:

HTCommander/docs/blogs/bss-protocol.md at main · Ylianst/HTCommander

Multi-platform tool for the UV-Pro, GA-5WB, VR-N76, VR-N7500 HAM radios. Allows for easy control over your radio. - Ylianst/HTCommander

github.com

From the linked page:

We reverse-engineered it [the BSS protocol]. This post is the working documentation: a byte-level tour of the frame format, the field catalog, the request commands, and — in the house tradition — an honest ledger of the parts we still haven't fully pinned down.