Baofeng UV-5R - can't save channel to memory

[romandesign]

Just got this radio in the mail today. I've read all manuals, reset to factory settings, and even managed to save one memory channel, but I'm trying to save another and it doesn't work: I get to menu >27->menu->(selected free channel without CH in front of number)->menu - and instead of "confirm" sound I get "beep" and nothing happens.

I'm in VFO mode and in line A (top).

What am I doing wrong?

 

[DistantSignal]

Just got this radio in the mail today. I've read all manuals, reset to factory settings, and even managed to save one memory channel, but I'm trying to save another and it doesn't work: I get to menu >27->menu->(selected free channel without CH in front of number)->menu - and instead of "confirm" sound I get "beep" and nothing happens.

I'm in VFO mode and in line A (top).

What am I doing wrong?

I'm not sure on that but have you thought about using the cheap programming cable and free software? It sure takes the pain out of programming them

 

[KC9HI]

Just got this radio in the mail today. I've read all manuals, reset to factory settings, and even managed to save one memory channel, but I'm trying to save another and it doesn't work: I get to menu >27->menu->(selected free channel without CH in front of number)->menu - and instead of "confirm" sound I get "beep" and nothing happens.

I'm in VFO mode and in line A (top).

What am I doing wrong?

I would one of the guides on miklor.com. Follow it exactly, step-by-step. Don't skip any steps. Don't move on to the next step until the current step is completed successfully. Then you will be able to tell us at which step number that you encounter the problem.

It would also help to let us know what the parameters are for the channel that you are trying to program. That will all us to try to duplicate the same channel.

Jim KC9HI

 

[romandesign]

Thanks, but before posting here I found that manual and I did follow it exactly. I must be something wrong, but I can't follow what it is and why I succeeded couple of time in saving channel, but not most other times. It might be a defective unit or a bug in firmware, but it doesn't feel this way... Probably there is something I"m missing, like some settings that has to be exactly specific way.

I ordered a cable but have not received it yet. I still want to be able to save manually - just in case I find some frequency during a trip which I want to save in memory.

 

[KC9HI]

Thanks, but before posting here I found that manual and I did follow it exactly. I must be something wrong, but I can't follow what it is and why I succeeded couple of time in saving channel, but not most other times. It might be a defective unit or a bug in firmware, but it doesn't feel this way... Probably there is something I"m missing, like some settings that has to be exactly specific way.

I ordered a cable but have not received it yet. I still want to be able to save manually - just in case I find some frequency during a trip which I want to save in memory.

1. I don't know which manual you were following. It is very possible that it is not correct.
2. My point was that if you were using a known good manual, you and those of us that are interested in helping you could discuss it using the published step numbers so we would know who was doing what when.
3. You probably are missing something. That is usually the case.
4. When you ask for help, you must be prepared to work with those that are trying to help you. I can't help you if the only information that you will provide is "it doesn't work".

Jim KC9HI

 

[jk77]

Are you trying to save a simplex frequency? If you are trying to save the frequency of a repeater, do you have the offset correct? I was trying to do this just this morning and I couldn't get the channel to save because I put in 600 Mhz for the offset (out of range) instead of 000.600 Mhz, the correct one.

Finally, are you sure the top frequency is Channel A because I thought the bottom frequency is Channel A though I could be wrong.

 

[KC9HI]

Are you trying to save a simplex frequency? If you are trying to save the frequency of a repeater, do you have the offset correct? I was trying to do this just this morning and I couldn't get the channel to save because I put in 600 Mhz for the offset (out of range) instead of 000.600 Mhz, the correct one.

Finally, are you sure the top frequency is Channel A because I thought the bottom frequency is Channel A though I could be wrong.

Offsets aren't needed or used when programming repeater channels. Menu 25 (SFT-D) and menu 26 (OFFSET) are only needed to work repeaters from the VFO.

To program in a repeater you first key in the RX frequency and write it to an empty channel using menu 27. Then you key in the TX frequency and write it to the same channel using menu 27. It matters not what the shift direction or offset menus were set at.

Jim KC9HI

 

[romandesign]

1. I don't know which manual you were following. It is very possible that it is not correct.
2. My point was that if you were using a known good manual, you and those of us that are interested in helping you could discuss it using the published step numbers so we would know who was doing what when.
3. You probably are missing something. That is usually the case.
4. When you ask for help, you must be prepared to work with those that are trying to help you. I can't help you if the only information that you will provide is "it doesn't work".

Jim KC9HI

1. Latest Miklor manual, the one you mentioned: uv-5r_v1.0-annotated_by_KC9HI.pdf
2. I followed all the steps but the last "menu" click which supposed to result in "receiving memory" sound ends in beep and doesn't save. I assume that "A" frequency that should be active when saving is on top and top triangle is on.
3. Yes, that's why I'm asking - someone must have seen this, if my unit is not broken (I don't think it is).
4. Absolutely. I'm not sure what other details I can provide. I was just trying to listen to a frequency so just entered it and tried to save to a channel. So simplex and no other settings - radio reset to factory settings. All channels are empty except the two that saved successfully (why?). I'm selecting open channel and can't save and I don't understand why. Then after a while I try to save another frequency and it saves OK. Weird...

 

[romandesign]

Example: right now I can't save 161.7725 to channel 13 or any free channel. However I have saved 132.800 to channel 12 just 10 min. ago...

 

[jk77]

If the offset is out of range, it won't let you go into reverse mode to save the transmitting frequency.

 

[romandesign]

If the offset is out of range, it won't let you go into reverse mode to save the transmitting frequency.

As I'm not trying to save a repeater, I didn't program any offset and my tx is the same as rx frequency.

 

[smoothrunnings]

Just got this radio in the mail today. I've read all manuals, reset to factory settings, and even managed to save one memory channel, but I'm trying to save another and it doesn't work: I get to menu >27->menu->(selected free channel without CH in front of number)->menu - and instead of "confirm" sound I get "beep" and nothing happens.

I'm in VFO mode and in line A (top).

What am I doing wrong?

Could be an issue with your firmware.

 

[romandesign]

Could be. Anyway, I'm doing it with software so far and it works. Still have no idea why sometimes it works manually and sometime it doesn't... Not a big deal because I've programmed all channels I need with software and it's unlikely I will want to program on the go...

 

[Mortabo]

I know this thread topic is most likely stale but I ran into this same issue with my new Baofeng BF-F8HP. I found that I couldn't save any frequency to memory if i was receiving a broadcast at that time, removing the antenna allowed me to save it with no issues. Specifically I was trying to save the NOAA 162.400 to no avail until I removed the antenna then had no problems. Hopefully this info will help somebody else down the road.

 

[amamoosunsa]

Just got this radio in the mail today. I've read all manuals, reset to factory settings, and even managed to save one memory channel, but I'm trying to save another and it doesn't work: I get to menu >27->menu->(selected free channel without CH in front of number)->menu - and instead of "confirm" sound I get "beep" and nothing happens.

I'm in VFO mode and in line A (top).

What am I doing wrong?

Hi there,
I ran into your situation as well and I think I found out what the problem is. When you try to save the channel and you get the green light(someone out there is communicating on a channel on your display which can be A or B channel or frequency) you cannot save and you will get the "beep" sound.

So what I did was change the other channel(if I was saving in B channel) I would change A channel or frequency to some random number and the green light would go away. After this i was able to save he channel.

 

[dixiedesertdigger]

So I got a Baofeng 997-s about one month ago and it saved a frequency once then never again. So yeah, I understand the original poster's problem. Unfortunately I see there was never any good solution posted. My solution was to buy a Baofeng GT-3TP... My problem was solved LOL. I would still love a solution as I am not going to throw out my 997-s. So should anyone ever run across a solution, please post it. Thank you.

 

[KC9HI]

So I got a Baofeng 997-s about one month ago and it saved a frequency once then never again. So yeah, I understand the original poster's problem. Unfortunately I see there was never any good solution posted. My solution was to buy a Baofeng GT-3TP... My problem was solved LOL. I would still love a solution as I am not going to throw out my 997-s. So should anyone ever run across a solution, please post it. Thank you.

Yes there was a good solution posted. Use one of the manual programming guides on the miklor.com website. They have all of the steps necessary to successfully program a UV-5R and its many variants (including the 997-S and the GT-3TP).

Getting a Baofeng GT-3TP was not a solution because the process to manually program both radios is exactly the same.

The only memory channels that can be programmed manually from the VFO are empty memory channels. If the memory that you want to program still contains data, then it must be erased with menu 28 (DEL-CH) first.

Jim KC9HI

 

[DickH]

Example: right now I can't save 161.7725 to channel 13 or any free channel. However I have saved 132.800 to channel 12 just 10 min. ago...

What step size is it set to? That's Menu item 1. Try step size 2.5kHz.

 

[Kifpy]

Figured it out!

Hi there,
I ran into your situation as well and I think I found out what the problem is. When you try to save the channel and you get the green light(someone out there is communicating on a channel on your display which can be A or B channel or frequency) you cannot save and you will get the "beep" sound.

So what I did was change the other channel(if I was saving in B channel) I would change A channel or frequency to some random number and the green light would go away. After this i was able to save he channel.

THIS! I actually created this account just to reply to this, because I've been banging my head against the wall all morning before I figured it out, so I figured I should pass on what I discovered.

Here's the issue: for some reason, YOU CAN'T SAVE A CHANNEL TO MEMORY IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING ON THAT FREQUENCY! I don't know why this would be the case, but there it is. I ran into the issue because I was attempting to save a NOAA weather alert station, but I couldn't get the stupid thing to save. Just on a whim, I typed in a different freq (with no one transmitting on it) and it saved just fine. The issue, it turns out, is that because the frequency in question has a weather broadcast station operating on it, my radio was always receiving on that freq, and for some reason Beofengs won't let you save it into your channel memory if that is the case.

So here's the solution: if the frequency is a repeater or some other popular freq, just wait until no one is using it before trying to save. The little green light on your radio indicates you are receiving, so you have to wait until it turns off before you will be able to save. If the frequency is something like a weather broadcast, you will have to get more creative. Go into your basement, or maybe program it inside the trunk of your car. Hold the phone in your microwave while you're saving (I shouldn't have to say this, but please don't turn it on). Basically, find somewhere where your reception is terrible. Alternately, do what I did: unplug your antenna. Obviously you don't want to transmit without an antenna, but if you unscrew it just enough to make you lose reception, you should be able to save the station with no issues. If you're concerned, maybe hook it up to a dummy load, but I don't think you should have any issues as long as you're not transmitting.

TLR Baofengs can't save a frequency while they're receiving on it, so either wait for everyone to shut up or figure out a way to block your reception.

 

[KC9HI]

THIS! I actually created this account just to reply to this, because I've been banging my head against the wall all morning before I figured it out, so I figured I should pass on what I discovered.

Here's the issue: for some reason, YOU CAN'T SAVE A CHANNEL TO MEMORY IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING ON THAT FREQUENCY! I don't know why this would be the case, but there it is. I ran into the issue because I was attempting to save a NOAA weather alert station, but I couldn't get the stupid thing to save. Just on a whim, I typed in a different freq (with no one transmitting on it) and it saved just fine. The issue, it turns out, is that because the frequency in question has a weather broadcast station operating on it, my radio was always receiving on that freq, and for some reason Beofengs won't let you save it into your channel memory if that is the case.

So here's the solution: if the frequency is a repeater or some other popular freq, just wait until no one is using it before trying to save. The little green light on your radio indicates you are receiving, so you have to wait until it turns off before you will be able to save. If the frequency is something like a weather broadcast, you will have to get more creative. Go into your basement, or maybe program it inside the trunk of your car. Hold the phone in your microwave while you're saving (I shouldn't have to say this, but please don't turn it on). Basically, find somewhere where your reception is terrible. Alternately, do what I did: unplug your antenna. Obviously you don't want to transmit without an antenna, but if you unscrew it just enough to make you lose reception, you should be able to save the station with no issues. If you're concerned, maybe hook it up to a dummy load, but I don't think you should have any issues as long as you're not transmitting.

TLR Baofengs can't save a frequency while they're receiving on it, so either wait for everyone to shut up or figure out a way to block your reception.

I just entered the frequency of my local NOAA weather radio station into my top VFO and stored it to a memory channel of my UV-82 all the while listening to the weather broadcast. Then I repeated the performance on my BF-F8HP and then my over 4 year old UV-5R. All 3 saved to a memory just fine.

Are you sure the target memory channel was empty? Baofeng radios cannot program a channel unless it is empty. The only thing that you can do to a non-empty channel is to update the TX frequency, the T-DCS code and the T-CTCS tone.

Jim KC9HI