Baofeng Baofeng UV-5R PL Tones won't save while in channel mode

[NoAccount4Me]

Anyone have any ideas for this? My friend's UV-5R isn't saving PL Tones. I programmed his channel mode using CHIRP with my GMRS channel presets, but whenever he goes to manually change the PL tone on a channel, it simply doesn't save.

His firmware version starts with an "H"

We also tried doing the "trick" of clicking the PTT button instead of exiting the menu, but it still doesn't save. Please see the video below:

https://imgur.com/OV9snwD

It works fine in Frequency Mode, but not Channel Mode. Nobody wants to memorize GMRS frequencies so ideally we want to use Channel Mode with CTCSS tones

My radio works perfectly fine, it's just his that has this problem.

Any ideas? Thank you

 

[AE4NG]

Anyone have any ideas for this? My friend's UV-5R isn't saving PL Tones. I programmed his channel mode using CHIRP with my GMRS channel presets, but whenever he goes to manually change the PL tone on a channel, it simply doesn't save.

His firmware version starts with an "H"

We also tried doing the "trick" of clicking the PTT button instead of exiting the menu, but it still doesn't save.

It works fine in Frequency Mode, but not Channel Mode. Nobody wants to memorize GMRS frequencies so ideally we want to use Channel Mode with CTCSS tones

My radio works perfectly fine, it's just his that has this problem.

Any ideas? Thank you

To my knowledge, you cannot change any saved menu settings, including a PL tone, in Channel Mode for an existing memory channel. You have to delete the memory channel, enter Frequency Mode, enter the correct info (frequency, offset, tone, etc.) and then re-save the channel with the correct settings into the blank memory channel. Then switch back to Channel Mode. It would be easier to use Chirp to correct the memory channel(s) you are trying to fix or change with the correct PL.

On a side note, I am pretty sure the UV-5R is not type accepted for GMRS.

 

[NoAccount4Me]

To my knowledge, you cannot change any saved menu settings, including a PL tone, in Channel Mode for an existing memory channel.

But it works perfectly fine on my UV-5R as well, which I bought a few years ago and has a different firmware.

You have to delete the memory channel, enter Frequency Mode, enter the correct info (frequency, offset, tone, etc.) and then re-save the channel with the correct settings into the blank memory channel. Then switch back to Channel Mode.

This does work, but the idea is what we want to be able to change PL tones on saved frequencies in Channel Mode so that we don't have to go back and forth from Frequency Mode to copy over the frequency.

It would be easier to use Chirp to correct the memory channel(s) you are trying to fix or change with the correct PL.

We did use CHIRP to program the channels in Channel Mode, but we don't want to program the tone since the tone in use depends on the 4x4 group we're going out with.


I'm curious if my friend's issue is just the fact that he has a different firmware from mine? Like I said, my radio works perfectly fine and allows me to change tone in Channel Mode for that "radio session", but once the radio is turned off and turned on again, it goes back to what was programmed with CHIRP, which is just no tone at all.

 

[AE4NG]

It could very well be the difference in the firmware. I know my UV-5R has the firmware that doesn’t allow me to do it. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

 

[ko6jw_2]

Here's a radical solution. Get a type accepted GMRS radio. I have a couple of B-Tech GMRS-V1's. Preprogramed with all GMRS simplex and repeater pairs. Use CHIRP to modify PL's. They receive only on non-GMRS frequencies. Nominal 5 watt output. Get a GMRS license if you don't have one and you're good to go.

 

[NoAccount4Me]

It could very well be the difference in the firmware. I know my UV-5R has the firmware that doesn’t allow me to do it. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

Yeah, I agree it might have to do with the firmware version. A little bit of searching on Google reveals that UV-5R's that shipped with "H" firmware are apparently fakes...? Interesting.....

Here's a radical solution. Get a type accepted GMRS radio. I have a couple of B-Tech GMRS-V1's. Preprogramed with all GMRS simplex and repeater pairs. Use CHIRP to modify PL's. They receive only on non-GMRS frequencies. Nominal 5 watt output. Get a GMRS license if you don't have one and you're good to go.

We are a 4x4 club so we like to use UV-5Rs as they can also talk on ham repeaters in case of emergencies, which has been done in the past. We are frequently in canyons and areas of no cell coverage so having the "all in one" radio like the UV-5R is great and cheap. The reason we need PL tones is to be able to interface with other users with "off the shelf" Cobra/Uniden GMRS radios so that don't have get any interference from people out on the trail on those channels.

 

[FKimble]

Just program each freq multiple times, each with a different tone. Make life really simple. Much quicker to turn the chan knob than to have to setup a pl tone on the fly.

Frank

 

[NoAccount4Me]

Just program each freq multiple times, each with a different tone. Make life really simple. Much quicker to turn the chan knob than to have to setup a pl tone on the fly.

I agree, this definitely works, but ideally I would want this be able to be done "on the fly" like on my UV-5R since sometimes channels and tones are actually already in use (Yes, believe it or not, I live in an area with lots of outdoors stuff and radios going on)

I just bought myself a new BF-F8HP and tested this. I'm having the same issue as my friend.

Here's a better video to explain what I'm talking about. My 4-year-old UV-5R (left) and my new BF-F8HP (right).

As you can see, I am in Channel Mode (using saved frequencies from CHIRP) and I'm trying to input a tone. On my UV-5R, it works perfectly fine by clicking the PTT button after changing the tone, and it saves it for that "session". Turning radio off/on or changing channel defaults back to Off as set in CHIRP.

But on my new BF-F8HP as well as my friend's radio, it goes back to "off".

https://imgur.com/EPvOhFR

Any Baofeng experts know what's going on?

 

[KD8DVR]

Here's a radical solution. Get a type accepted GMRS radio. I have a couple of B-Tech GMRS-V1's. Preprogramed with all GMRS simplex and repeater pairs. Use CHIRP to modify PL's. They receive only on non-GMRS frequencies. Nominal 5 watt output. Get a GMRS license if you don't have one and you're good to go.

Yes, I echo this. Also, *some* GMRS radios have duplicate repeater memories to allow for different PL tones on different repeaters.

 

[LeJerk]

Just program each freq multiple times, each with a different tone. Make life really simple. Much quicker to turn the chan knob than to have to setup a pl tone on the fly.

Frank

Wouldn't that take a thousand memory channels? Each channel and then 30,40,50 tone codes for each channel?

 

[BMDaug]

Part acceptance is primarily designed to protect people from their own ignorance, so I really hope you know what you’re doing in regards to channel bandwidth and power allowances. Just know that you are technically in violation of FCC regulations, even if you have channel bandwidth and power set properly. You also need a GMRS license. There are many MANY threads covering the use of amateur repeaters without an amateur license so I won’t get into it. If you can get away with it, you’re lucky that the local hams turn a blind eye. I recommend just getting a ham license, then you can use the repeater whenever you want!

In regards to the PL issue, it probably is firmware related. FWIW, the ones I bought about 18 months ago and gave away to my friends during COVID to try and entice them to get their ham licenses didn’t save properly either. All four of them were identical and none of the four saved the tones. If the radio is brand new I’d exchange it, or find an older firmware to flash and see if that helps.

-B

 

[chief21]

I had some UV5r's four or five years ago, and those wouldn't allow the tones to be changed either. Very frustrating!

 

[Jtd75]

It simply does not allow you to change that parameter for a saved channel. You must first delete the stored channel. You may now enter the frequency and proper tone. Finally you can store the channel with the configuration you just made.