Baofeng UV82- No sidekey tone?

[garyg199]

Hey there,

I just started using these cheap Chinese radios for my one job. It does what I need, however it does not give me an audible beep when I press the A/B (transmit) button. I heard they don't do this, as a Motorola would, but is that true? There's got to be a way to get a tone so I know when my mic is live. Can anyone help? Thanks

 

[nd5y]

There is no way to make a tone only in the speaker when you press the PTT switch on a Baofeng radio.

All they can do is PTT ID or ANI which can be set to transmit DTMF tones over the air when you press the PTT switch. Then you can set menu 16 DTMFST to DT+ANI to hear the tones in the speaker.

If you do that then other people and any DTMF controlled receivers or equipment will also hear the tones which could be a problem.

 

[garyg199]

Yeah I knew that, but I don't wanna hear the numbers dial out nor do I want it to be broadcast really. Do you have to set the ANI? Or can it just be set for the little two beep but also be heard when PTT is pressed?

Someone told me there's a way to more or less "hack" the radio firmware to get a sidekey tone I'm there. Is that possible?

 

[jonwienke]

No. Baofeng firmware is not editable or updateable. Your only options are to set a 1 or 2-digit ANI and set the radio to play the DTMF tone in the speaker at the beginning of the transmission, or go without.

 

[garyg199]

Oh okay so I can set the numbers myself? So it will only "beep" once or twice? Maybe I'll try that

 

[KD8DVR]

Sorry... No talk permit tone on any cheap Chinese radio.

AntiSquid Disclaimer: All comments are personal opinion only and may not imply actual fact.

 

[jonwienke]

The TYT MD-380 and 390 have a talk permit tone option in digital (DMR) and analog modes.

 

[surfacemount]

Talk permit is a trunking feature. "Sidekey tone" threw me off - sounds like sidetone, a whole nothing thing.

You are asking for transmit beep (Tx Beep).

I don't recall there being a feature that allows for this, but have you considered asking Baofeng? I don't know the maximum amount of codeplug memory in them, so maybe there's room to add that as a feature.

 

[jonwienke]

Talk permit is a trunking feature.

The MD-380/390 have it as an option even in simplex, and it also works when using a repeater. In simplex, the radio beeps when you key the mic. When using a repeater, it beeps when the radio gets transmit confirmation from the repeater.