Help needed with a Wouxun KG-UV6X

[AlJones]

I'm giving up; I have a friends UV6X that I've been trying to set up for the local repeaters and a few other misc channels ... On my Boafeng I can hear the channel markers and traffic, but on the Wouxun I'm getting nothing.

This radio was given to him when he got his license and is out of warranty.

Here are the setting as I see them on the radio, can anyone offer some suggestions as to what is set wrong and how to correct it:
01 Step - 5.00K
02 SQL-LE - 1
03 Save - on
04 TXP - high
05 ROGER - off
06 TOT - 60
07 VOX - off
08 WN - wide
09 VOICE - off
10 TOA - 5
11 BEEP - on
12 TX-WN - wide
13 BCL - off
14 AUTOLCK - off
15 R-CTC - off
16 T-CTC - 146.2Hz (normal pl tone on this repeater)
17 R-DCS - off
18 T-DCS - off
19 SC-REV - TO
20 PF1 - radio
21 PF2 - rpt
22 CH-MDF - name
23 ABR - on
24 OFFSET - (dashes?)
25 SFT-D - "-"
26 SECOND - off
27 CHNAME - C-MTN- (Christmas Mountain Repeater)
28 MEM-CH - CH-001
29 DEL-CH - CH-001
30 RESET - VFO
31 SOS-CH - CH-B
32 SCN CD - CTCSS
33 SCNADD - on
34 LK-EN - all
35 PTT-ID - off

One oddity that I have noticed is that the green (receive?) light is flashing about every 5 seconds.

Anything else you think might be helpful to know, just ask; any suggestion, I'm all ears.

I've used Chirp to load the standard set of frequencies that we all use down here; I've reset it to factory default, manually programmed it to the XMAS MTN repeater, no joy; reset it and then loaded the original image, no joy. I've used Chirp to set up a half dozen Baofeng's without a problem but this guy is driving me up a wall.

 

[frazpo]

I'm giving up; I have a friends UV6X that I've been trying to set up for the local repeaters and a few other misc channels ... On my Boafeng I can hear the channel markers and traffic, but on the Wouxun I'm getting nothing.

This radio was given to him when he got his license and is out of warranty.

Here are the setting as I see them on the radio, can anyone offer some suggestions as to what is set wrong and how to correct it:
01 Step - 5.00K
02 SQL-LE - 1
03 Save - on
04 TXP - high
05 ROGER - off
06 TOT - 60
07 VOX - off
08 WN - wide
09 VOICE - off
10 TOA - 5
11 BEEP - on
12 TX-WN - wide
13 BCL - off
14 AUTOLCK - off
15 R-CTC - off
16 T-CTC - 146.2Hz (normal pl tone on this repeater)
17 R-DCS - off
18 T-DCS - off
19 SC-REV - TO
20 PF1 - radio
21 PF2 - rpt
22 CH-MDF - name
23 ABR - on
24 OFFSET - (dashes?)
25 SFT-D - "-"
26 SECOND - off
27 CHNAME - C-MTN- (Christmas Mountain Repeater)
28 MEM-CH - CH-001
29 DEL-CH - CH-001
30 RESET - VFO
31 SOS-CH - CH-B
32 SCN CD - CTCSS
33 SCNADD - on
34 LK-EN - all
35 PTT-ID - off

One oddity that I have noticed is that the green (receive?) light is flashing about every 5 seconds.

Anything else you think might be helpful to know, just ask; any suggestion, I'm all ears.

I've used Chirp to load the standard set of frequencies that we all use down here; I've reset it to factory default, manually programmed it to the XMAS MTN repeater, no joy; reset it and then loaded the original image, no joy. I've used Chirp to set up a half dozen Baofeng's without a problem but this guy is driving me up a wall.

OK. so the radio will not receive is what your saying?
You have shown the settings however no frequencies.
I see that the offset is blank. For 2m it should be + or - 600khz
You have the tone squelch set but no open tone for the repeater. (R-CTC)
I do not have that radio but am familiar with most settings, pretty universal.

Just for starters that is what pops out at me.
You do not seem to be a novice at this so I am unsure if this helps.

 

[AlJones]

Oh, I am definitely a novice.

The repeater I'm using is Christmas_Specifications on 146.820

One of the things that I find disconcerting is the assumption that you have to program them in frequency mode, and on the Boafeng I have (a UV82L), you actually have to turn it off and back on to switch modes and assume that you're on the same channel when you're doing the programming.

The offset is in fact a -600k I was reading it in channel mode, it shows in frequency mode.

I'm not comfortable with this but with the two radios in reasonable proximity, if they're on the same channel my Boafeng shows that the Wouxun is transmitting something, but I hear nothing. Ditto if I key the Boafeng the rcv light on the Wouxun comes on but again I hear nothing on the Wouxun.

My Boafeng will hit the repeater and the repeater responds (even if no one else does, it's quiet down here); the repeater doesn't respond to the Wouxun.

With both radios on ... and as I said, that makes me nervous ... keyed the Boafeng and heard the repeater reply on both radios. Keyed the Wouxun and heard nothing on either radio.

Time to take a break and clear my head ...

 

[frazpo]

If you are transmitting with both radios (duplex mode) then anything you hear will be from the repeater and not the radio.
If the radios are acting like they are receiving while doing this then you are too close in proximity with each radio.

Can you just set the repeater frequency in the Wouxon in frequency mode to see if it will even receive?
Is the repeater emitting a tone squelch.

 

[AlJones]

Just reset the radio (menu option 30 / all ) which clears memory and (some) settings.
I say some because it does not reset the step from 5.0k to 12.5 which is default, nor does it reset the welcome messages.
That said, does anyone know how to completely reset the uv6x to factory. I'm beginning to think that not everything is being reset and that "something" might be causing me problems.

I manually programmed one channel (xmas mtn repeater)

My neighbor and a fellow ham (two people) were chatting and I was able to hear them but even though I have full bars and a transmit light, they weren't able to hear me.

A couple of comments are in order here. While I'm a new ham, I've worked with and around CB transcievers (old enough CB that I was KBND0388) and military receivers for years. My suspicion at this point is that the antenna is not making a good connection but don't have an alternative to try. It's a female connection on the Wouxun and a male on the Boafeng.

All the write ups on this radio say that it has excellent reception / selectivity and what I hear as 5x5 on the Boafeng is coming through at 3x5 on the Wouxun (good signal strength / poor quality if I have those right?)

 

[madrabbitt]

First off, set the squelch level to 4 or 5. That should stop the receive blinking.

Next, go to VFO mode and manually program a simplex frequency, no tone, no offset.
Program the same simplex on the other radio. Separate them by at least 20-30 feet and test.

 

[bharvey2]

This caught my attention: You said that when you kerchunk the repeater with the Baofeng, you can hear the repeater respond on both radios. This makes be think your receive frequency is correct but you transmit frequency is wrong. You either need to get the correct offset (=/- 600khz for 2M) or enter the transmit frequency directly in the software. Also, I believe that in frequency mode, you can watch the display as you key up. It should switch between the receive frequency and the transmit frequency. If it stays the same, you know you have a problem.

Also, is there a reason you aren't using the Wouxun program? It is available for download at no charge.

 

[robertmac]

I hope one doesn't kerchunk the repeater without proper identification of your station. Far too many kerchunks these days. At least throw out your call sign. A comment on the green flashing light. Many CCR Wouxun radios have this happening. Doesn't affect anything except can be bright at night. I have 2 that do this, even with the antenna disconnected. As I say it doesn't affect performance.

 

[bharvey2]

To be fair, AlJones didn't say he was kerchunking the repeater. That was my wording. He may have been trying to I.D.

 

[AlJones]

Responses first:
BadRabbit: nope, setting squlech up didn't change it, it still flashes. And its flashes seem to have nothing to do with tower activity, just a sporadic (every 5-10 seconds) flash. (more on your comment below)
RobertMac: I normally "cq cq de kg5hej requesting a radio check" though I have to admit there have been times when I just kerchunk it since I'm getting real frustrated (if this were my radio, it think it would be target practice!)
BHarvey: I have both programs, I understand chirp and could probably use the Wouxun program but it threw me with the frequencies "reversed" from what I expected.

I had to check what I wrote the other evening (#5) because now it's different. My neighbor (100 yds+-) can hear me on simplex (146.52) but not through the repeater . On the Wouxun I can hear the repeater but my Boafeng can't hear the Wouxun from even a few feet away - though the Wouxun lights up and has full bars saying it's transmitting.

 

[bharvey2]

Can the Baofeng hear the Wouxun on simplex? That might confirm the problem with the transmit frequency. You could try programming both the transmit and receive frequencies for your repeater into separate channels into your Baofeng then listen to each as you transmit on the Wouxun. A better solution if you have the option would be to use a scanner with a "Close Call" scanning feature to listen for the Wouxun transmit frequency. At least you can confirm that the Wouxun is transmitting. (and I suspect it is.)

 

[wmagill]

Download the baofeng into chirp and save the radio profile. Download the wouxon into chirp and save it as another file now with the wouxon page loaded into chirp import the baofeng file into it. This should mirror all channel settings.

If this doesnt work take a screen shot of both radios' setting tabs it is either a bad ctcss setting or plower level setting. If using a mobile mod antenna for the wouxon try to swr the antenna on both bands.

Sent from my LGMS395 using Tapatalk

 

[AlJones]

Ah, mr magill ... herewith a slew of pictures ... can you tell me why I can talk on the Baofeng and not the Wouxon? I've had the radio for over a week now and cannot make it behave. The owner is picking it up tomorrow morning and as far as I'm concerned "Good Riddance!"

Wouxun setting are all on one tab so here's the top and bottom of that screen.

The Baofeng's are on several screens:

the fifth screen is the single commercial FM frequency (93.5 fm if you're interested)

Since I'm trying to get this to work on the Christmas Mountain (and associated) repeaters, herewith the images associated with them:

Wouxon 14 Settings:

and the same from the Boafeng

I've tried to set the Wouxun up the same as the Baofeng - and as far as I can see they should be identical. The Baofeng works, the Wouxon doesn't work right.

You asked, here they are ... suggestions???
//al (KG5HEJ)