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Tail End Charlie - New Chirp Woes

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Jaxco

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I have been using Chirp a LONG time and love it - let me get the lovefest out of the way. I had been using 2 different model Baofeng and decided to update my Chirp software to the latest daily build and add/update repeater changes on my 888s and my F8HP. Not many changes were made (Only 3 channels!) No error messages occurred whatsoever- BUT NOW -

I only open the repeater when I UNKEY on any channel, so it sounds like I am one of those clods that sits on a repeater and deadkeys every few minutes.

This happened with BOTH types of radios, obviously at the same time.

No new/different hardware/cables were used that have not been used countless times before.

As I said, I have no problem opening the repeater, but only for a couple of seconds when I actually unkey. Simplex operation is perfect and when I tune my scanner to the tx frequency, I hear myself.

Beyond odd.
 

jonwienke

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Program a channel in one of the radios to the repeater input to see if you're transmitting when you key the mic.
 

Jaxco

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I did, and I am transmitting, on the F8HP the display also shows the tx frequency as I transmit, it displays the proper frequency for the offset.
 

jonwienke

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If you have another radio programmed to match the repeater input and it receives, then either there is an issue with the repeater, the published repeater settings are incorrect, or you have the wrong tone mode selected. When you tested, did you verify that the receiver radio had the same tone/DCS settings as the repeater?

CHIRP has separate columns for the PL tone, DCS value, and DCS polarity, but which are actually used depends on the setting in the mode column.
 

Jaxco

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I went over the settings, but only 3 items were changed in the entire list of frequencies. I don't know why so many entries that were not touched and worked before no longer work. Only one repeater changed in 70cm band so only one was changed on the 888S. All I can figure is that somehow the on board memory in the radios must have gotten corrupted when I uploaded them. The only new variable was the newest daily build of Chirp. Daily builds are required for the F8HP, so I realize that it is much like any other beta software.
 

jonwienke

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Did you upload the same img file to the BF-F8HP and the BF-888S?

Keep in mind that img files are not only incompatible between different brands/models, but in some cases between different firmware versions within the same model.
 

Jaxco

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LOL Of course not - there is a world of difference between the 2 models. That would be the derrrrp move of the century.
 

jonwienke

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I thought not, but some stupid questions need to be asked.

Have you tried reverting to the "most recent stable" CHIRP and using it to reprogram the 888s? That obviously won't fix the F8HP, but that would establish whether the CHIRP version is the problem, or something got corrupted in your img file.
 

Jaxco

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Between work and family, I have not had time to carry out my plan, which is - install the last version of Chirp that worked correctly (9/3/14 build) on a laptop that has never had chirp installed, then scour the web for factory original images for the 2 radios and restore them to that state, then use that template and manually enter each frequency in that template and save them as a separate file.

If that does not do the trick, then somehow the memory was corrupted by a usb port voltage spike, short or something... I will probably do this tonight after the kids are asleep.
 

jonwienke

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That sounds like a good plan. The author of CHIRP has been collecting virgin img files, and posted a link to his collection in another thread here recently.
 

KC9HI

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I have been using Chirp a LONG time and love it - let me get the lovefest out of the way. I had been using 2 different model Baofeng and decided to update my Chirp software to the latest daily build and add/update repeater changes on my 888s and my F8HP. Not many changes were made (Only 3 channels!) No error messages occurred whatsoever- BUT NOW -

I only open the repeater when I UNKEY on any channel, so it sounds like I am one of those clods that sits on a repeater and deadkeys every few minutes.

This happened with BOTH types of radios, obviously at the same time.

No new/different hardware/cables were used that have not been used countless times before.

As I said, I have no problem opening the repeater, but only for a couple of seconds when I actually unkey. Simplex operation is perfect and when I tune my scanner to the tx frequency, I hear myself.

Beyond odd.

Repeater owners spend big bucks to purchase specialized filters that allow them to be able to have a receiver and transmitter so close together and work at the same time. What you are describing has nothing to do with CHIRP. It is the nature of duplex radio operation. It would happen even if you programmed them with the keypad and no matter what the brand or model the radios are. I'll bet that when your scanner is tuned to the RX frequency, it does the same thing.

Read FAQ #22
Baofeng UV5R series FAQs Page

Jim KC9HI
 

Jaxco

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I read that during my initial search and that is not what is happening. The radios went from working to non-working in 5 minutes, the time that it took me to make the changes on both radios and reprogram them. I have not had the F8HP very long but the 888S has been reprogrammed dozens of times the last couple of years.

I do not disagree with the text that you linked to but this is a different issue and the only, repeat only variable was the daily build of Chirp. I love the software and will continue to use it. This is a speedbump, I will get over it.

"2) Call someone on the repeater to verify your signal quality.
If they can hear you, then all is fine. "

Therein lies the problem - I called a radio friend, attempted to checkin on nightly nets, no one can hear me and there is no dead carrier, only a repeater tail.
 

KC9HI

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I read that during my initial search and that is not what is happening. The radios went from working to non-working in 5 minutes, the time that it took me to make the changes on both radios and reprogram them. I have not had the F8HP very long but the 888S has been reprogrammed dozens of times the last couple of years.

I do not disagree with the text that you linked to but this is a different issue and the only, repeat only variable was the daily build of Chirp. I love the software and will continue to use it. This is a speedbump, I will get over it.

"2) Call someone on the repeater to verify your signal quality.
If they can hear you, then all is fine. "

Therein lies the problem - I called a radio friend, attempted to checkin on nightly nets, no one can hear me and there is no dead carrier, only a repeater tail.

Email me you CHIRP .img file. I would be happy to take a look at it.
bf-f8hp [at] kc9hi [dot] net

Jim KC9HI
 

Jaxco

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Thanks! I will be happy to send it - if I ever get this last support call over with and get home... Waiting for callbacks can be a pain.
 

Jaxco

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Jun 25, 2014
Messages
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I went by my plan above, to the letter. It worked perfectly, all radios at full function again. I have everything I need to restore them now if this happens again.

Thanks for looking at my files, Jim and confirming they looked to be in order - I genuinely appreciated the offer of help.

73 all!
 
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