I've just bought a couple of UV-5R's....

Nice one there Neal.  

Charlie Tango definitely is greater than the sum of its parts and I'm always thrilled when members go out of their way to help each other.

Well done everyone!

(Yeah, click that 'buy' button Neal - they are extremely useful and fun little radios! )


There you go Simon, plenty to be getting on with and again I wish you all the best.

73's
Victor

Victor wrote:

(Yeah, click that 'buy' button Neal - they are extremely useful and fun little radios! )

*clicked*

Looking forward to joining in with some of you on these higher bands in the near future.

Thanks gents!!  I've been working, but have the weekend off now, so I'll be looking at it again tomorrow and programming the repeaters in.  Received my Nagoya NA-771 from Knights (they only had 1 left)..a really helpful bunch there.  I get out on the Ridgeway and the Berkshire Downs quite a bit with the dog, so the combo of the UV-5r and the new antenna should give me a good chance of hearing the repeaters. 

I have a couple of Baofengs, a UV5R and a UV5S, both great radios. In fact they work just as well as my Yaesu FT4X

I bought a genuine Nagoya antenna from Taiwan through ebay. Even some of the main suppliers in the UK sell fakes. They seem to work ok though.

Mine came Friday. Programmed in the PMR frequencies and the 70cm and 2m Swindon repeaters. Been mostly having a listen whilst taking the dog for walks.

Just stock out the packet with it's rubber duckie it receives well. Picked up quite a few convos on PMR including one person who was at Combe Gibbet (32 miles from me). Can receive the Swindon repeaters, heard a couple of convos on the 2m one.

Can open both repeaters while out walking. Inside the house though it needs careful positioning, just like my mobile phone. Probably going to need to make a directional antenna like Victor at some point.

Great to hear your first thoughts and experiences with these little radios there Neal.  

I also found the transmission & reception ranges were really quite good on the stock antenna outdoors but with my lack of mobility I had to find better solutions for indoors. A better antenna solution does obviously work but my adventures with a homebrew beam was to see how far I could push it all and going from one 70cm repeater to seven from the comfort of my chair was quite the thrill!

I'm still playing with 2m beams and although I now have other 2m gear the little handy is still the best for conducting those experiments. Despite what is often said the UV5r is as capable as the other sets I have. Utilising a beam again is just seeing how far I can push these little radios but I've already been impressed with what I achieved with it hooked to home base antenna affairs.


Just a little tip for repeater work.....even though it causes some contentious arguments within the amateur community set the FM transmission mode to WFM or wide FM. It's not truly wide like a commercial broadcast station but will improve your audio no end and despite what is said the repeaters handle it fine. I have yet to find anyone that actually transmits 'narrow' FM anyway after building an FM deviation meter that runs via a receiver - everyone transmits wide!!
(5kHz NFM vs 2.5kHz NFM)

Also don't be tempted to start mucking about with the internal microphone, the WFM setting is more than enough and you'll only be rewarded with wind noise when outdoors and pops on 'plosive' speech sounds. Same goes for an external microphone, (I have one hooked up and it's a real blessing), don't be tempted to start drilling holes or mucking about with audio dampening sponges - you'll just ruin it!


Anyway, have fun Neal. I'm sure you'll become just as much of a fan of these little radios as I and many others.

All the best,
Victor

Thank you Victor for the tip on the wide FM setting. It is not something I would have thought to look at initially on this radio, being so small I thought it would be pretty basic, but it does have a lot of features in its menus. Checked the setting and it has come set as wide.

Sensible hints on the mic too, thanks, especially as it will get used outdoors.

Mostly listening for the moment to see the differences in how people operate on V/UHF compared to HF. Out with the dog for a slow walk for over an hour last night listening to the SDARC club net on GB3WH. Did you manage to catch any of it Simon?

Just tried again to program the UV-5R via Chirp.....I just can't do it chaps, as I simply can't understand the logic behind it all.   I'll try tomorrow to do it manually, as it's my day off!!

@TheReverend,
Stick with it Simon and if it becomes frustrating just take a break and come back to it later.  
You will eventually be rewarded with success and remember you'd have to learn to program most of these types of radios including the expensive big brand types.
(A friend who got frustrated went onto buy a 'big brand' name radio to discover that issue!)



@SangueG,
You're welcome Neal and great to hear you getting some good use.  
I've found Repeater work can be a totally different kettle of fish from officialdom to relaxed, Nets to fellas chatting on the commute and everything in between. Sometimes VHF is very quiet and other times absolutely buzzing! Worth having a listen to see what's going on but never forget that others might be simply 'monitoring' too so transmitting your presence every now and then is good practice. A simple "<your callsign> listening through on <repeater callsign>" can work wonders.

Occasionally you come across Repeater 'abuse' but never be put off by such simple mindedness. Ignorance is bliss and a few flies in the pool shouldn't stop you from taking a swim.


All the very best Lads and have fun,

Victor

Hi gents,

I'm REALLY struggling with programming my UV-5R's......I've been working lots recently, so I've tried to do it the last week or so when I get home late, and I've made very slow progress.  I've managed to connect one of the radios to chirp and download the config.  I've saved the original, and am editing a new config file which I've also saved to my laptop.  I'm trying to keep things simple, so this evening I've started by copying and pasting the 16 analogue PMR446 frequencies into the new config.....my problem is that there are sooooo many other editable fields in each line of the config which I simply don't understand!!  Things such as DTCS Codes, Tone mode, Tone Squelch etc...and oh, and I've also been setting the 'Offset' to 0.00000 which again, I have no idea if it's correct!?!  God only knows what I'll be like when it comes to the repeater frequencies!! 

Right then gentlemen, I've pushed on through tonight, and I think I have one UV-5r programmed, yay!!!  I think I have the PMR446 frequencies and local repeaters for 70cm and 2m all in there.  The PMR I'm relatively confident about, however the repeaters I'm not so sure!!

Hi Simon,

Well done with sticking with it.  

It seems that you're getting a good handle on things with the radios and as with anything new it can be frustrating to start with. Most of the 'extra' programming fields you mention won't be used under normal radio use and are usually left blank or set to the default of being 'off'.

So long as the channels you've programmed have the correct set of frequencies you want you'll be set to go and of course your channel list is up to you in how you program it. You can of course hit the VFO button and type in any frequency you wish to monitor and not worry about anything else as far as reception goes. (Unless you've got the 'tone squelch' options on.)

It might be worth reading a bit on CTCSS, (Continuous Tone Controlled Squelch System), just to get to grips with the basics. Despite what some may say it doesn't make your channel 'private' but means your squelch will not open unless a matching  tone is transmitted at the other end. 2m & 70cm repeaters have such tone settings to control access as well as preventing interference but you can happily receive them so long as you have your receive squelch tones switched off. You only need them to access a repeater on transmit and that will come about as and when you're licensed to do so.

As for receiving repeaters even if the frequency appears to be 'dead' at first it's worth waiting for the repeater 'ident' which is transmitted occasionally. The Bedford repeater near me transmits a Morse identification of 'GB3BF' every so often and the GB3PI repeater has a friendly female voice recording that announces the repeater name and every so often the time. Handy for checking reception.

Hopefully as you have two radios you should be able to transfer settings from a working radio to the other even if you have to manually program it and then should be rewarded with the radios able to transmit and receive to each other.

Be careful if you try to add another radio into the experimental mix such as a child's PMR 'walkie' as some of them are preprogrammed to a particular CTCSS. Unless you know the tone or code for them it can add to the frustration!


Keep at it Simon, it does sound like you're getting there mate.


When I first got mine I found it a tad frustrating but then it all clicks into place where I can now program mine manually or with software and even have channel names as well as frequencies displayed.

.....Then I got another different radio, CHIRP screwed up the memory, (not compatible despite stating so!), resorted to OEM Windows programming, (random COM port issues!), and still have trouble programming it manually.....

But I only had to program it correctly once....Thank God! Even though it took a few attempts to get there!      


All the best,
Victor

I just spent 2hrs of my life writing a fabulous response to this thread, only to have it disappear when I clicked send....gutted.

Arrrggghh!!   

You've been hit with the 'forumotion' disappearing trick Simon, had it happen a few times myself where you click 'send' and your posting does a Houdini act!!??!!

I always select/copy my responses now before sending - just in case - and then can always 'paste' my text back should it happen. Right Royal PITA! Technology, what a wonderful thing?!? 


Despite the technology woes, (I've given you a 'Thanks' vote for your efforts), I hope it was all good news regards the radio programming.  

You'll have to let us know, but do 'select/copy' first..... just in case.


All the very best,
Victor

Victor
Don't you find that it never happens when you remember to copy only ever happens to me when i forget to copy.

Ha! Ha!   

.....and then some!

hi Simon, did mine manually and took 10 mins, not great on programming so took that route 
regards mark.

Hi all, let’s try again to share a post shall we!?!…with questions at the end….

After my initial challenges programming the UV-5r last Friday, I had a good weekend.  I switched it on in the kitchen on Saturday afternoon with the Nagoya antenna attached, and the reassuring morse code from the local Swindon repeater came through within a few minutes….success!!, I had the proper settings programmed in!

Sunday was less busy for me, so after beasting the dog on a power walk for a couple of hours in the morning, I had time to drive to a new hill I’ve been eyeing-up for the last few weeks.  I’ve done a recce on the hill with the dog before, and found it was drivable with a convenient parking space nearly at the top.  I say nearly, as there’s an ancient mound to walk up to complete the last 17m of the ascent to make a total ASL of 253m.

The uninterrupted view was extensive, and covered Swindon through to Fairford and Highworth, so I switched on the UV-5r, scanned through my presets, and immediately received a couple of chaps talking on PMR.  I tried to break in on their conversation a few times, however without success.  The snow was starting to roll in, so I thought I’d better exit stage left and get back down off the mound.  Back at the car, I quickly slapped the Sirio 5000 magmount on the roof, poked the coax through the window and did a rapid deployment of another of my new radios, the CRT One N!  Just plug it into the cigarette socket and away we go.  A very compact FM radio for the UK CB channels, and I managed to join Sid’s Sunday Net for the first time, which I’m very pleased about.  I managed to get out to a couple of people in Wales and north to Gloucestershire as I remember, so I’ll take that for a first outing on 4w!! 

The last couple of days I’ve taken the UV-5r to work with me.  Whilst not exactly local to my home QTH, I cover a lot of miles in Swindon and the surrounding areas, and it’s always nice to hear the morse from the repeater when I’m nearing home turf! When I’m out and about, I’m scanning all of my presets, so I’ve picked up a few 446 chats, and some licensed local repeater conversations which are absolute gold dust when learning real life lingo!!!   I’m well pleased with my UV-5r and my CRT One to be fair, and I can’t imagine ever not listening again!!  God, just imagine what I’ll be like as a licensed operator?!?

Now for my questions….

Chirp shows me that me PMR channels are programmed with the following settings…...please bear with me if I’m stating the bleedin’ obvious:

Tone Mode: None
Tone: 88.5
Tone Squelch: 8.5
DTCS Code: 023
DTCS Rx Code: 023
DTCS Pol: NN
Cross Mode: Tone>Tone
Duplex: None
Offset: 0000000

My problem is, I don’t know what the DTCS Codes actually mean?  So, imagine that I’d like to join the 8@8 PMR Net on a Sunday night down in Bristol…..the DTCS codes on my radio might mean that I’ll not be heard, or they might be the default standard for unfiltered PMR in the UK?

So, that’s my update, and thanks for reading it!!

Simon.

Simon
Not answering your question but asking one.
Have you thought about getting licenced the Essex ham course is a good one and many pass there foundation after doing it and the course is free then £27.50? for the exam.

Hi Simon,

Absolutely well done with sticking with it all and it seems your efforts were well rewarded!!  


It filled me with that warming sense of joy reading about your radio exploits and always does when I hear of others progressing nicely with their interests. Congratulations too with your CRT One, great little radios for the money to get you on the CB airwaves and that 4W output can often work wonders.

Definitely sounds like you've been well and truly bitten by the radio bug my friend and I hope it continues to do so as it can become a lifelong interest.

I love how the first contacts can fill you with excitement and an open eyed huge smile like a child eating sweetened breakfast cereal for the very first time! Always worth hanging onto that excitement rather than feeling 'childish' about it as although you'll get used to your radio work new contacts, modes & frequencies will bring about those massive smiles once again.


As for your Baofeng programming you should be OK regardless of some of the perplexing options. 
Your first option of "Tone Mode : None" will override further tone options which is good but worth also turning off the DTCS options anyway. The "Duplex : None" is also correct as on PMR frequencies you want to be transmitting and receiving on the same frequencies or otherwise known as 'Simplex'. This also overrides the "Offset" option anyway but the zero option is also correct for PMR.

If it helps any the CHIRP software site has some good explanations and pointers here :-

https://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/MemoryEditorColumns

Does sound like you're good to go for PMR.  


Well done again Simon and a big thanks for letting us know how you've got on, (I've given you another 'Thanks' vote for your efforts). It's always worthwhile knowing that everyone here who has offered help or pointers have helped a fellow radio enthusiast progress along nicely.

Definitely give 'Foundation' a shot and remember that there is the online training and exam options should Covid scupper plans on club openings. A whole world of radio awaits you.


All the very best,
Victor

did anyone read the article in RADCOM,about the guy who had a contact through the ISS repeater on a baofeng UV 5 RT

Markone wrote:

did anyone read the article in RADCOM,about the guy who had a contact through the ISS repeater on a baofeng UV 5 RT

No, not an RSGB member yet. That's quite an awesome contact though for a little HT. What antenna did they use?

I briefly heard GB3VA whilst walking the dog near home on Saturday afternoon. Opened it, had a station come back, but lost it straight away after they answered QRZ this is G4...in to the hiss again. Don't know if it was just brief good conditions or what, but impressed the little UV 5R managed 40ish miles. The repeater coverage map had no colouring for the area of Cirencester I was walking. Should do well with a better antenna connected. Doesn't compare to hitting the ISS though 

Ahh, don't forget the ISS would be up in the sky with no obstructions....easy path for VHF.

Joking aside it's quite impressive feats there. I tried miserably to decode a full SSTV image from the Russian ISS transmissions and although I've received the station I've never yet been able to transmit to it.

So maybe not as easy as some make out after all?


Nice share there Mark. I'll be sure to read it when my old friend dumps another box of old Radcom's to me.

Great work too Neal. 40 miles on a Baofeng with the standard antenna is pretty impressive.  

Hi gents, just another quick update for you…..

I’ve spent a lot of time listening to the local 70cm and 2m repeaters, as well as 446, whilst driving around, and it’s given me a great insight into the world of the licenced operator.  As such, I learned that the Swindon club was holding a 2m repeater ‘net’ this last Monday evening, so I decided to try and listen in from my home QTH.  It was a brilliant hour of listening here on the outermost edge of its coverage, so I’m very pleased with that from the handheld!! 

The bug has well and truly taken hold, as I have also acquired a couple of Baofeng UV-5r III’s…...I made the decision shortly after there was talk of them being banned, so I ordered them directly from Baofeng radio UK, each supplied complete with the Nagoya NA771.  I can report back that the 771 antenna supplied, even from Baofeng, is not an original Nagoya.  It’s in the green-backed sleeve as per the original, but every other aspect of this antenna is inferior to the real thing...length, whip sturdiness, printing on the base, base load quality, seating when connected, and reception….just general quality really, so I’ll let them know.  I listened to the 2m net on 3 UV-5r’s on Monday, and the radio with the fake antenna picked-up much more static, and didn’t receive as well at all.

Having said that, the UV-5r Mk III does include an extra band of 1.25m, so I’d love to hear your thoughts and expectations of listening on this band!?!

Cheers, Simon.

I see a new licence holder in the making here.
Go for it you won't regret it.