Amateur Radio FAQ

[E.Shell]

Here's part of the CHIRP file that is loaded on my radio...

Anybody see something I am missing?

Seems OK to me, except I don't know what your frequency column headings are. I have CHIRP on my windows machine that is in transit storage right now. My laptop runs Linux and I don't have CHIRP installed and canot see the full column headings

If the CTCSS tone is the column containing 107.2, you should be GTG. Otherwise, it could be that your column containing 88.5 needs to be changed to 107.2.

Can you reach any other repeaters at all?

 

[Boxcab]

Based on these instructions for manually programing the UV-5R, I'm more corn-fused....

.

 

[E.Shell]

Based on these instructions for manually programing the UV-5R, I'm more corn-fused....

...but that's why you use CHIRP.

HT menu work is notoriously convoluted, but then these recent Chinese radios take it to another level and are in a class of their own. While I can program my own Yaesu HTs 'on the fly', it's a hateful job and I will always revert back to using the computer to fine tune memory locations and/or do anything major.

In your directions:

Step 1 merely puts you in VFO (manual tuning) mode, so you can enter any usable frequency. You should end up in "VFO" and not in "MR" (memory recall).

Step 2 selects the input area, which should end up as "A".

Step 3 selects the desired band your local repeater uses, which we can assume to be 2 meters for now.

Step 4 resets up your incoming/outgoing tone squelch to give you a blank slate for your own programming.
a) RX DCS should be 'off', so no repeater codes are required to open your radio squelch. If your radio has this enabled, you may be hitting the repeater but unable to hear it.
b) RX CTCSS should be 'off', so no repeater tones are required to open your radio squelch. As above, if your radio has this enabled, you may be hitting the repeater but unable to hear it.
c) TX DCS should be 'off' for these repeaters.
d) TX CTCSS should ultimately be set to 'ON', so that you transmit the required tone with you signal. You will accomplish this in step 10.

Step 5 disables dual watch mode to simplify programming operation and avoid saving the wrong info.

Step 6 would clear any data present, such as location/club tags, etc. to give you a blank slate.

Your first real programming begins with step 7, where you enter (presumably) the repeater output frequency (147.075 for GB).

Step 8 is where you would enter the repeater offset value (.6mc / 600kc for these 2 meter machines).

Step 9 sets the offset direction, whether you go up +600 kc (correct for GB/D-vlle) or drop down -600 kc (as in other areas of the band).

Step 10 is marked 'optional', but is not at all optional if the repeater requires tones. You would set this value to enable the CTCSS tone only and then input the 107.2 tone required for the GB/D-vlle repeaters.

Step 11 says "repeater output frequency", but it would seem that this is the repeater input frequency, because in the step immediately below, one programs the HT's receive frequency, which will match the repeater's output. If this is true, you would need to set this to 147.675 for the GB machine.

Step 12 sets the receive frequency, which would be 147.075 for GB, and the note that one sets this the same as in step 6 is obviously bogus because no frequencies are selected in step 6....Chinglish, I reckon.

Step 13 is where you hit on the girls in AA...no, wait... Step 13 lets you verify the repeater offset/freqs are properly programmed. Forward should show 147.075 and reverse should show 147.675.

Step 14 is also questionable, since all of these frequencies are already in there and your TX frequency will not be the same as the receive frequency anyway.

Step 15 is where you finally save the info on exit.

All in all, the instructions are FUBAR and I'd stick with CHIRP.


If the menu selections on your CHIRP spreadsheet are in the same order as shown in step 4 in your spreadsheet, it looks like you might have a receive tone set to 107.2 but not the transmit tone. I'd make the quick change I had mentioned above, where the 88.5 column should be 107.2 for the GB/Davidsonville repeaters and see if you get better results.

 

[gamer_jim]

Based on these instructions for manually programing the UV-5R, I'm more corn-fused....

.

I have an extra programming cable for the UV-5R.

It's yours if you want it.

 

[Engine4]

What external speaker are you guys using on your base rigs?

 

[E.Shell]

What external speaker are you guys using on your base rigs?

For several base radios, this relatively cheap Kenwood sounds pretty good to me: https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/kwd-kes-3s
I have a used Motorola 5x5 speaker in the truck that has stronger high freq audio and is easier to hear over road noise, albeit less pleasant.

 

[Traveler]

Motorola mobile speakers work great for many situations, but really, any inexpensive audio speaker is more than good enough.

 

[K31]

Here's part of the CHIRP file that is loaded on my radio...

Anybody see something I am missing?

.

This is the .csv export/import file. Can you show a screen snap of what is loaded in Chirp?

In other words, run Chirp, Open-> [your saved .img file name]

 

[K31]

What external speaker are you guys using on your base rigs?

Motorola mobile speakers work great for many situations, but really, any inexpensive audio speaker is more than good enough.

I bought some audio speakers from Parts Express.

 

[Boxcab]

I have an extra programming cable for the UV-5R.

It's yours if you want it.

Thanks, but I have one. The problem appears to be just before the keyboard... see below.

This is the .csv export/import file. Can you show a screen snap of what is loaded in Chirp?

In other words, run Chirp, Open-> [your saved .img file name]

I finally got some time last night and connected up the radio to CHIRP and loaded the file from the radio. It was only partially there... no tone columns at all. I must have done something wrong during the upload.

I reloaded the file from the .cvs file and now everything appears to be working. I was on the AARC net last night, though with a weak signal report. But, I was able to connect to the repeater.

Thanks K31, Ed, Jim and all, for the support.


.

 

[K31]

Thanks, but I have one. The problem appears to be just before the keyboard... see below.



I finally got some time last night and connected up the radio to CHIRP and loaded the file from the radio. It was only partially there... no tone columns at all. I must have done something wrong during the upload.

I reloaded the file from the .cvs file and now everything appears to be working. I was on the AARC net last night, though with a weak signal report. But, I was able to connect to the repeater.

Thanks K31, Ed, Jim and all, for the support.


.

 

[E.Shell]

...I reloaded the file from the .cvs file and now everything appears to be working. I was on the AARC net last night, though with a weak signal report. But, I was able to connect to the repeater.

Excellent!

 

[Traveler]

I bought some audio speakers from Parts Express.

I love my sub woofer I bought from them. Great value.

 

[Engine4]

Thanks for the suggestions on an external speaker.

I picked up a Kenwood TM-281 mobile 2M radio for a good price the other day & programmed it today. Works good! Now I've gotta get to work on getting this mess squared away so it looks somewhat neat. Radios, power supplies, tuners, wires cables, good grief it adds up. Almost as congested as my reloading bench......

 

[K31]

Thanks for the suggestions on an external speaker.

I picked up a Kenwood TM-281 mobile 2M radio for a good price the other day & programmed it today. Works good! Now I've gotta get to work on getting this mess squared away so it looks somewhat neat. Radios, power supplies, tuners, wires cables, good grief it adds up. Almost as congested as my reloading bench......

So in other words, it looks like a ham shack.

Kudos.

 

[Traveler]

Free Laurel VEC amateur radio license testing at the AARC club today, 12 pm. See w3vpr.org on the calendar, for details.

https://www.w3vpr.org/node/130

 

[Engine4]

Two weeks ago I couldn't spell General, now I is one.

 

[Deep Thought]

Two weeks ago I couldn't spell General, now I is one.

w00t Congrats!!

 

[gamer_jim]

Two weeks ago I couldn't spell General, now I is one.

Grats!

Thank you Lincoln Technical Institute!

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

 

[E.Shell]

Two weeks ago I couldn't spell General, now I is one.

Excellent! Congratulations!!

Next Step: No Code Extra*.




*Like many of us.