Showing posts sorted by relevance for query uv-100. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query uv-100. Sort by date Show all posts

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

More Baofeng Version Notes from Nate

From Nate... he's compiled some information from the various links below. Corrections/additions are welcome.

Complete list of links:

General Radio Descriptions:
http://baofengtech.com/radios
Comparison Chart:
http://baofengtech.com/compare
FAQ (Myths and Facts)
http://baofengtech.com/faq
Firmware Guide:
http://baofengtech.com/firmwareguide

Also reference to:
http://www.brickolore.com/2014/06/baofengtech-charts.html

Radio's currently listed on BaofengTech (Plus some additions):


Generation Zero:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UV-3R, 3R+ (UV-100, UV-100 MKII, UV-200, UV-200 MKII, UV-3R MKII, Vero Electronics UV-X4.
The improved Vero Electronics UV-X5 = TYT TH-UV3R probably belongs here too*).


First Generation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UV-5R, UV5R+, UV-5RA/X, UV-5RC/X, UV-5RE (and most re-branded clones such as the Ronson UV-8R, the Waccom WUV-5R . 409Shop models - UV5R[A-Q] ** belong here too. also if they have + or UU after the model number, it just means that the frequency range was extended by software on the UHF band from 400-470/480 to 400-520, not an improved firmware ).

Slightly better receiver and newer firmware:
UV-B5, UV-B6, UV-82 (=UV82L), UV-82X (=144/220 Mhz model), UV-82C, (And probably the F11, BFUV66 and BFUV89 belong here too).


Second Generation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GT-3, A-52, B-580T, BF-F8+ (Also BF-530I, BFE500S and maybe BF-F9+  ***).

Notes:

* Vero Electronics UV-X5 = TYT TH-UV3R probably has some small changes in the filter section, similar to what RadioMart\Martyn was trying to do with the TYT TH-UVF9 that probably became the TYT TH-UVF9D.
Ref1: http://www.worldwidedx.com/handitalkies/153179-tyt-th-uv3r-2m-440-also-does-220-a.html
Ref2: http://www.uv3r.com/
Ref3: http://www.brickolore.com/2012/06/tyt-th-uvf9-more-tri-band-info.html
Ref4: http://www.brickolore.com/2012/06/tyt-th-uvf9-story-so-far.html
Ref5: http://www.tyt888.com/en/Products/Detail.asp?ID=2068
** 409Shop models names UV5R[A-Q] might have added letters to indicate the color R/BLUE/CC 
*** Note the lack of [BAND] button on second gen radios that have the UV-5R form - the BF-F8+, the 409Shop's Baofeng BF-F9+ and possibly other clones that we will see in the future.

I hope this will put an end to the Baofeng/Pofung model variation confusion.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Baofeng UV-3R: Guest Post/Review at AmateurRadio.com

Matt, over at AmateurRadio.com, asked me to do a guest post at his site. The following UV-3R review first appeared there on September 2, 2011. AmateurRadio.com has been a great resource for me - leading me to the likes of Julian and others - check it out.

Baofeng UV-3R Review

Following the success of the Wouxun radios, we have a new Chinese handheld transceiver that has many hams excited – the Baofeng UV-3R. The UV-3R is a dual band (UHF/VHF) 2W “micro” transceiver manufactured by Vero Global Telecom and sold by Baofeng. While the Baofeng brand is the most popular, the radio is also sold as the Comtex UV-3R, the Magiksu UV-3R, and the Zastone ZT-UV3R. (Baofeng also sells the UV-100 and UV-200 models that share common internals with the UV-3R, but have some cosmetic differences. Also, on ebay.com you can find speaker mics for these models that are unavailable for the UV-3R.) One reason the UV-3R is so popular is its relatively low price – less than $50 via ebay and slightly more from the US suppliers. At this price and small form factor, it makes a great back-up radio to keep in a truck glove box or a laptop bag.

Cosmetically, the UV-3R is very similar to the Yaesu VX-3R.   
The dimensions are the same, but the UV-3R is missing a few buttons on the front panel and the functions of the duplicate buttons are not the same as the VX-3R.  The UV-3R, in the fine tradition of Chinese radios, adds an LED flashlight. The radio also is available in red, yellow, blue, and camouflage in addition to the standard black. When holding both the Yaesu and Baofeng in my hand, it is easy to see and feel the superior quality of the Japanese radio.
A quick review of the technical specifications reveals that this radio is dramatically different from the VX-3R. The UV-3R is a 2M/440 MHz transceiver and FM broadcast receiver. An abbreviated list of its features/functions/specs is below. (A full list can be found here.) The radio is built by levering the power of the RDA1846 by RDA Microelectronics. This single transceiver chip provides most of the radio functionality - essentially making it a SDR.


Functions and Features
- 50 CTCSS, 104 CDCSS
- Time-out Timer (Off/30/60/90/120/150/180 secs)
- Shift Frequency
- VOX (Off/1-9 Levels)
- Call Tone (1750 KHz)
- Squelch Set (1-9 Levels)
- Electronic Volume Adjusting (8 Levels)
- Keypad Lock - Backlight (On/Off/Key)
- Tail Tone Elimination
- Battery Save
- Restore to Factory Default
- PC Programming
- FM Radio Channel Storage


Technical Specification - General
Frequency Range | 136-174/400-470 MHz
Channel Capacity | 99
Channel Spacing | 5/6.25/12.5/25 KHz
Operated Voltage | 3.8V
Standard Battery | 1500 mAh
Battery Life | 10 hours
Dimensions | 1.9" x 3.2" X .9" (Approximate)
Weight | 140g

Technical Specification - Transmitter
RF Power Output | 2W

Early adopters were “treated” to a version that appeared to be rushed to market – the units only had twelve menu options, the s-meter was worthless, and it came in a rather plain box. The subsequent version added six more menu options, improved the signal meter, and now comes in a more polished box.





The menu options are:

Menu #
Name Description Options
1 RXCODE Receive Tone Off, CTCSS, DCS
2 TXCODE Transmit Tone Off, CTCSS, DCS
3 SQL Squelch 0-9
4 LIGHT LCD Illumination Off, On, Key
5 K TONE Keypad Beep Off, On
6 VOX VOX/Handsfree Off, 1-9
7 POWER RF Output Power High, Low
8 DW Dual Watch/UHF & VHF Off, On
9 STEP Freq Size Step 12.5/25KHz
10 OFFSET Repeater Offset 0-37.995, 0-69.995M
11 SHIFT Repeater Shift 0,+,-
12 STE Squelch Tone Elimination Off, On
13 W/N Wide/Narrow Receive Wide/Narrow
14 SAVE Battery Save Off, On
15 TOT Timeout Timer Off, 30, 60, etc.
16 SCANM Scan Memory TO Time based – time out/ CO Carrier (present) based – carrier out
17 RELAYM Relay Message
18 BCLO Busy Channel Lock Off/On (No Tx when receiving)

In addition to the cost and size, hams give the UV-3R favorable reports for both transmitted and received audio. On July 20, 2011, the UV-3R became Type 90 accepted by the FCC. The FCC documents can be found here.

The UV-3R is easy to use in spite of a somewhat confusing manual. ZL2GVA mitigated that short-coming by releasing an easy to use cheat-sheet.  While most folks find it easy to program the memories from the radio itself, the UV-3R can be programmed from a computer using a USB cable and software from Baofeng. In addition to the factory software, the UV-3R is also supported by the CHIRP cross radio programming application. (CHRIP may not program all features for all radios; it is intended to allow hams to transfer memories from one device to another with little effort.)

In addition to the USB programming cable, the radio has several accessories. It comes with the manual, charger, a charger adaptor (if needed), a charging stand, wrist strap, an UHF antenna, a VHF antenna, an ear bud/mic combo, and a belt clip. The shorter antenna (with a red ring) is for UHF. The longer antenna is for VHF. The UV-3R requires an antenna with a SMA-M connector. The antennas perform well, but many folks have wished for a dual band antenna. The Nagoya NA-701 and Nagoya NA-666 both seem to be popular choices. The antenna connector is fairly close to the LED, so some trimming may have to be done to get a good fit.

Car chargers, cases, and the USB programming cable are available as options or sometimes included as a bundle with the radio. The battery is a common NP-60 (FUJI compatible), so picking up an extra one is easy to do. Also, with a slight modification to account for the belt clip mount, the AA battery pack (FBA-37) for the Yaesu VX-3R can be used to run the UV-3R. For me, the car charger and the AA battery pack are the must have accessories for the UV-3R in its role as a backup radio.

The radio is not without some minor problems and quirks. For example, one oddity is that it uses the less common negative tip for the power plug. As for the problems, hams have reported issues with fit and finish – specifically plugs/sockets that result in loose connections. If pushing the plug with all your might doesn’t work, then try backing it out a little. Also, hams have found spurious emissions on harmonic frequencies.  There was a lot of debate about the severity of this issue on the UV-3R Yahoo group – bench vs. real world, letter vs. spirit of the FCC regulations, Type 90 Acceptance impact, etc. Whatever the severity of the emissions, it did not prevent the UV-3R from meeting the requirements of the FCC. Another common complaint was with the loud receive volume. Even at the lowest setting, the radio is quite loud. For that reason, I don’t like using it where it will bother others.

One of the advantages of an inexpensive radio is that you don’t risk much when trying to modify it. Disassembly mostly involves removing screws, but you will have to unsolder the antenna connector. Two mods seem to be the most common as they address some of the issues mentioned above. The first adds a capacitor to reduce spurious emissions on the harmonics.  The second also involves adding a resistor to reduce the loud receive volume issue.  More frivolous mods include turning the LCD blue – but then you can have a blue radio with a blue screen.

For me, this little radio has provided a great learning experience as well as a good value for my money. It may not be the best radio ever, but the price, size, and overall good performance make it a good choice for backup radio or even one for a new ham to get on the air. It also has been interesting to see:
  • the debates that sprung up around the severity of the spurious emissions,
  • the wisdom (or not) of using a dual band antenna,
  • the variety of applications from simple transceiver to APRS and tracking satellites
Credit goes to a lot of the guys on the UV-3R Yahoo group  – I don’t have the knowledge, tools, or time to do a lot of the research/testing/playing that they have done. I highly recommend the Yahoo group – although it has now reached a point where a lot of the same questions are being asked.


Editor's note: I personally follow Brick's blog and find it very worthwhile. While not all content is Amateur Radio related, I encourage you to check it out. -Matt W1MST Brick O'Lore wrote this guest post and blogs regularly about a variety of topics at http://www.brickolore.com. Contact him at brickolore@gmail.com.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Baofeng UV-5R: Specs and Pictures

First, I would like thank Chris (NH7QH) at Hawaii Radio Sales for sending me the heads up about the UV-5R. Be sure to support Chris by visiting his website for your Baofeng and other radio needs. (And no, Chris is not paying me to say this.) He's at IWCE now and I hope he comes up with some new toys for us there.

I found out about the UV-5R being "in the wild" while I was at the UT basketball game last night. As I mentioned, PA2OLD sent me this link first. I was very excited to get confirmation that UV-5R was available so soon. No KG-UV920R here. Unfortunately, trying to decipher a Chinese web site on an Android Phone while at a college basketball game with congestion on the mobile network is not fun.

Not too long after that, someone posted anonymously in the comments with the link to the 409Shop listing for UV-5R. And then in quick succession, Nate sent me the link and Carol from the 409Shop responded to an e-mail to inform me that it was available. I felt like Will Bailey in this episode of the West Wing.

On top of all of this, Knology was having major problems in my area, so I had no cable internet at my house. I used the mobile hot spot on my Android phone, but the 3G was painful. It was all I could do to get this simple post up last night.

So here is my more formal post about the UV-5R. I looked on the Baofeng website, but did not see the radio listed yet, so here are the specs from the 409Shop page.


BAOFENG UV-5R 4W
136-174/400-480Mhz

BAOFENG UV-5R The transcevier is a micro-miniature multiband FM transceiver with extensive receive frequency coverage,providing local-area two-way amateur communications along with unmatched monitoring capability

VHF/ UHF  DUAL-BAND TWO WAY RADIO

Frequency Range: 136-174 / 400-480MHz
Dual-Band Display, Dual Freq. Display, Dual-Standby
Output Power: 4 /1Watts
128 Channels
50 CTCSS and 104 CDCSS
Built-in VOX Function
1750Hz Brust Tone
FM Radio (65.0MHz-108.0MHz)
LED Flashlight
Large LCD Display
Hight /Low RF Power Switchable
25KHz/12.5KHz Switchable
Emergency Alert
Low Battery Alert
Battery Saver
Time-out Timer
Keypad Lock
Monitor Channel
Channel Step: 2.5/5/6.25/10/12.5/25KHz
Roger Set


■  Dual band, dual display, dual standby
■  A/B band independent operation
■  128 groups channels storage
■  Shortcut menu operation mode
■  VFO & Memory channels scan
■  Emergency Alarm
■  Tri-color background light selectable
■  0~9 grades VOX selectable
■  PTT & ANI ID
■  FM radio and 25 stations storage
■  Voice companding
■  CTCSS/DCS coder & tone searching
■  PC programmable
■  Wide/Narrow Band(25kHz/12.5kHz)
■  Transmitter time-out timer(TOT)
■  High/Low TX power selectable
■  Busy channel lock-out(BCLO)

Specifications:

General
Frequency Range 65-108MHz(FM Receive only)
        136-174MHZ and 400-480HZ (TX/RX)        
Channel No. 128
Frequency Stability ±2.5ppm
Antenna High gain DualBand Antenna
Antenna SMA - Female
Antenna Impedance 50Ω
Operating Voltage DC 7.4V
Mode of operation Simple or semi-duplex
Dimension(W x H x D)100 x 52 x 32 mm
Weight 250g (including battery, antenna)
Transmitter
Output power 4W / 1W (Max 5W)
Modulation Mode 16kΦF3E / 11kΦF3E
Maximum deviation <5kHz(Wide) / <2.5kHz(Narrow)
Spurious Radiation <7μW
Adjacent Ch. power  ≤-65dB(Wide) / ≤-60dB(Narrow)
Pre-emphasis characteristics 6dB
Current ≤1.6A(5W)
CTCSS/DCS deviation 0.5±0.1kHz(Wide) / 0.3±0.1kHz(Narrow)
Intermediation sensitivity 8-12mv
Intermediation distortion <10%
Earpiece / mic type   Kenwood Plug type






The package contents are listed as:

1 x UV-5R (VHF136-174Mhz UHF 400-480Mhz)

1 x 7.4V 1800mah Li-ion Battery Pack
1 x Antenna 400-480Mhz
1 x Belt Clip
1 x ENG Manual
1 x Desktop Charger ( 100V ~ 240V )+(2pin USA or 3pin UK or 2pin EURO or 2pin Australia)
1 x PTT Earpiece for free


The 409Shop has the UV-5R for $56 USD. Hopefully the description is correct (High gain dual-band antenna) and the package contents (Antenna 400-480MHz) is incorrect. Baofeng should have learned that lesson with the UV-3R when it provided the two band specific antennas originally.

Nate hopes, based on the description, that we can get U/U and V/V. I can't wait for somone to get their hands on one.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Baofeng UV-3R: Is the UV-X4 the Mark II?

I got an e-mail from Vero Telecom announcing the UV-X4. The image shows the dual display and dual band antenna. Also, it shows the new FCC number.

Dear Our valued customer,
Good dayUV-X4 has approved CE,FCC  and ROHS certifications:
 

Want To More Detail About UV-X4,Please Download the Brochure of UV-X4:

OEM MOQ : 100 PCS

Thanks and best regards!


VERO SALES TEAMS

 3 floor,No.3 Chongxiang St,Quanzhou,Fujian,P.R.C 362006
 T: 86-595-22496660 | F: 86-595-86761912 | M: 86-159 6055 9990

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Baofeng UV-5R: Ronson UV-8R

Despite a box that looks like it says 7W in the video and on the 409Shop listing, the specs for the Ronson UV-8R say it is 5W. The HT is $56 USD. Also, I noticed the description calls it a UV-5R as the Item Number.

RONSON UV-8R BLACK 5W Dual Band 136-174/400-480MHZ


VHF/ UHF  DUAL-BAND TWO WAY RADIO
Frequency Range: 136-174 / 400-480MHz
Dual-Band Display, Dual Freq. Display, Dual-Standby
Output Power: 4 /1Watts
128 Channels
50 CTCSS and 104 CDCSS
Built-in VOX Function
1750Hz Brust Tone
FM Radio (65.0MHz-108.0MHz)
LED Flashlight
Large LCD Display
Hight /Low RF Power Switchable
25KHz/12.5KHz Switchable
Emergency Alert
Low Battery Alert
Battery Saver
Time-out Timer
Keypad Lock
Monitor Channel
Channel Step: 2.5/5/6.25/10/12.5/25KHz
ROGER SET

■ Dual band, dual display, dual standby
■ A/B band independent operation
■ 128 groups channels storage
■ Shortcut menu operation mode
■ VFO & Memory channels scan
■ Emergency Alarm
■ Tri-color background light selectable
■ 0~9 grades VOX selectable
■ PTT & ANI ID
■ FM radio and 25 stations storage
■ Voice companding
■ 50 CTCSS/104 DCS
■ PC programmable
■ Wide/Narrow Band(25kHz/12.5kHz)
■ Transmitter time-out timer(TOT)
■ High/Low TX power selectable
■ Busy channel lock-out(BCLO)

Specifications:
Item number UV-5R
General
Frequency Range 65-108MHz(FM Receive only)
136-174MHZ and 400-480HZ (TX/RX)
Channel No. 128
Frequency Stability ±2.5ppm
Antenna High gain DualBand antenna
Antenna Impedance 50Ω
Operating Voltage DC 7.4V
Mode of operation Simple or semi-duplex
Dimension(W x H x D) 100 x 52 x 32 mm
Weight 250g(including battery, antenna)
Transmitter
Output power 4W / 1W (Max 5W)
Modulation Mode 16kΦF3E / 11kΦF3E
Maximum deviation <5kHz(Wide) / <2.5kHz(Narrow)
Spurious Radiation <7μW
Adjacent Ch. power ≤-65dB(Wide) / ≤-60dB(Narrow)
Pre-emphasis characteristics 6dB
Current ≤1.6A(5W)
CTCSS/DCS deviation 0.5±0.1kHz(Wide) / 0.3±0.1kHz(Narrow)
Intermediation sensitivity 8-12mv
Intermediation distortion <10%

Earpiece / mic type : Kenwood Plug type
Antenna : SMA -Female




Via Steve (KF9ZA).

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Baofeng UV-3R: Hawaii Radio Sales

Chris, NH7QH, is making the virtual move from www.baofeng-uv3r.us to www.hawaiiradiosales.com.The new site is already a big jump forward. He posted to the UV-3R Yahoo Group with some details about his inventory:
"Also Instock (Not updated on website yet)
35+/- - Black UV-3R
26 - Spare battery
10 - Charger with PSU
10 - Original Antenna Dual Band Antenna type 1
28 - VHF Antenna
28 - UHF Antenna
10 – UV-3R Com Port (DB 9 pin)
40 – UV-3R USB cable
25 – Car Charger

And in two weeks we will have 100 more USB cables, 50 – Camouflage radio, 50 -
Blue radio, 50 - Red radio, 50 - Yellow radio is finally out.

***Ask for the "HAM DEAL" with valid call sign and See our ad in OCT 2011 QST***

www.baofeng-uv3r.us
NH7QH Radio Supplies, LLC.
Veteran Owned Business

73's,
Chris
NH7QH"
And in a comment on an earlier post, Chris had already assured me that he will have the yellow version soon.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Xiegu X1M: Review

"I also received my X1M from the manufacturer yesterday.    I will do a written review,  while video would be better, youtube is blocked here and so I did not bother to make a video, play with the VPN to upload it, etc.    I can do that during the weekend.  
Initial opening the box observations:
Unit arrived in bubble wrap, no outer box or other packaging.   Instruction "manual" is 1 page front and back printed, which gives basic specs and menu functions -  good enough that even an inexperienced ham could be up and running.   The units that I am procuring are fully assembled, not kit form.    The box contained the radio as well as a hand microphone wired for the radio.  It also included a phono jack for CW key (wire yourself) and a power jack (wire yourself).   I wired the power jack, plugged it into the ps and the radio and turned the radio on  -- nothing.    OK,  quick inspection of the power plug reveals that the barrel is too wide and the pin is too narrow - the plug fits snugly into the jack, but the inner barrel does not connect to the inner pin.    I unplugged my AT-100 auto-tuner (that is wired with similar barrel) power jack, plugged it into the radio just to try things and the radio turned right on.  
Radio is light weight.  All metal enclosure and looks to be well shielded.   Rear panel of my unit has "metric threaded" SO-238 RF connector, and I was able to find some PL-259's that fit just fine.  The Amphenol connectors that I have did not fit well...so...it's easy to swap out a different rf connector, or get a simple adapter with the right threads to convert it to N-connector or BNC connector etc.  
Radio has  a small built in speaker.  Volume/audio  is adequate but not super loud - probably better with external speaker or use headphones.  While the mic looks identical to a ht speaker-mic, it is not wired that way and thus is used only for TX audio.   The mic has a red LED on it when in TX mode to show transmit.  The LCD display will also show a  T or R icon when in transmit or receive.  
Initial operating observations:   Radio has a built in preamp that really helps receive.  The sensitivity is around 0.45uV which is less sensitive than my FT-857  -- i dont have other QRP rigs to compare it to, but it's not in the same class (price or performance) as a K1, Scout, 817D, etc anyway so i suppose it is really more than adequate.  There are dedicated bandpass filters that switch in and out and those seem to really help selectivity (as expected with an SDR). 
Tuning - the first thing you will want to do is spin the dial.   OK, the VFO knob feeling is clicky clicky knob, think of it like a "select" knob on the 817/857 or Alinco DX70 radio if you are familiar with those.    Or, if you have owned QRP gear, think of it like the Uniden 2510/2600 or RS HTX-100 main tuning knob.  It is not a "smooth VFO" knob.  The knob clicks.    And, like every other knob of this design , it too occasionally skips a beat or two, so you have to watch the VFO when tuning up or down band. I would have preferred a smooth vfo tuning mechanism, but can't have everything.     The VFO knob has  rotate function and a push in function. The push in function is used to "set" certain parameters, such as tuning step once the step has been selected.   
The LCD display is green backlight and fairly easy to read considering small size overall of the unit.  Frequency is the main use for the LCD display, as is TX or RX function, pre-amp on or off.   
There is no S-meter or RF(output) or SWR meter on the LCD display unit.  
Tuning resolution can be set to Mhz, 100 Khz,  10 KHZ,  1 Khz, 100 Hz,  10 Hz, and 1 Hz.   Yes -- pretty remarkable but remember this thing is all DSP driven.   1 Hz resolution is probably overkill...but anyway, it's there if you need it. It's a little 
Modes are USB/LSB/CW.  No AM or FM or FSK.     You change modes with one of the front panel push button switches.  Pushing and holding one of the switches will put you into Menu mode.  Pushing and holding other switch will turn the preamp on or off.    
You can set the BFO frequency for these modes within the setup menu (9 menus are available for various tweaking, mostly dealing with the SDR aspects of the radio.
There is no obvious POWER OUT or MIC GAIN or ALC adjustment as noted previously.. 
I am mostly a CW op and the bandwidth in CW mode is fairly wide ... maybe 1800 Hz bandwidth.  Did not have time for measuring it but it is certainly not a narrow filtered receiver as judged by my ham ear.   
On SSB it plays nicely and was listening to some of the Sichuan earthquake H&W traffic last evening.   
I like the gen coverage receive, but without AM detection, it is just so-so listening in on the shortwave bands unless you zero-beat and eliminate the heterodyning.  Good news is that the DSP is super stable so the thing doesn't drift like the old capacitance style vfo's.... had to keep one hand on the tuning dial while listening to London...Once set you can at least hear and understand the broadcast (bandwidth a little narrow for AM too)
Have not done much advanced testing - sensitivity, selectivity, audio and power out, etc... will report more when tests are completed.  
I feel it's important to represent this rig as it is.... not mislead.  Share positives and negatives... provide feedback to manufacturer for improvements, etc.  The unit I have, is serial number X0087...white glue on sticker.    Would be interesting to compare production differences with others.    
As indicated previously,  I have placed an order with the manufacturer and will keep posted on committed delivery dates to me, and then onward shipping, pricing, etc. for those who expressed interest.  
More to follow.
Joe K7JOE/BY1"

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Baofeng UV-5R: Adding a Repeater to Memory

These instructions* are courtesy of Ed (wouxun.us, importcommunications.com, and now uv-5r.com) via the UV-5R Yahoo Group. Some people have had problems doing this - including me. I found that it would not allow me to add the memories from VFO B. I just happened to be on VFO B when I started testing, but I tried several times and couldn't figure out what was wrong - it would never give the confirmation that the REC FREQ was stored. I flipped to the VFO A and it worked the first time.

*Very slight modifications by me - changed "prompts" to "confirms" in a couple of places.


To program repeater 146.985, minus offset, 100 Hz tone, low power level, into Channel#010

Turn on radio.

If in Memory Mode switch to VFO Mode (VFO/MR)

Select 5 KHz Step - (MENU + 1 + MENU) (Use the ↑ ↓ key for 5K) (MENU + EXIT)

Enter 146.985 (The receive frequency)

Press [MENU] + 2 + [MENU]
Use the ↑↓ key to select Low Power

Press [MENU] + [EXIT]
To accept and exit

Press [MENU] + 5 + [MENU]
Use the ↑ ↓ key to select Wide Bandwidth
Press [MENU] + [EXIT]
To accept and exit

Press [MENU] + 1 + 3 + [MENU]
Use the ↑ ↓ key to select 100 Hz Tone
Press [MENU] + [EXIT]
To accept and exit

Press [MENU] + 2 + 7 + [MENU]
Enter 010 or Use the ↑ ↓ key to select 010
Press [MENU] + [EXIT]
This stores the Receive Frequency - Radio confirms that REC FREQ has been stored

Enter 146.385 (The transmit frequency)
Press [MENU] + 2 + 7 +
[MENU] + [MENU] + [EXIT]
Radio confirms that TX FREQ has been stored
       
Return to Memory Mode (VFO/MR)

Friday, May 17, 2013

Feitong FT-808

A post on the X1M Yahoo Group brought the Feitong FT-808 to my attention. It is designed as a marine radio, but looks interesting.



YBDXC introduces it like this:
"A new all mode low priced High Frequency transceiver from China is on the way. Called the Feitong model FT-808 the new radio is being billed primarily as a Marine Band transceiver but its published specifications read more like a mid-range piece of ham radio gear. For instance the FT-808 has a receive range of 500 Khz to 29.9 Mhz and a transmitter that covers 1.6 to 29.9 Mhz. In other words, it covers all the ham radio bands from 160 through 10 and lots more. 
The receiver is a double conversion superhetrodyne with both it and the transmitter capable of operating Upper and lower sideband, CW and AM with 100 memory channels. Tuning appears to be by up and down push buttons with a claimed receiving sensitivity of 12 db SINAD and a squelch sensitivity threshold on SSB, CW, and RTTY of less than 5.6uV.
One thing of note. While transmitter power appears to be in the 100 watt or slightly higher range but according to the public spec sheet there appears to be no provision to lock out transmission on 11 meters. This will likely keep it from gaining FCC acceptance for legalized sales in the United States. At least not in its current non locked out 11 meter configuration.

That said, the Feitong FT-808 carries a delivered list price of only $410 U-S dollars."
Sparky, as usual, has some info. I've copied the specs from here:

Dual mode: shortwave and ultra-shortwave
Dual channels to receive signals,
Distress call, selective cass, group call and all call,
Display anti-collision alarm,
Large LCD.

Specifications:
Frequency range:
Rx 0.5-29.999999MHz
Tx 1.6-29.999999MHz

Mode: USB, LSB, CW, RTTY, AM
Memory channels: 100
Power supply: 13.8V DC(¡À15%)
Current drain (at 13.8V):
Receive Standby 1.4A
Transmit Max. power 25A

Operable temp. range: -10¡æ - +60¡æ; 14¨H - 140¨H
Dimension(WxHxD): 240x200x65mm
Weight: 4kg

Reciever:
Reveive system: Double-conversion superheterodyne system
Sensitivity(12dB SINAD):
0.5-1.5999MHz: SSB, CW, RTTY¡Ü1uV , AM¡Ü10uV
1.6-29.9999MHz: SSB, CW, RTTY¡Ü0.5uV, AM¡Ü2uV

Squelch sensitivity(threshhold): SSB, CW, RTTY Less than 5.6uV
Selectivity:
SSB, CW, RTTY:
More than 2.1 KHz/-6dB,
Less than 4.5 KHz/-60dB
AM:
More than 6 KHz/-6dB,
Less than 20 KHz/-40dB

Spurious and image rejection ratio: More than 70dB(1.6-29.9999MHz)
RIT variable range: ¡À150Hz
Audio output power(at 13.8V DC): More than 2.0W at 10% distortion with an 8¦¸ load

Transmitter:
Ourput power: SSB 100W AM 40W
Modulation system:
SSB Balanced modulation
AM Low level modulation

Spurious emissions: Less than -50dB Below peak output power
Carrier suppression: More than 40dB
Unwanted sideband: More than 50dB

UPDATED: I just read Dale's post saying that these things cannot be had for this low price - more like $2000 USD.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Baofeng UV-3R: Fix for Extremely Low Power

Many hams have measured the output of the UV-3R on low power and noted that is extremely low - as low as 100 mW. SP3SWJ reports a fix by "exchange some inductance in first stage transistor driver from 47nH to 220nH." You see his notations in the schematic here. He also reports the change improves the spurious transmissions on the harmonic.

Here are his measurements using Motorola R2670 on SMA antenna port:

HI POWER +33 dBm
2nd harmonics -27 dB
3rd harmonics -41 dB

LO POWER +16 dBm --- before fix
2nd harmonics -10 dB
3rd harmonics -44 dB

LO POWER +31.4 dBm --- after fix
2nd harmonics -27 dB
3rd harmonics -47 dB

He says the the change improves the output across all VHF frequencies.




Bert, DD5XL, verified that the mod works:

He "used a 150nH wire-wound 0603 SMT coil to replace the stock 47nH type. Before that my low-power output was around 60mW, it increased by nearly 10dB now up to 620mW with a fully charged battery (4,1V). High output is at 2,1W now, this increased of about 200mW compared with before mod.
I've also made a quick check with the spectrum analysator for the low-power setting, the first harmonic is now down to roughly -45dB, this is also an improvement although I already had a improved harmonic suppression by the PA0EJW filter mod."

Via the UV-3R Yahoo Group

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Baofeng Tech UV-2501+220: Tri-band Antenna and Mount

I really like it when it appears that companies think things through. So if you are going to offer a tri-band mobile like the UV-2501+220, you should probably sell an antenna to go with it. And that's just what Baofeng Tech is doing. They are offering the Nagoya TB-320A tri-band antenna ($57.95) and Nagoya RB-35 5/8 NMO Mount Magnet ($22.99) - details of each below.

(EDIT: So apparently all the antenna and mount links go to the same place. You'll have to select antenna or mount on the Amazon page to see the details for each.)

Nagoya TB-320A - Fold-Over 39-Inch PL-259 Mount Triband 2m/1.25m/60cm (144/220/430Mhz) Antenna:
The Nagoya TB-320A is a 39 inch tri-band UHF (PL-259) mount antenna with up to 5.5 dB of gain. It is designed to be used with your mobile or base radio. An included SO-239 to NMO Adapter allows for flexible installation to both UHF and NMO set-ups.

Fold over design allows the Antenna to Fold-Over which allows you to easily put the antenna down in parking garages or in other places where height matters.

The Nagoya TB-320A triband is a 2 meter, 220 MHz (1.25 meter) and 440 MHz mobile antenna. It is a 1/4 wave on 2 meters providing 2.15 dB gain and a 1/2 wave on 220 providing 3.8 dB gain and a 2 5/8 wave on 440 MHz providing 5.5 dB gain. This antenna can handle up to 200/100/200 watts.

Included in the package is a SO-239 to NMO adapter.

Package:

1x Nagoya NB320A Antenna (PL-259 Base)
1x SO-239 to NMO Adapter




Nagoya Antenna magnet NMO mounts are premium quality magnetic antenna mounts with very good holding power. They are a heavy 2 lb magnet mount (durable hold) with a 3 5/8" diameter base, and are recommended for antennas up to 45 in. tall.

Package:
RB-35 NMO Magnet (18 Feet RG-58)
Rain Cap


So add the UV-2501+220 radio, the antenna, the mount - and you are ready to rock and roll mobile!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Baojie BJ-UV55/HYS TC-UV55

Given the luke-warm reception of the Wouxun KG-UV920R, everyone is looking at some alternatives. Following is a essentially a guest post by Nate as he reviews the HYS TC-UV55 (Baojie BJ-UV55) by watching a video review by Andre Silva of Brazil. These mobile radios were first mentioned in his earlier Mega List guest post. I've done some editing, so assume any mistakes are mine. (Already updated as I've made plenty of mistakes! Hopefully, they are fixed now.)

Many thanks to Nate for the in-depth review!

Here is basically a "second hand" review as the video is not in English and Nate could not understand what he was saying. Basically, he watched the display and compared the specs listed in the catalog page.

This video consists of two parts. It is probably not a complete overview of all the features and menus of the HYS TC-UV55 - some key features weren't even showed. (He was using the pause buttons to check out all the settings, etc). The unit sells for about 2/3 of what they want for the KG-UV920 on AliExpress. Actually, the video is about the HYS TC-UV55 (which is essentially the same radio as the Baojie BJ-UV55 based on the specs and this video).

Part 1 Highlights

- Unique way to enter frequencies, the MHz button actually allow you to change digit by digit, most radios will just allow 1 MHz steps, and then you have to scroll up or down up to 500KHz .
- 36 Menu items (00-35).
- Offset steps - 10 KHz. Same digit by digit entry Offset Frequency (can be set between 0 and 69.9875 MHz in Frequency Mode).
- To switch between VFO and Memory Channel mode, he turned off the radio, held the MENU button while turning the radio on again. This seems odd, but I don't understand what he says. There could be a more conventional way to switch between VFO and Memory Channel. Here is a video from Thailand showing the Baojie BJ-UV88 HT radio and the guy demoing the radio did the same on the HT.
- The display can do VV VU - U+V,U+U,V+V,V+U dual band working mode can be selected arbitrarily Dual Frequency standby in any band.
- The button to the left of the MENU button, is the SCAN button.
- BDR function? TX-AB function?



Part 2 Highlights

- The display backlight can be turned off.
- Separate Tone Squelch or Digital Code Squelch can be set for TX and RX.
- The video gets cut at the end, but no Part 3...




Misc Notes
- A lot of similarities to the Baofeng UV-5R (The menu system is actually the same as the Baojie BJ-UV88 handy talkie).
-The Menu button is used to enter the item/save the change.
-The display shows a used memory channel the same way the Baofeng UV-5R does: CH-001 - used channel 1, 002 - empty memory channel 2.
-Like with the Baofeng UV-5R, programing a channel for the second time, the second frequency will become the TX frequency, the first will be the RX frequency, the display will show +-

MENU ITEMS - Default - Options
00 SQL - 5
01 BAND - UHF0 / VHF
02 TX-AB - OFF / A / B
03 BDR - OFF
04 TXP - LOW / HIGH - TX power (VHF 45W/UHF 35W)
05 TOT - 60 (Transmit Over Timer)
06 STEP - 10.00K - Channel Step(5K, 6.25K, 10K, 12.5K, 25K)
07 WN - WIDE - (Wide:25kHz ,Narrow: 12.5kHz)
08 R-DCS - OFF
09 R-CTCSS - OFF
10 T-DCS - OFF
11 T-CTCSS - OFF
12 ABR - ON
13 BEEP - ON / OFF
14 ANI-SW - ON
15 OPTSIG - OFF
16 SPMUTE - QT - Multi-kind mute modes(QT/AND/OR)
17 ANI-ID - 80808 - ANI code display(caller ID)
18 RING-T - 5 - Ring alert function
19 DTMFST - DT+ANI
20 S-CODE - 1
21 SC-REV - TO - 3 kinds of scan mode(TO/CO/SE)
22 PTT-ID - OFF - PTT-ID Function(BOT/EOT/BOTH)
23 PTT-LT - 5
24 MDF-A - FREQ
25 MDF-B - FREQ
26 BCL - OFF (Busy channel lockout)
27 AUTOLK - OFF
28 SFT-D OFF / - / + - Shift direction
29 OFFSET - Offset frequency 10KHz steps
30 MEMCH - Store VFO frequency into memory channel, second store will be for a separate TX frequency
31 DELCH - Delete memory channel.
32 WT-LED - PINK
33 RX-LED - BLUE
34 TX-LED - RED
35 RESET - ALL

LED back-light options: OFF / PINK / RED / BLUE


Links

HYS TC-UV55
QUANZHOU TRUEST COMMUNICATION CO. ,LIMITED
Catalog Page
Alibaba Listing
(Notice in older pictures the FM button was the power button).
Note how in some places the model number appear as TC-VU55 (instead of TC-UV55), even on the company's own website, on the radio in the picture the model printed is TC-UV55, and in the catalog it says: "Dual Band In-vehicle Radio TC-VU55"

Quanzhou Truest Comm Co. has a similar radio, the HYS TC-UV66, but with a knob instead of the frequency up/down buttons. The HYS TC-UV66 catalog page says: "Dual Band In-vehicle Radio TC-UV66," one line below: "Model No.︰TC-VU66," and in the picture it says: TC-UV66 - anyway, I think that the TC-UV66 is not in mass production yet. (You see it only in Alibaba, not AliExpress )

HYS TC-UV55 - Pricing
Price on AliExpress: $239.90 to $244.21
At the official QUANZHOU TRUEST COMMUNICATION CO LTD AliExpress store it is $242
Price for quantity or dealers: $100 - $200

Baojie BJ-UV55 - Pricing
Radiomart.biz - $219
Radiomart.biz - $239 - w/US B programming cable
There are currently five offers on Ebay - from $299.62 to $329.99 all free shipping.
Price on AliExpress: $207.86 to $237
At the official Quanzhou Baojie Electronic Co.,Ltd AliExpress store it is $207.86
Price for quantity or dealers: $100 - $189

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Breaking the Law!

Sorry for the lack of radio posting. I had been running my pirate radio station (2 x the legal limit!!!) using my UV-5R and an FCC SWAT team raided my house. They confiscated my radio charger and mouse, so it really has hampered my ability to get on the air and to post.

Seriously, this post was 100% inspired by Hans' last two articles:
2013, Narrowbanding and Ham Radio
and
UV-5R Group for Illegal Users
I commented on the first by saying:
"It seems like people forget about 50+ (100?) years of history when they start talking about rule changes. I don’t think all the war surplus rigs that my father-in-law has will magically become compliant with every mandate. Nor will all the stuff he designed and built. Unless you are being a real jerk and causing interference, I don’t see the FCC breaking down your (US) door to confiscate a Chinese HT."
Maybe my rule should be a) don't be a jerk and b) don't be dumb - then you shouldn't have to worry about the FCC SWAT team.



Monday, November 26, 2012

Two Years of Brick O'Lore

I missed the actual two year anniversary on the 14th, but this is close enough for government work.

Not too much has changed since last year's review.

I still don't have an AR (but I do have two lowers!) or an M&P9. I've not been shooting in a long time.

I rarely even turn on the ham radios - partly because my KG-UVD1P that I was using in the car has died. Anyone know anything about a good, cheap Chinese mobile radio I could buy? (HA!) I did spend a little time with WSPR, but would like to invest some more. I haven't even cracked the book for the Extra Class exam.

I ran a marathon this year. I'm just crazy enough to think about doing another one. The bad news is I would need to start training now for an April race. Ugh.

I'm also getting a lot more involved at church. One week, between services, meetings, and fellowship, we were there four days out of the week.

Between family, exercising, church, work, and blogging; my days tend to be pretty full.

The radio posts are still the most popular, but that doesn't stop me from posting about anything I find interesting or funny. The blog has had 539,362 page views since I started it - around 112,000 in 2011 and 427,000 in 2012. I posted less in 2012 - 727 vs 856 in 2011 for a total of 1,583. SaysUncle is still the single largest referring URL thanks to a story about ninjas (of all things!). Makes me think I should resell radios under a zombie ninja brand.

The most popular post (15,555 views) is about the software for the Baofeng UV-3R Software. Given the endless discussion on the Yahoo groups about how to get the software to work with your Baofeng/Wouxun KG-whatever or UV-xxx, this really isn't a surprise. I think almost all of this traffic is driven via searches.

Given so much of my traffic is via search, the biggest surprise for me this year has been the jump in my RSS subscribers. Last time I checked, I think there were about 8. I could even account for half of those - me, my wife, probably Linoge, etc. I looked and found I have 100 subscribers - wow! I was and am floored. Thanks so much for reading my ramblings. If any of my RSS subscribers would do me a favor, please leave a comment on this post - anonymous is fine. I'm just curious as to how many people actually follow and would read a long post like this one.

Goals for next year... I need to build at least one of the lowers in to an actual rifle. I want to get my Extra Class license. I'd like to run a sub 20 minute 5k.

I will close the same way as I did last year...

Thanks for reading!

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Baofeng Tech UV-2501+220: A wee tiny radio with a lot of capability

Some initial impressions from someone that's picked up the UV-2501+220:
"a wee tiny radio with a lot of capability"


I agree with several of the comments there - especially about the size. It is small, but I didn't feel like the buttons were too hard to access. Using the mic to program in a repeater was not especially painful as those things go - I don't think manually programming 100 repeaters would be high on anyone's list. Getting the programming cable will make life much easier.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Zastone ZT-2R+

I don't know if the ZT-2R+ is truly an update to ZT-2R which is the Yaesu VX-2R clone. Here is a review of the ZT-2R+, but it doesn't offer any comparisons to the original. I will mention that Hans liked the original ZT-2R.


Description
The ZT-2R+ is one of Zastone’s newly launched miniature dual band, dual standby handheld wireless walkie talkies. With an aluminum housing, this hand held radio is shock proof and durable. With its anti-slip design, the grip is comfortable. With a 0.5-999Mhz wide band signal receiver, it is easy to hear communications coming through the walkie talkie. This ZT-2R mini walkie talkie can meet your needs, as it has over 1300 memory channels with sailing, shortwave and weather related channels. It easily supports HAM technology, making this a popular preferred product.

Main Features
1. Miniature dual band handheld transceiver
2. 0.5-999Mhz Wide Receive Band
3. Over 1300 memory channels
4. Sailing, shortwave, weather channel
5. CTCSS and DCS codec
6. Tone scan and independent tone mode
7. WIRES connection shortcuts
8. Rugged aluminum housing
9. Automatic Repeater Shift (ARS)
10. Dual tone multi-frequency
11. Automatic power saving
12. Busy channel lockout

General
Frequency Range Wide Receiver Band List(RX List)
BC Band 0.540-1.8 MHz
SW Band 1.800-30MHz
50MHz Ham Band 30.000-79(59)MHz
FM Band 76(59.000)MHz-108 MHz
Air Band 108.000-137.000MHz
144MHz Ham Band 137.00-174.000MHz
VHF-TV Band 174-222.000MHz
Action Band 222-420.000MHz
430MHz Ham Band 420-470.000MHz
UHF-TV Band 470-800(729).000MHz/(757-774MHz)
Action Band2 800-999.000MHz(USA Cellular Block)
TX & TX Frequency
144-146(148)MHz
430-440(450)MHz
Channel NO. 1300
Operating Voltage 3.6V
Temperature Range -20°C~+60°C
Frequency Stability ±5ppm
Volume(mm) 47*81*23
Weight (g) 132

Transmit
Output Power 1/1.5/2/3W
Modulation F3E
Spurious Radiation < -60 dB
Adjacent Ch. power < -60 dB
CTCSS/DCS deviation < 5KHz
Audio Distortion ≤5%
SNR >35 dB

Receiver
Sensitivity 0.18 uV - 3 uV
Adjacent CH. Sensitivity (W/N) ≥55dB
Audio Power 50 mW 100 Mw
Audio Distortion ≤5%
Intermediation ≥55dB

Standard Accessories:
ZT-2R+ Radio *1
3.7V 1500mAh Battery *1
Charger *1
Antenna *1
Back clip*1
Manual EN*1

Via Chinese Ham Radio Equipment on Google+

Monday, June 27, 2011

Echolink

Another plug for ham on the cheap... if Echolink didn't feel like using a real radio, then maybe the Echolink 100 software is what you need. It provides a front-end to Echolink that makes it look like a radio. Given all the software defined radios (or hybrids like the Baofeng UV-3R), no one should get too hung up on the computer vs. radio debate. (Is anyone still waving the banner for vacuum tubes as the end all and be all of radio technology?)



Via KD8BIG

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Xiegu X1M: A Few Shipping Now

Ed has the complete listing up and says the first few will ship next week. The rest will be available in May.


X1M QRP Transceiver

 Xiegu Technology

Distributed in North America exclusively by Import Communications
 
 
Compatable via RS232 connector with Ham Radio Deluxe (Choose Icom IC-718)


Frequency range RX & TX:  0.1 ~ 30 MHz*
Modes: SSB & CW
Power output: 5 Watts
Operating voltage: 9.6 ~ 14.5 vdc
Operating current: 0.35 ~ 1.2 amp
Receiver Preamplifier:  Yes
Memory Channels:  100
RIT Function:  Yes
Automatic Internal CW Keyer:  Yes
Backlight On/Off:  Yes
Keyboard  lock:  Yes
Dimensions:   3-13/16 x 1-9/16 x 6-1/8 inches
Weight:   0.65 kg  ~  1.43 lbs
PTT Microphone:  Included

* 5 Ham Bands configured separately
Band 1:   3.5 ~ 3.9 MHz
Band 2:    7.0 ~ 7.15 MHz
Band 3: 14.0 ~ 14.5 MHz
Band 4:   21.0 ~ 21.45 MHz
Band 5:   28.0 ~ 29.7  MHz

Receiving sensitivity: better than 0.45uV,
RF output power: ≥ 4.5W
Frequency stability: better than 0.5ppm
Frequency accuracy: better than 0.5ppm
Operating voltage: 12.0 ~ 14.0V DC
Receiver Standby Current: 0.5A
Emission current: 1.5A Max

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Hong Litong HL-UV8R

So the question was asked if the $58 Hong Litong HL-UV8R was a tri-bander. Hans and others said that it
was a mono-bander that was available in various flavors. Hans even offered this mini-review:

"These are mono-band radios. Unless something improved over the last year or so,
these are NOT recommended.
My experience with this radio:
- TX audio muffled
- LCD hard to read
- Battery life disappointing (rated 1500mAh, but actually 1200mAh)
- Charging takes ages
- Parts started to fall off within a month or so
- VCO/VXO locking problems"
There is, of course, a Yahoo Group for the UV8R. (Not to be confused with the UV-8R.) No one on the UV8R group seems to know much about the radio.




And now, we have Donald who says:
"got mine yesterday. 
hong litong hl-uv8r:
2 meter,220 and 440
just a little bit bigger than uv3r
easy to program
5 watts 440
6 watts 220
loud rec audio
keypad lights up
100 channels
only has hi and low power out
mine came with bad charger.
im going to exchange it for another.
$44 cant beat it, if i can get one that works right."
That's surprising and based on all the other comments, it would mean something has changed.