Bad USB Devices

New Offensive USB Cable Allows Remote Attacks over WiFi - scary stuff. That's why you need to wrap your dongle.

Tomu - Tiny ARM Computer

Tomu: a tiny, open-source hardware computer that fits in a USB port! @xobs, my long-time collaborator and friend, has teamed up with @mithro to crowd fund this neat little idea on @crowd_supply: https://t.co/Th3HkzJcdD. Check it out & nab one of these handy things to hack on! pic.twitter.com/n3T84RIfZt

— bunnie (@bunniestudios) January 9, 2018

Baofeng Tech Amazon Prime Day Deal: Programming Cable

This Baofeng Tech Amazon Prime Day Deal is now live:

PC03 FTDI USB Programming Cable for BaoFeng, Kenwood, Wouxun, AnyTone

If you don't have Amazon Prime, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial if want to take advantage of the deals from Baofeng Tech.

Baofeng Tech UV-2501+220: Programming from your PC

A how-to video for installing and programming your Baofeng Tech UV-2501+220. Grab the software here. You'll need a USB cable like the BTECH PC04 FTDI USB Programming Cable as well. (The process is the same for the Baofeng Tech UV-2501 and Baofeng Tech UV-5001 - simply download the appropriate software for those models.)

Some general comments about using programming software for radios:

If the you can't figure out which Comm Port the radio is using, go to the Device Manager in Windows. You can see which port is correct or if the cable isn't showing as installed properly. The latter is often the guess if you aren't using a genuine FTDI chip.

As a best practice, I always like to save a copy of the original configuration before I make any changes.

Baofeng Tech Programming Cable for Mobile Radios

I've been manually programming everything in to the UV-2501+220 and I plan on doing a short video tutorial of the process. However, I am really glad my BTECH PC04 FTDI USB Programming Cable arrived yesterday.

More FTDI Problems

So back in October of 2014, an updated FTDI driver prevented non-genuine/fake chips from working. It appears Windows Update is pushing out a driver that is causing new problems.

So if you are buying a cable to program your radios, you can save yourself some trouble and get one with a genuine FTDI chip.

Via Slashdot.org

Radio Tube USB Drive

We love these handmade glowing radio-tube USB drives https://t.co/NqvNCaqkHA pic.twitter.com/1nuAebAfdQ

— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) October 27, 2015

Via K0NR

SnapPower Charger

I've looked at face plates that have integrated USB ports, but the SnapPower Charger is different in that it requires no wiring.

Via Uncrate

USB Type C

The new Macbook has a Type C USB connector.

"USB-C port with support for:
Charging
USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps)
Native DisplayPort 1.2 video output
VGA output using USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (sold separately)
HDMI video output using USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (sold separately)"

I wonder if the Lightning connector will be replaced.

Bricking FTDI Driver Pulled

So the driver that bricks the fake chips is being pulled from Windows Update:

"As you are probably aware, the semiconductor industry is increasingly blighted by the issue of counterfeit chips and all semiconductor vendors are taking measures to protect their IP and the investment they make in developing innovative new technology. FTDI will continue to follow an active approach to deterring the counterfeiting of our devices, in order to ensure that our customers receive genuine FTDI product. Though our intentions were honourable, we acknowledge that our recent driver update has caused concern amongst our genuine customer base. I assure you, we value our customers highly and do not in any way wish to cause distress to them.

The recently release driver release has now been removed from Windows Update so that on-the-fly updating cannot occur. The driver is in the process of being updated and will be released next week. This will still uphold our stance against devices that are not genuine, but do so in a non-invasive way that means that there is no risk of end user’s hardware being directly affected."

Via Slashdot.org

FTDI Driver Update Bricks Fake Chips

This should be fun... expect the Yahoo Groups to blow up with the "I can't program my radio" posts. The new driver is available using Windows Update, so lots of people will never even realize they are getting a new version.

HackADay:

"This isn’t a case where fake FTDI chips won’t work if plugged into a machine running the newest FTDI driver; the latest driver bricks the fake chips, rendering them inoperable with any computer."

Via Slashdot.org

XLT Painless Programming Cable for Baofeng, Kenwood, and Wouxun

$20 for a genuine FTDI chip is probably a bargain for most considering the amount of time some have invested in trying to get a knock-off to work with their radio. Heck, if everyone had one of these, the number of posts to the various Yahoo Groups would drop exponentially.

And a related post on reddit: Does anybody know why modern radios still use serial connectors for their data cables instead of USB?

Practice Safe Charging

You don't want to catch (or spread) anything!

Power

Looks like the ReVolt is no longer available, but they are working on a replacement that may show up in June. (Kudo's to Bill of ReVolt for noticing my original post dropping by to comment.)

While we are waiting on the ReVolt, I've been looking for something smaller to meet my portable, emergency power needs for my phone and other devices. The WireCutter did a round up recently and recommends the Satechi Energy Station 10000.

• Instant dual power - recharge your tablet and smart phone or other mobile devices simultaneously.
• 10000 mAh Lithium Polymer Battery - Rapid charging - faster than charging from a traditional outlet
• Battery life indicator & auto OFF feature that detects when fully charged.
• Lightweight and compact - easily carry it on long flights in your laptop or tablet bag
• Safety Features: Overload protection - Short circuit protection - Overcharge protection - Overdischarge protection

FYI - If you buy through those links, Amazon will be backing up dump trucks full of money at my front door - at no extra cost to you.

Programming Software Problems

I agree with Julian (G4ILO), the various Yahoo Groups are almost unreadable right now due to the flood of programming issues - mostly related to counterfeit chips:

"Problems with programming cables seem to be making up half the traffic in forums and groups dedicated to handheld radios. The problems are all associated with cables that use (or claim to use) Prolific USB adapters. These days, programming cables come with USB adapters built-in, so the need for separate USB to RS-232 converters - which could use a less troublesome FTDI or Silicon Labs chipset - is eliminated. But so, unfortunately, is the option to solve the problem by using a different type of adapter."

These are the major steps - no matter what radio/software.

1. Successfully install the USB to Serial adapter driver for the programming cable. Verify that the OS says the device is working properly by looking in Device Manager (Windows).

2. Also in Device Manager, determine what COM port the cable is using.

3. Install the programming software for your radio.

4. Configure the software to use the COM port that was verified in Step 2.

5. Read from the radio.

You cannot move to the subsequent step until you have successfully completed the prior one.

Baofeng UV-3R: USB Programming Cable 2

You can get the USB programming cable on ebay now. RadioShop888 appears to be the first to market with it. I'm tempted to order one, but at $15 it is almost a third of the price of the radio.

Baofeng UV-3R: USB Programming Cable

We knew one was coming, but I think we are one step closer to a USB programming cable for the Baofeng UV-3R. Minimum order quantity of 5.