Baofeng UV-5R: Alphatags 7 Characters via CHIRP

Timing is everything... Last night, I finally got around to updating the 7 Character Hack post with a Google Cache link to the missing instructions. So, what do I read this morning?

CHIRP will now do the heavy lifting for you and update the radio with 7 character alphatags. Daily builds are here.

Netflix Diversity

I wondered how they handled the different people in a household using the same Netflix account:

"Take as a first example the Top 10 row: this is our best guess at the ten titles you are most likely to enjoy. Of course, when we say “you”, we really mean everyone in your household. It is important to keep in mind that Netflix’ personalization is intended to handle a household that is likely to have different people with different tastes. That is why when you see your Top10, you are likely to discover items for dad, mom, the kids, or the whole family. Even for a single person household we want to appeal to your range of interests and moods. To achieve this, in many parts of our system we are not only optimizing for accuracy, but also for diversity."

Baofeng UV-5R: Version Info

M makes an educated guess that the information displayed when holding various keys down during power on is a version/firmware revision:

If you switch the radio on while holding hold down the "3 key" the radio shouldbriefly display "VER BFB230" which I suspect is either the model number of majorfirmware version.

If you switch on the radio while holding down the "6 key" the radio shouldbriefly display the firmware revision number, and what looks like a firmwarebuild ID. For example mine displays "1203101 VER-05"

Mine is "VER BFB230" and "1201002 0000002". I ordered mine the night they became available on the 409Shop, so I may have a very early collector's edition.

HRO Android App

I installed it, but I'm not sure I will find it useful. When I shop, I want to see my options from various sources.

HamRadioOutlet HRO is very proud to be the first in the industry to announce our FREE mobile Android App in the Google Play store now bit.ly/HmBX19Tue, Apr 03 20:46:40 from web

Ouch

Well, I have this blog...

EricStangel At age 33, Bubba Watson owns a Masters green jacket and the General Lee. What have you done with your life?Sun, Apr 08 20:53:32 from web retweeted by DrewEdwardsUT

Baofeng UV-3R: FM Broadcast Range

Someone asked in the comments if the FM Broadcast receive frequencies could be expanded. I had read in this thread that 65-108 MHz is the FM Broadcast band in Eastern Europe. So are there regional versions of the UV-3R? In the thread, people report difference coverages.

For something like this, I would assume it is much easier to have one version that has the wider range that covers all regional FM frequencies.

Vero UV-X5: Manual

Thanks (again) to Mike (G0CVZ) of UV3R.com for getting the manual for the UV-X5.

UV-X5 User Manual

KF9ZA's Go Box for Ham Radio ARES - RACES

Another project to add to the ever growing list. He's got a list of links for the parts he used to build his Go Box here. I would, of course, throw in a UV-3R.

Baofeng UV-5R: CHIRP Support

Ed (Import Communications) sent a UV-5R to Dan, so that he could add it to the list of radios supported by CHIRP*. That was three days ago and Dan has already added support for the UV-5R in his daily builds!


*"CHIRP is a FREE cross-platform, cross-radio programming tool. It works on Windows and Linux (and MacOSX with a little work). It supports a growing list of radios across several manufacturers and allows transferring of memory contents between them."

Vero UV-X5: Micro HT Tribander

My previous post said that the HT in the picture looked like a TYT TH-UV3R, but Mike (G0CVZ) of UV3R.com has identified it as the Vero UV-X5 - a tri-band radio: 136-174, 400-470, 245-246 MHz.