CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Trail Radios - What are you using

I've had the UV-5R for a couple years and love it. A bunch of my buddies have them as well... It's nice to be able to talk all day on the radio and grab it out and take it along for hiking or scouting around... Worth every penny...
 
I just bought a uv-5r... this 4 digit code after you put in the frequency is it needed? Little lost on this and would like to get on our race frequency for this weekends race.
 
Not certain what numbers you mean. Are you using CHIRP with a programming cable? If not, I will have to read up on how to program with the keyboard. Don't think I have ever done it. The computer method is just too easy.

But, the only numbers you put in are either the frequency, which is in the format of: xxx.xxxx, and any tone squelch tones. There is also an offset number, but unless you are using a repeater, its not used.
 
As an update, I just ordered one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-MINI-U...e=UTF8&qid=1486658016&sr=1-1&keywords=uv-2501

Its basically a mobile version of a Baofeng with a few more options and a power increase.

It has the same frequency specs as a 5r, but 25 watts of power. They make a tri-band which covers the 1.25 meter band. (210-230 mhz).
I went with the dual band version, since I don't have a need for the extra band.

One downside is that it uses a different programming cable, but they say CHIRP supports it, and its possible to download your 5r program into it.

Ah, I see Babaganoosh has replied. let me see what he has....
 
the tone numbers make sense. Thanks

OK, cool. You understand what the tone numbers are for, right? If your group does not use tone squelch, just leave them blank. I put tone squelch on all the ones I programmed at my hunting camp, so that I could program the regular squelch to its lowest setting (maximum sensitivity) without anyone hearing any static.
As I mentioned before, do not set the squelch to 0, because that will keep the radio receiving all the time and run the battery down faster. You will also hear little snippets of static as the random noise sometimes hits the tone squelch tone frequency.
Programming it to 1 seems to be good.

Post back if I can help further. I will be around about another 20 minutes, then back online tonight.
 
OK, cool. You understand what the tone numbers are for, right? If your group does not use tone squelch, just leave them blank. I put tone squelch on all the ones I programmed at my hunting camp, so that I could program the regular squelch to its lowest setting (maximum sensitivity) without anyone hearing any static.
As I mentioned before, do not set the squelch to 0, because that will keep the radio receiving all the time and run the battery down faster. You will also hear little snippets of static as the random noise sometimes hits the tone squelch tone frequency.
Programming it to 1 seems to be good.

Post back if I can help further. I will be around about another 20 minutes, then back online tonight.
Hmm I don't know what that is, I had assumed I just needed the frequency. Does this act like a password so to speak? Sent a message to a guy in our group, says they don't have one but have to adjust to pick up adjust transmit, hmm.
 
Last edited:
Hmm I don't know what that is, I had assumed I just needed the frequency. Does this act like a password so to speak? Sent a message to a guy in our group, says they don't have one but have to adjust to pick up adjust transmit, hmm.

What's an example of the frequency you are trying to use?
 
Ok, that's your frequency in MHz. These radios work in 300KHz
It's a 3 digit followed by another 3 if that makes sense.

That's the frequency you are using in MHz. Is it those six characters that you have questions about or another setting in the radio?
 
I think the biggest question I have is how do I know if I'm on the channel? just type the frequency in and Im good?
 
Yes, you are not working with "channels", you are working with the frequency you need to be on. Like if they told you to be on 462.575, then punch that in and you are there.
 
This is completely different then what I'm used to, it's on a entire different level. I have never even held one of these before last night.

I appreciate all the answers to my questions, thanks guys.
 
This is completely different then what I'm used to, it's on a entire different level. I have never even held one of these before last night.

I appreciate all the answers to my questions, thanks guys.

Once you get through with this, you should look into your Ham license. It's really worth having and will teach you a lot about this stuff. Plus you can legally use more power and be able to communicate long distances should the situation require it. If we (Hams) can convince enough of you fists to get your license, we might get a CK5 net going on! Ha!
 
After this weekend I want to look at getting it, I really just want to listen to our car during the race. I always have to be touching someone just to hear.
 
Get the ARRL Tech manual, study it and then look into the Laurel VE team to find a free test session in your area. I've helped the local Laurel VEC put on tests and even upgraded to Extra through one of his sessions. Get in with your local club, at least casually, there's a bunch of good info to be had from those old dudes. You'll be making contacts off satellites and bouncing signals off the moon in no time!
 
Not to give anybody any ideas or anything, but there is an article out there about how easy it is to convert two of the radios I linked to in post 25 into a cheap and easy cross-band repeater.
Basically, all you need is two of those radios, $115 each, two antennas and cables, a telephone type patch cable, and a power supply and you are in business.
You program one radio to receive on one frequency and the other to transmit on the other. The RJ45 cable plugs in where the mics plug in on the two radios.
You need to make sure there is decent separation of the two antennas and you don't need duplexers. And the 5rs will support the cross-band split.
Thus, you can create a cheap repeater system and use it with cheap radios.
In other words, you can let the base transmit on the 400mhz band, and receive on the 150mhz band. And set up the handhelds to do the opposite.

Thus, you can have handhelds with the range of a base station.

Here is how you set it up.

https://baofengtech.com/pdf/X-Band-Repeater-BTECH-Mobile.pdf
 
Top Bottom