sixbennetts
Adventurer
Want.
*Edit*
Bought.
Gimmegimmegimme.......
*Edit*
Bought.
Gimmegimmegimme.......
$40 BaoFeng UV-5R Dual-Band Handhelds
- Thread starter mhiscox
- Start date
Frank
Explorer
I know the feeling. Mine is scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday, shipping from Arizona. There are about 5 guys at work who have these (who conned me into getting one) and tell me they have a data cable floating around for doing the software loading. All of them praised the radio.
Im really looking forward to this radio. Its my first civilian HAM radio.
Im really looking forward to this radio. Its my first civilian HAM radio.
sixbennetts
Adventurer
Same here. This just might be the little radio that motivates me to finally get my ticket.
Javelinadave
Adventurer
Buy Gordon West's book Amazon Link or buy one of the many apps for your IPad, Android Tablet, etc. It's pretty easy stuff to learn/memorize. You need to answer 26 out of 35 correctly and boom, you are on the air. There are enough guys here that can answer any questions you have or help you along with equipment purchases, setup or problems you might run into.
sixbennetts
Adventurer
Thanks, Dave.
sixbennetts
Adventurer
I've been reading and it seems there's a right and a wrong programming cable to get for these. I should buy one with the TDFI chipset in it, correct? One of the programming cables make for Kenwood or Yaesu, one of the better radios?
I'm running Windows Vista on the home computer, (where I'll be programming it). Can you guys drop me a link or two for the correct cable I need, please? All I can find are the cheap ones on Amazon.
Thanks.
I'm running Windows Vista on the home computer, (where I'll be programming it). Can you guys drop me a link or two for the correct cable I need, please? All I can find are the cheap ones on Amazon.
Thanks.
seanz0rz
Adventurer
http://www.miklor.com/
that site is a great resource for the 5R, and will give you some insight on the potential for cable problems and how to easily solve them.
that site is a great resource for the 5R, and will give you some insight on the potential for cable problems and how to easily solve them.
HillbillyfromAL
Explorer
The correct programming cable cost more than half the radio. I got mine off Amazon for about 26$ if I can find it again I'll post it up here.
brushogger
Explorer
I bought mine as part of the package. The radio cable and extra battery for $59.95
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
98OzarksRunner
Adventurer
I bought this one:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007R21P7Q/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_2
It is simply a USB to RS-232 convertor. The only chipset issue is whether your PC/Mac OS has a driver to support the chipset (mine installed it automatically - didn't have to search for a driver) - the chipset is not radio-dependent (or vice-versa), it is PC OS dependent. As far as compatibility with the radio, the only issue there would be wiring, and these radio seem to have a standardized (or somewhat) wiring method for the serial interface (using the audio connectors).
I used the CHIRP software (free download) and the only issues I had were 1) make sure the plug on the radio is pushed all the way in and 2) sometimes I had to restart the software in order to make sure the radio would sync up and transfer the data. The CHIRP software just opens a serial (RS-232) port and downloads the data using that port.
seanz0rz
Adventurer
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RZJHJU/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
is the cable I have. I did not have to trim the connector, and I used the driver from the site i posted above. Just programmed it with the 7 NOAA frequencies, my 2 most common simplex frequencies, and all of my likely used repeaters.
is the cable I have. I did not have to trim the connector, and I used the driver from the site i posted above. Just programmed it with the 7 NOAA frequencies, my 2 most common simplex frequencies, and all of my likely used repeaters.
sixbennetts
Adventurer
Oh, ok, so it's like plugging in any other peripheral to your pc, you just let it search the web for the needed drivers. If it doesn't find 'em, then you have to worry about downloading them somewhere, like the site posted above.
After reading a lot of the reviews on Amazon for these cables posted here, I'm a little leary. Overheating at the USB end. Trimming needed at the radio end.
*Edit*
It seems the problem is the Prolific chip. Knock-off cables have a copy of an old chip, and Prolific continually updates it's drivers, so if your computer automatically updates, it can render your knock-off cable useless.
Where can I buy a cable with a real Prolific chip in it, to avoid this?
After reading a lot of the reviews on Amazon for these cables posted here, I'm a little leary. Overheating at the USB end. Trimming needed at the radio end.
*Edit*
It seems the problem is the Prolific chip. Knock-off cables have a copy of an old chip, and Prolific continually updates it's drivers, so if your computer automatically updates, it can render your knock-off cable useless.
Where can I buy a cable with a real Prolific chip in it, to avoid this?
Last edited:
fratermus
FT boondocker
potentential issue: the cable that ships with the radio has/ had a knockoff (Prolific? ) chip in it. This can cause problems for windoze folk as the OS uses a driver that checks for fakes. The solution is to provide a driver manually. Details in the chirp faq.
from tapatalk (Galaxy Note 2)
sixbennetts
Adventurer
Amazing little radio. Best $40 I ever spent.
