So I have been running CHIRP since day 1 and it all worked fine. Tonight I decided to program some more repeaters and frequencies into it via the same CHIRP program I used last time. Everything goes smoothly, no hiccups. I turn the radio on and its on the NOAA channel I programmed in, its receiving just fine. Whenever I switch channels the radio no longer receives anything, when I hit the monitor key I cannot hear squelch. Turn the radio back to the NOAA channel and I am not receiving. Turn off and back on while on a channel with activity and I can hear it, until I switch the channel or key up the radio, then its gone and I can no longer hear it again until I turn off and back on.

I load my old image in and everything works just as it did before, no problems.

I don't understand it. I'm not sure I am even describing this problem where someone else can understand it.

Is the image you are trying to load from a different radio?

Any image you want to load should be from a radio with the exact same firmware version. Otherwise, you will need to use CHIRP to copy and paste the data into an image you download from your radio.

Same CHIRP program I used before on the same PC, same and only radio I use CHIRP on.

I have narrowed the problem down to the BEEP function. This is where whenever you press a button or turn the channel the radio beeps. For whatever reason when I turn that off, either via the menu on the radio or CHIRP it causes this mysterious problem.

Turns out its a known problem with the N5R-20 firmware. The problem is, turning off the beeps mutes the audio. There is no simple fix. Subsequent firmware releases have fixed the issue.

Solution buy newer radio or non-Chinese junk

Glad you got it figured out. I have had mine crash when loaded with an image taken from a different firmware version. They can be fixed, fortunately.

The latest firmware is a huge improvement. The signal indicator works, squelch is adjustable (CHIRP lets you adjust the squelch level for each number). The DTMF bugs are all worked out, and everything works like it is supposed to.

This is why Chicom radios are nothing more than toys.

My friend has someone program his Baofeng with Chirp and killed it, luckily I had a saved image to restore his radio.

You get what you pay for with this Chicom crap.

The stupid Baofeng firmware is the real issue, not chirp.  

I have two Baofeng's and its firmware is as screwed up as a soup sandwich.  I have to save separate images in order to program them.

Unlike a Yaesu or Kenwood, I can't clone one radio and then copy that channel data to another.  

Again you get what you pay for with this crap.  

I agree. But it was a freebie that's a good radio I can keep in a bag and not worry if I lose it.

DO NOT just open CHIRP, start typing in blanks, and upload to your radio.

FIRST download the current image (if it is working correctly) to CHIRP.  

Fill in any new data you want to enter, THEN upload to the radio.