I saw a post in Team about this unit on sale so I FOd ...

I pulled it out of the box and the factory config yielded nothing - I used 'scan' and it never stopped scanning; essentially making this unit an expensive paper weight instead of an HT.

I downloaded CHIRP ...

I watched some YT videos ...

I followed the one that seemed smartest which suggested programming Ch 1 & 2 for actual use (1.25 M or whatever) and then reprogramming the 30 unchangeable NOAA channels and then adding some repeaters ...

Still nothing.

I watched a second YT video which indicated that the 30 unchangeable NOAA channels are, ya know, unchangeable which confused me more ...

Then I tried to use the manual and I think I fked up the config even more ...

Then I tried to factory reset the unit ...

Then I re-downloaded the config using CHIRP - and I think it has the config I created instead of the factory config - so WTF is with the non-reset factory reset?? ...


Where can I find simple guidance to reprogramm the unit?

It sounds like you’re conflating A side and B side with “1 and 2 channels.”

Baofengs can hold many (100 i think) programmed “channels.”  

For talking purposes it can receive on two different frequencies or channels at the same time.  The top or “A” side, and the bottom or “B” side.  You select the side you wish to control / transmit on by pressing the A/B button.


The up/down arrows will move the frequency up / down while in VFO mode, or cycle through the channels in channel mode - in whichever side you’re controlling at that moment.  indicated by a graphic on the LCD.


Some baofengs come pre-programmed with special frequency banks like the NOAA weather stations.  Some can receive broadcast FM radio.  It sounds as if you’ve selected that special channel bank and need to return to regular radio mode.


Are you attempting to program some local repeater pairs?  What is it you want to do with the radio?

Thx for the good info. You are spot on.

I want to have a legit radio that will work with crappy radios for my kids to run around the neighborhood. I know my kids will kill their radios every year, so I'm prepared to replace those. While I acknowledge that the UV-9G isn't a PRC-152, it is better than what I will give my kids :D

I also want my radio to be legit if the zombies attack and I need to connect with the outside world.

Honestly, I've also been doing it halfass while on conference calls and I thought GMRS would be as simple as click some buttons in chirp, config the unit for local activity, then start hearing chatter. I guess I'm just frustrated that I used chirp and youtube to program repeaters and my local police frequencies and I hear nothing.

I'll pull out the ARRL study materials and try to relearn basic radio principles.

Thx again for taking the time to reply.

GMRS radios can't be programmed to transmit on anything other than the 30 GMRS/FRS channels already in the radio. There are only 5 NOAA weather channels. I don't know what the reset actually did, but it should have set the squelch codes back to the default values. Any receive channels you put in were probably erased.

It's hard to know with certainty what you've done without having the radio in hand.

Most of these chinese radios come UNPROGRAMMED and require competent programming to be functional and useful, if in a legal grey (if not shady) area. I make this point over and over in the constant stream of Baofeng threads.

In general with any kind of radio programming you have to start by reading the radio first, then edit the configuration, then write back to the radio. There are all kinds of little aspects to what's in radio programming that to try to start from a default file in the software and then write to the radio may well leave you with a brick or something otherwise unrecoverable, unless you have another identical radio to read the default programming from.

So I guess a critical question at this point is if you read the radio's factory configuration and hopefully saved that file first. If you did, and can bring up that file in the software then you should be able to edit it and get back to something useful.

Although I just looked up at the thread title and realize that we may be talking apples and oranges. I see it says "UV-9G (GMRS)"... It's now occurred to me that instead of a UV-9 that you're trying to program for GMRS, that you may have some kind of GMRS firmware type approved radio, which will likely make things really complicated if not impossible to do what you want. Off to see what a "UV-9G" is...

Well disregard much of what I just posted....

If you have this radio:
https://www.baofengradio.com/products/uv-9g
Then you have a radio which is locked to GMRS frequencies in order to be GMRS type approved. It's not a fully programmable radio. It does apparently have extra channels that can be programmed for receive only, if that is what you're trying to do, and also channels that can be programmed for GMRS repeaters.

So I guess we need to know more specifically about what you're trying to do.


Some places have very little activity on GMRS (and amateur) repeaters and local simplex. There may not be any chatter for you to hear.

The police frequencies one would assume would have some activity, as long as they're still correct and current, and using analog instead of some digital format.

Where did you get the police frequencies from?

This is usually a good resource:
https://www.radioreference.com/db/browse/

Couple of technical things to think about in programming:
For each channel/frequency you put in, part of that line should be a field for narrow or wideband. Amateur, NOAA, or most GMRS will be wideband. FRS channels along with any land mobile (like police/fire etc) will be narrow.

Don't know if you are familiar with squelch codes or how they work, there are two systems (PL/CTCSS and DPL/DCSS) which can be used, but at the receive end you don't have to use them. Using them correctly can help with  some noise or interference issues, but putting the wrong code in means you'll hear nothing, so those might be something to check in your programming.

Thanks all.

I forgot to make a copy of the original 'programming config' before I made updates to my radio. I just grabbed another UV-9G so I can make the backup file and 'reset' my current unit from that file. I'll also have two radios to figure out if it's me or lack of activity near me :)

This is the answer.

I bricked one of mine trying to "unlock" it and had to reload the file I had originally saved and it works again.

So follow-up question - some YT guy suggested to re-program it so the stuff we use is lower number presets and we don't have to scroll thru all the NOAA crap. Basically "re-program it so the 2 channels/freqs you use are #1 and #2 followed by the NOAA crap as #3 - X, then use https://www.radioreference.com/db/browse to find local stuff you want for X.1-X.X then use repeaterbook to add repeaters until you run out of channels" - is this legit advice or are the UV-9G default NOAA presets not re-programmable?

I have no experience with those but I doubt it will let you do that on a radio with preset firmware.

If you want a fully programmable radio, then buy a fully programmable one and not one of the GMRS locked versions.

That's what I figured. Thanks.

PS - AWESOME avatar

I received the second UV-9G and created a 'default config' file.

Pre-programmed config is:
0 = no Ch and 146.01 Freq
1-22 = GMRS Ch
23-30 = REPTR Ch
31-54 = DIY
117-127 = NOAA

Dumb questions:
1. Why are channels 55-116 missing? Can I not use them?
2. If I simply tune both radios to Channel 2, can I start talking to someone or do I need additional config first?

GMRS frequencies are more or less standardized.  As long as the manufacturer honors the system.  (It may be set by FCC now - not sure, prior to 2017 it was kinda random)

I.e., if you pick up a Motorola talkabout radio set to channel 1, and then pick up a Midland GMRS radio, and set it to channel 1 they’ll talk to each other.

Channels, and “privacy code” interoperability.

There is even some interoperability between DCS and CTCSS (called privacy codes on Motorola radios) scroll down in the link above.



On the radio you have, you can’t have a channel called “22R” (for channel 22 repeater use) so instead the code file you’ve created uses channel 30 for the purpose.

Ah. Thanks for the linked content.

I 'tested' with two OOTB config Baofeng UV-9G radios and they work as advertised on GMRS so [thumbs up]. Now I just need to get smarter about using them with privacy codes, etc.

Truthfully, after bricking one, I quit experimenting with them.  I have ham band radios that work well with Chirp.  I just wanted to have a couple of legal radios for GMRS.
I did look in Chirp and do not think I have weather programmed.  Will try to do that.

The 'legal on GMRS' is slso how I ended up here. I lack your ham skills but regardless my need is only 'MBITR' (a.k.a. family) comms and I doubt my 4 yr old can pass the Technical exam.

Now I just have to find that thread with a list of kid radios that can talk over gmrs

Probably not.  Wait until he's 7 for Technician.

??

My kid informed me that the neighbor kid's mom uses a 'walkie talkie' so neighbor mom can keep track of neighbor kid. It's a Midland LXT500PA.

Per my Google-fu this unit is on FRS/GMRS but may not be able to connect to a Baofeng UV-9G? Anyone have experience with this combo?

That is an FRS handheld radio.


FRS and GMRS channels 1-7 are the same.  There are blocks designated FRS only, and blocks designated GMRS only.

Details here:

https://www.baofengradio.com/blogs/news/gmrs-and-frs-what-s-different

??