I want to throw my new Baofeng into traffic!

citoriguy

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Hi all - I'm just getting into HAM radios and am looking for help with my new UV-5R+ Plus. I have been on RadioReference and other similar sites and can't seem to find the answer to my issue(s). I've used CHIRP to program several local stations, but there are many that are not registering. For example, I tried to manually save one of the Marlborough PD channels, and each time I enter the last number, the unit says "cancel" and I'm back to square one. If I use CHIRP, then there's generally not a problem. All of the web searches have a variety of menu options to clear it, and to increase the UHF/VHF channels, but that doesn't seem to work. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

CG
 
It's the Marlborough services groups:

Fire/EMS Dispatch: 858.46250
Fire Secondary: 859.46250
Fire Ground Channel 16: 854.38750
Police Dispatch: 856.46250
Police Detectives/Special Details: 857.46250
Public Works: 654.26250

And I might have lied - I'm getting an error message now when I try to upload the frequencies through CHIRP. I think I was trying to upload another set that worked.
 
UV-5R SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency range:

[TX] 136 - 174MHz, 400 - 520MHz

[RX] 136 - 174MHz, 400 - 520MHz, 68-108MHz (FM Broadcast)

I thought it was wider. I had a Yaesu HT that covered up to 999Mhz.

SpeedBump it is!

uj
 
Hahaha!! No - I just purchased this the other day. I will say that I was very fortunate to have the assistance of JDL before making the purchase. I started taking some practice quizzes this afternoon, but I'm not going to sink big bucks into this (famous last words...).
 
I thought 800megs was cell phone territory?

824-894 is cell stuff. Many devices have all of that range blocked.
Even though you can receive up to 999megs the 800 range is blocked.
Im just guessing here.
 
Yikes - what does that mean? More software or reprogramming?

That radio doesn't receive in the 800 Mhz band. If you're even a little bit serious about getting into amateur radio, you might be disappointed in the Baofengs as they have pretty crappy performance. I know they just about give them away, but like anything else, you get what you pay for. See this self explanatory graphic from the ARRL:IMG_0668.jpg
 
That radio won't cover MPD. So SOL there-

Mine is a paperweight. They were $80 in Dayton when it was the first cheap Chinese wave (2009 maybe?) which was a crazy good deal at the time.

Now, I feel $25 is too much; however, it does provide a starting point- and gives some the ability to get on the air
 
BAOFENG are f***ing garbage.

The radios are meant to be cheap before everything else. If you keep this in mind, you probably won't be as frustrated.

Also as someone else says, none of those channels are going to work on that HT, most HTs lack decent performance in 800 anyways. You really would want a
scanner like a PSR or whatever to do that.

-Mike
 
I knew that Baofeng was bottom of the barrel going in, but it was the cheapest way to ”dip my toe in the pool” without investing in a desktop setup. Worst comes to worst, I can get another and my wife and I can have a pair for camping or hiking.

At this point, I’m in “listen” mode anyway, so for $40 for a new unit and programming cord, I’m not in the poor house.
 
It's the Marlborough services groups:

Fire/EMS Dispatch: 858.46250
Fire Secondary: 859.46250
Fire Ground Channel 16: 854.38750
Police Dispatch: 856.46250
Police Detectives/Special Details: 857.46250
Public Works: 654.26250

And I might have lied - I'm getting an error message now when I try to upload the frequencies through CHIRP. I think I was trying to upload another set that worked.
UV-5R SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency range:

[TX] 136 - 174MHz, 400 - 520MHz

[RX] 136 - 174MHz, 400 - 520MHz, 68-108MHz (FM Broadcast)

I thought it was wider. I had a Yaesu HT that covered up to 999Mhz.

SpeedBump it is!

uj
Putting aside the hatred for all things Baofeng, they are NOT designed to intercept the 800MHz range, plain and simple. I own two Baofengs and one Yaesu FT60R and none of them are designed to do what the OP is trying to do. Pick up a Uniden scanner to grab those public safety frequencies.

Now a question: Aren't most of the public safety folks using 800MHz using trunked systems? If so, then you need a scanner that will work with trunked systems and they tend to not be cheap.
 
I have an extra pro 2006 that has the 800 mhz opened. It is just collecting dust. If it will monitor what you are looking for you can have it
 
Handy Talkies (HTs) are just the gateway drug - you get one QSO from someone and then go without a score for days/weeks until you start with the hard stuff at 50-100W. Once you’re addicted, 500W and Jonesing for 1500W.
 
You cannot put 800mhz frequencies into ANY 400-520 mhz radio.....They just don't cover it.

Go buy a scanner that covers 800mhz and listen to Marlboro PD.
 
Uniden sds100 scanner.

Although check on which PD departments are currently running encrypted comms (and also which ones will be moving up to encryption, in the near future,) cause you won't be hearing anything from those departments and could be wasting your money with a scanner.
 
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I am a complete novice here and will add, my Baofungs do most of what I want them to do.

I can monitor NOAA, i can use it as a back up Marine radio, and the distance it does transmit works good for me. Admittedly, I could use a class on how to get onto a repeater in Wilbraham. I like to portability of it but I would look at a tri-band.

I d feel like a hypocrite here as I walked through the technical and general exam and missed the extra by 5 questions and still not sure how to communicate with it.
 
I work from home and have caught up on all my podcasts and don’t like watching the talking heads and sitcom reruns during the day, so I thought I’d pick this up. I do like the compact nature of the Baofeng and will check out the Unidens listed above if I feel like I get to that point.

Ideally, I’d have several PD/Fire/EMS stations programmed and they’d come on automatically as a message is being transmitted without having to change the stations. I did get a programming cord for the Baofeng and used CHIRP, so I’m set there. I have my town and all the surrounding towns with the exception of Marlborough and a couple others in the 800s.
 
I am a complete novice here and will add, my Baofungs do most of what I want them to do.

I can monitor NOAA, i can use it as a back up Marine radio, and the distance it does transmit works good for me. Admittedly, I could use a class on how to get onto a repeater in Wilbraham. I like to portability of it but I would look at a tri-band.

I d feel like a hypocrite here as I walked through the technical and general exam and missed the extra by 5 questions and still not sure how to communicate with it.

Easy enough to program in the repeater with CHIRP. Then key it up and say your call "listening on the 105" Sooner or later you'll catch someone on the air
 
Two things to keep in mind when trying to use a Baofeng radio to monitor police/fire comms. The Baofeng's will not do P25 digital voice and they will not seamlessly track trunked communications. Although the vast majority of these comms remain analog and non-trunked, that is slowly changing. For instance, just in my own back yard, I have Rehoboth PD on the Mass State Police trunk system and I have Somerset on P25 digital voice.
 
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