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New user- Baofeng

A1850

A1850

Joined
Dec 21, 2011
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Hi all. So the wife got me a pair of Baofengs as a stocking stuffer. She said I could return them because from what she has seen, they are not easy to use. From what I have seen online, I know why.

I searched the forum here some for a little help but I understand none of the language that is being used. I need absolute hand holding to figure this out.

I plan on using it for SHTF scenario and maybe just to play around on it and learn a new hobby. I hear foxhunting sounds fun though that's way beyond my pay grade.

I see HAM classes are offered twice a year or so. I don't feel like waiting to get started. I'd like to get a jump start.

I joined the Yahoo group but all of the lingo flies over my head. Its all foreign.

Anyone want to spend a little time and help me get going? I wasn't given the cable to program channels and i'd actually like to learn the hard way.

All help (using language i would understand) would be rewarded with much thanks and praise and rep points.

I look forward to getting a hold on this and having some fun. Once i get a hang of things i'll look into taking the test and getting the license. (ticket?)

Thanks for the help.

Breaker one-nine out. (Kidding. i know that is full of fail)
 
First step is getting a license, you can't transmit without it. The easiest is the Technician license, it has some restrictions but many never go beyond that. When I did mine I studied on-line a little and took the test, but I already had a GMRS license and was authorized on a number of public safety frequencies.

I think I know a NES user who can tell you more about those radio, I'll let him know.

KB1LWB
WQJE686
 
There are a few people in the Yahoo group who will help noobs. I went there when I first got mine.
The first issue is the software that comes with the cable doesn't work. I downloaded a copy from a suggested site and it worked fine.
The only lingo that would be required is the PL tone which is a tone that is transmitted with the voice transmission that turns the repeater on. There is also a frequency offset which is the difference between the transmit and receive frequencies for a repeater. Along with that is the offset type either + or -.

if you want to get your license there are online resources that have the exact test questions that you can study. About 20 hrs of studying and you should pass the test. I used QRZ.com. If you know anything about basic electronics it will help. There are a lot of places that do the tests n a monthly basis.

I am by no stretch an expert but I would be willing to help you on the phone or FTF getting the radios up and running.

Local HAM clubs can be helpful as well.
 
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The programming cable is cheap and the CHIRP software is free. There are web pages devoted to that radio and programming it. Google is your friend.

Don't transmit until licensed.

Sent from the depths of Hell using TapaTalk
 
Getting Your License:

Many clubs like the one in Gloucester give the test once a month. The Gloucester club does it on the 2nd Sunday at 10:00. Email ahead of time and walk in with the $15 the FCC requires. The clubs make no $ giving the tests.

A study group is best, but it's easy to do on your own. Get the ARRL's Technician study guide and do the online practice tests. I like the ones at qrz.com, but any will work.

The way the FCC test works is they will randomly pull 35 questions from the pool of about 400 questions. You need to get 26/35 correct. The question pool, and the correct answers, are published by the FCC so the on-line practice tests are the real questions. You can get your license simply by grinding through the practice tests until you've memorized enough correct answers to pass most of the time. It sounds like cheating, but you do learn quite a lot in the process.

I recommend getting the book, reading most of it, then start on the practice tests. When you hit a question you don't know, look up and understand the answer. When you are passing most of the time, go take the test.

Most important is to learn the rules and operating procedures so you stay out of trouble and don't annoy people. Everything else can come with time and experience.

BTW, be careful which ARRL study guide you get. The FCC changed the question pool in 2014 so older books don't have the current questions. The book in my link above is the new one which is good until 2018.
 
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FreeWillie said:
The programming cable is cheap and the CHIRP software is free. There are web pages devoted to that radio and programming it. Google is your friend.

Don't transmit until licensed.

Sent from the depths of Hell using TapaTalk
Click to expand...
Exactly right.

Go here to find a test location near you http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session .

Ton's of places to study online.

CHIRP makes it real easy to program. I have one of those radios and they are really good and tons of cheap accessories for them.
 
I have a Baofeng UV5R and use CHIRP to program it. Pretty simple radio once you read up on it, the factory manual sucks but I found a good manual someone wrote for it online (Sorry, I don't have the link). I have been taking the practice tests on QRZ.com and will be testing in Brookline on Jan 13.
 
take a class, its easy.
get a programming cable and download the chirp software.
chirp will allow you to look up and download any frequencies in your area.
once its programmed, the baofengs are pretty easy to use.
ive got at least 5 of them.

KK6OVD
 
Picked one up myself a month or so back. Figured it was fairly cost effective and probably good to have in a SHTF scenario. Loaded the software but have yet to be able to hook into a repeater yet. Got frustrated with it and set it aside for a bit. Someone from NES could make a good chunk of change offering a basics class with these units. (Hint,hint!!!)
 
IN. Me too.

I have no idea what im doing. I have the local PD programmed in and some repeaters but I don't even know what to do with them.

I'm Just studying the HAM book for the test and i'll go from there.



Rockrivr1 said:
Picked one up myself a month or so back. Figured it was fairly cost effective and probably good to have in a SHTF scenario. Loaded the software but have yet to be able to hook into a repeater yet. Got frustrated with it and set it aside for a bit. Someone from NES could make a good chunk of change offering a basics class with these units. (Hint,hint!!!)
Click to expand...
 
Rockrivr1 said:
Picked one up myself a month or so back. Figured it was fairly cost effective and probably good to have in a SHTF scenario. Loaded the software but have yet to be able to hook into a repeater yet. Got frustrated with it and set it aside for a bit. Someone from NES could make a good chunk of change offering a basics class with these units. (Hint,hint!!!)
Click to expand...
not sure where you are but most likely you should be able to hit the paxton repeater. If you are trying to program it by hand you need to go in a second time to put in the offset freq. This is not needed with the software. i am not an expert on this radio but i can probably help you if needed. have you successfully gotten teh chirp software to connect to your radio. If so i can send you my chirp file
 
Chet0729 said:
What have you tried to program. Do you have a cable?
Click to expand...

Yea, I have the cable and the software, tried the local Police and the local repeater. I may just be in a bad reception area too, but I've been chalking it up to my ignorance. I have to have an internal antenna to get cell phone reception from Sprint.
 
SteelShooter said:
Yea, I have the cable and the software, tried the local Police and the local repeater. I may just be in a bad reception area too, but I've been chalking it up to my ignorance. I have to have an internal antenna to get cell phone reception from Sprint.
Click to expand...
Where are you located?
 
I have the cable. Thing sucks ballz. I have to jam the damn thing in to the radio like its my business. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. Make sure you have the volume all the way up when programming. that's the only thing I figured out.
 
Better instructions for the Baofung: http://miklor.com/UVB5/
NE Repeater Frequencies: http://www.nerepeaters.com/
CHIRP Software: http://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Home
ARRL Online Exams: http://arrlexamreview.appspot.com/index.html

Programming the radio for a repeater or two manually with the above instructions is not so bad. Also, just because you don't hear anything, it doesn't mean you did it wrong. People are not on all day long. I started with a Baofung. I could not pick up anything but static inside the house. It was clear enough outside.

Code: 
FREQ      OFS   ST    CITY       CALL      MODE    CODE     COUNTY 
146.970    -    MA    Paxton     W1BIM     114.8   114.8    Worcester

As stated above, you CANNOT transmit until you get a license. I found the ARRL site linked above a great aid.

When you get your radio programmed, listen in to George's Old Timers Net on the Paxton repeater; daily @7:30pm. It's a good (not always perfect) way to learn some operating procedure.
 
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A1850 said:
I have the cable. Thing sucks ballz. I have to jam the damn thing in to the radio like its my business. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. Make sure you have the volume all the way up when programming. that's the only thing I figured out.
Click to expand...

I wound up trimming the rubber a bit with a razor blade to make it easier. Also, not all cables are alike. I went through three before I found one that worked. The cheapest ones had counterfeit FTDI chips.
 
I have literally no idea what i am doing. i put the radio on the BPD frequency 460.350 and i dont hear anything. I got the local pd up relatively easy.
 
A1850 said:
I have literally no idea what i am doing. i put the radio on the BPD frequency 460.350 and i dont hear anything. I got the local pd up relatively easy.
Click to expand...

I am wondering if you have the wrong PL tone set. Make sure you have either correct PL tone set or you set the PL type to "None"
 
A1850 said:
I have literally no idea what i am doing. i put the radio on the BPD frequency 460.350 and i dont hear anything. I got the local pd up relatively easy.
Click to expand...

This is listed as their events frequency. May not be in use except for special events. If you look at radio reference there are a lot of different frequencies for Boston. I would try one of the area specific ones. I dont scan Boston so I dont know which are most active.
here is a link to a chart I found http://www.scanboston.com/boston.htm.
 

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