Steps for programing in a Repeater on the Baofengtech BTECH UV-5X3 Ham Radio Tri-band Transceiver
Contributors: Martin Brossman, KI4CFS (http://KI4CFS.com/ ) and Jim Unroe KC9HI (http://www.miklor.com/) .
Note: This radio will let you set an “offset” in “Frequency Mode” or VFO mode but it does not let you save in memory. To save a repeater in the memory you need to first save the receive frequency, the frequency that the repeater transmits on. Then we save the frequency that the repeater receives on (including a Tone if required). For example, if your local repeater is 146.640 with no tone. The offset for that repeater is -600 (600KHz or .6MHz). Then the second number you will save in memory is 146.040 (146.640 – .600).
If you want to put in a simplex frequency, like 146.520 then you would save it once for “Receiving” Memory.
Steps for saving a repeater in the BTECH UV-5VX3
Let’s say you want to access a 220 repeater. One in my area is 224.160 with an offset of -1.6 Mhz and a tone of 91.5 Hz.
1st you need to calculate the Transmit frequency and that would be 224.160 – 1.6 = 222.560. This means I want my BTECH UV-5X3 to transmit on 222.560 (sending out a “sub-audible” tone of 91.5) and receive on 224.160.
You can only add a channel to a memory location that is empty.
We need to be in “Frequency Mode” or VFO by pressing the orange button (it toggles between “Frequency Mode” and “Channel Mode” or MR)
You need to have the little up triangle on the top line. Press the blue button “A/B” and notice how the little upward-pointing triangle to the left of the number point. It needs to be on the top line before you put in the frequency.
Next use the keypad to enter the frequency of the “Repeater”, the receiving frequency or the transmitting frequency of the Repeater (all the same thing, just different views and ways to say it).
Note: When you press “MENU” if you wait too long before you do something it will pop back to whatever was on the screen before you press “MENU” (timing out). Just press “MENU” and continue.
Press “MENU” and type in 27 or use the up and down arrow till you see “MEN-CH”. Then press again “MENU” to jump to the lower line with the memory channel (the menu’s edit mode). If you see CH and a number something is saved in that memory channel. You can use the up and down arrows on the keypad to find an empty memory channel.
Once you see the memory channel you want to save the repeater in then press “MENU” again and you should hear “Receiving” Memory. Now the frequency to “listen” is saved.
Next press “EXIT” for exit and in the “Frequency Mode” or VFO mode enter the transmit frequency (In our example that would be 222.560). Note: If you are math-challenged you can set MENU 25 (SFT-D) to “-” and MENU 26 (OFFSET) to 001.600 and tap the [*] key to put the radio into “reverse” mode to display the TX frequency (an “R” will appear in the upper-status display area).
If the Repeater requires a tone follow the next step and if not skip it.
Next, you will enter the “tone” to transmit along with the transmit frequency by selecting “MENU” and go to “MENU” 13 (T-CTCS) by entering 13 on the keypad or using the up and down arrows to get to 13. Click “MENU” a second time and it will jump down to the line to select the transmit sub-audible tone. If you have not added this before you will see the word “OFF”. Press the up or down arrows on the keypad till you see the tone required by the repeater or jump directly to it by keying it in. In our example that would be 91.5. Then click “MENU” again to set the tone and “EXIT”.
You will be saving the transmit frequency in the same memory location next. Press “MENU” enter the number 27 and press “MENU” again. Make sure it is still on the same memory location and press “MENU” again. You should hear “Transmitting Memory” and it is set. Press “EXIT” to exit. If you used “reverse” mode to set the TX frequency, don’t forget to tap the [*] key to exit “reverse” mode (the “R” will go away).
Toggle the orange “VFO/MR” button to “Channel Mode” or MR. Use the up and down arrows or key in the 3-digit channel number to get to the memory location you just saved the repeater on and click to talk. Of course call out your call sign when you test it. If you are in range the repeater should open and you will hear a response. See this video of a similar radeo https://youtu.be/CrG0El1KkIM
Q&A
How do I save a frequency that I just want to monitor and not transmit to?
If you want to just listen to a frequency and not broadcast on it, here is a trick that will minimize the risk of broadcasting on a channel by mistake that would cause a big program.
you wanted to manually program a channel to monitor a frequency and make sure you were not able to transmit on that frequency, this would be your only option.
For this exercise, we are wanting to monitor 162.450 MHz (one of the NOAA weather radio frequencies in the USA). We have already switched the radio to VFO mode, selected the top display line, erased memory 004, set STEP to 2.5 K and set TXP to LOW.
key in 162450 [NOAA WX Radio frequency] store to memory 004 using menu 27 key in 462713 (will automatically round down to 462.7125) [GMRS ch 7] store to memory 004 using menu 27
Now you can monitor the NOAA WX Radio on channel 4 and if you accidentally press the PTT button, the transmission would be on GMRS channel 7. Not strictly legal, but a much better option than transmitting on 162.450 MHz. If you are a ham, you can set TX to any frequency in the 2 meters, 70 centimeters or 1.25 meter (if available) bands where FM transmissions are permitted and won’t cause interference.
How do I save in memory a simple simplex frequency like 146.540?
There is no need to save twice. Please try this to see for yourself. Program a memory. As soon as you complete the step where the radio says “receiving memory”, stop. Switch to MR (channel) mode, select the channel that was programmed and press the PTT button. It will transmit because it is already a simplex channel. The second write for a repeater (or odd-split or cross-band) channel is just converting a simplex channel to a duplex channel.
How do I delete something from memory?
Press “MENU” once, then enter the number 28 on the keypad or use the up and down arrows till you get to 28 and see “DEL-CH”. Next press “MENU” a second time and notice the little up arrow (or triangle) on the goes down a line and become a down-facing arrow (or triangle). You will hear “Delete Channel”. Use the up or down arrows to select the memory location you want to delete. Memory locations that have something stored in them look like this: “CH-127” and memory channels that don’t have anything stored in them look like this: ” 127”. When you find the memory channel you want to delete press “MENU” again and you will hear the word “Confirmed”. You can then exit “MENU” by pressing EXIT”. If you do not move fast enough it will leave the “MENU” mode and you will have to press “MENU” again. If you want to leave without deleting press “EXIT”
How do I adjust the squelch?
Select “MENU”, then press 0 and you will see “SQL” with a number under it. Press “MENU” a second time and the little triangle or up-arrow on the top line will jump to the bottom line and you can use the up and down arrows on the keypad to change the number or just enter the number. In most cases, a level of 1 or 2 will work. Last press “MENU” again and you will hear it say “Confirm” . You can then click “EXIT” to leave the menu.
Also, check out these resources:
Programming Your Baofeng UV-5R Radio
http://www.iwillprepare.com/files/pdf/baofeng_%20uv5r_manual_programming_guide.pdf
UV-5X3 Tri-Band Handheld VHF / UHF / 222-225 MHz http://www.miklor.com/BT5X3/
Facebook BTECH UV-5X3 and UV-25X4 (Baofeng Tech)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/uv5x3/
My Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/KI4CFS/
Good job Martin!
Thanks!