Baofeng UV-5R Repeater

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References

Beofeng UV-5R Instructions

How to change Transmit Power

  • The Baofeng UV-5R has both Low-Power and High-Power transmit mode.
  • For short range communication and testing it is better to set to Low-Power Mode.
  • Low-Power is 1 Watt and High-Power is 4 Watts
  • To alter power settings press Menu 2 and press Menu again to enter Edit Mode
  • Use the up and down arrow keys to toggle between Low-Power and High-Power mode.
  • Press Menu to commit changes.
  • Press Exit to exit the Menu.
  • When in Low-Power Mode a L character will appear in the main display.

Setting Squelch

  • A high Squelch setting only allows strong radio signals to be received by the radio.
  • A low Squelch allows strong and weak signals to be received.
  • The default Squelch setting on the Baofeng UV-5R is 3. This will allow most signals to be received.
  • To change the Squelsh setting press Menu 0. Press Manu again to enter Edit Mode.
  • Use the up and down arrow keys to change the Squelsh setting.
  • The Squelch setting range from 0 to 9.
  • Press Menu again to commit changes.

Locking the Keypad

  • Press and hold the Lock key at the bottom right of the keypad.
  • To unlock, press and hold the same key.
  • The Baofeng UV-5R will voice the current lock status.

Best Repeaters for Tech School

  • RHF - Melbourne East, Olinda
  • RSE - Melbourne East, Glen Waverley
  • RMS - Sassafras, Olinda
  • RMN - Kinglake Central, Kinglake

VK3RHF - Melbourne North West, Mt Macedon

  • Receive frequency 438.875
  • Transmit frequency 431.875
  • 70cm
  • FM
  • Offset frequency -7.0 MHz
  • Repeater tone 88.5 Hz
  • 53.3 km North West

How to Manually Program Repeater Stations on BaoFeng UV-5R

Mode

  • Baofeng has two modes of operation
    • VFO or Frequency Mode - VFO button
    • Channel Mode - MR (Memory) button
  • To do all the programming for a Repeater Station we need to be in VFO mode.

Top Line

  • Do all programming in the Top Line indicated by the Triangle symbool
  • Press the A/B key to change between top and bottom lines.

Turn TDR Off

  • Click on the Menu button.
  • Scroll using up and down arrow keys to TDR - Menu 7.
  • Ensure TDR is set to OFF
  • Press EXIT button to exit Menu.
  • TDR is a Dual Watch function that allows you to listen to two frequencies at the same time. When this function is activated, you can receive the frequency of channel A and channel B at the same time. If a signal is detected, the ▼/▲ pointer will blink on the corresponding channel or frequency. Note: In Dual Watch operation mode, you can change the parameter of AB channel or frequency freely.

Memory Channel Clear

  • CLick on Menu and scroll to MEM-CH - Memory Channel.
  • You can navigate using Menu 27
  • Make sure the memory channel you are saving to is clear.
  • If there is any existing information you will need to delete it first.

Delete Memory Channel

  • Click on Menu.
  • Scroll to DEL-CH or Menu 28.
  • Press Menu to enter edit mode.
  • Use arrows to select channel to be deleted.
  • Press Menu to delete selection.

Changing Bands

  • Press the BAND button to change between VHF and UHF modes.

Enter Receive Frequency

  • Type in receive frequency.
  • No decimal place required.

Set Offset

  • CLick on Menu
  • Scroll to find OFFSET or enter menu option 26
  • Enter offset frequency using keypad.
  • Once entered press Menu to commit changes.
  • Then press EXIT to exit menu.

Set Direction of Offset

  • Offset direction (for Transmission) can be higher or lower than Receive frequency.
  • Click on Menu and scroll to SFT-D (Frequency Shift - Menu option 25.
  • Options are + or - or OFF
  • Make selection.
  • Press Menu to commit changes
  • Press EXIT to exit Menu.

Set Tone to Open Repeater

  • A Tone opens the repeater. In the context of amateur radio repeaters, the term "tone" usually refers to a CTCSS (Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System) or PL (Private Line) tone. CTCSS is a method for providing selective access to repeaters and reducing interference. Most repeaters require a Tone input during transmission.
  • Click on Menu.
  • Select T-CTCS or Menu item 13
  • Press Menu to edit
  • Use the scroll button to select different tones.
  • Press Menu to commit changes.
  • Press EXIT to exit menu.

Check Transmission and Receive Frequencies

  • Note - this is a live transmission test. Follow all regulation requirements.
  • Press the PTT button to transmit.
  • Note the display changes for Receive and Transmit frequencies.
  • In the case of a repeater - you should also get a response from the repeater.

Save the Receive Frequency to a Memory Channel

  • Press the Menu button and select MEM-CH which is selection 27.
  • Press Menu to enter Edit mode.
  • Use the Scroll buttons to select a Free Memory Channel.
  • Then press Menu to commit change.
  • Press EXIT to exit.

Reverse Mode =

  • Press the * SCN button to toggle in and out of Reverse Mode.
  • By selecting Reverse Mode on a transceiver you then listen to the repeater input frequency instead of its output. In this manner you can get the weak transmitter's true signal strength and quality, not what the repeater re-transmits.
  • We will use Reverse Mode to program a Memory Channel for our Repeater station.

Save the Transmit Frequency and Offset

  • Press the * SCN button.
  • An R will appear in the display. The Offset information will also be displayed (+ or - symbol) and the Tone information (CT symbol).

Naming Channels using CHIRP


CHIRP Programming a Baofeng UV-5F using a Raspberry Pi

Installation Instructions

How to Program frequency channels for the Beofeng UV-5R from keypad

References

Channel and Frequency Modes

  • Press the VFO/MR Button and select Frequency Mode

CALL button

  • Press the Call button to toggle between FM Radio and normal radio mode.

PTT - Push To Talk

  • Press the PTT button to transmit.
  • Follow all regulations when transmitting.

Selecting A or B Channel

  • The Baofeng UV-5D can listen to two radio channels simultaneously Channels A and B.
  • However when a signal comes in you can only listen to one of the channels.
  • If there are two incoming signals, channel A will have priority.
  • To change channels press the A/B button to toggle between the two.
  • Press the A/B button and choose the A side - only the A frequency displace is saved in memory.
  • A side must be used program channels in the radio. We'll get to this later.
  • The display settings for channels A and B can be changed in Menu 21 and Menu 22, respectively.

Set Band

  • Choose Band button to choose the correct frequency for radio.
  • We need to select the 144.00 - 148.00 band (2m band)

BaoFeng UV-5R Setting Frequency

  • There are several ways to set the frequency.
  • Select channel A or B. An arrow will identify which channel is selected (top or bottom)
  • Then select the Band.
  • Option 1 - Use up or down arrows to change the frequency.
  • Option 2 - Enter the frequency directly from the keypad.
  • Option 3 - Use the Scan function.

Setting Frequency

Entering a 5 or 7 digital Frequency

  • Five digit frequency - add a zero at the end.
  • For 7 digit frequencies - you may need to adjust the Step of frequency changes.
    • Select Menu 1 - STEP
    • Change the Step to 2.5K
    • Press Menu to commit change.
    • Then enter the desired 7 digital frequency - for example 146.24625

How To Enter 7-Digit Frequencies On A Baofeng UV-5R - Entering Long & Short UV-5R Frequency Numbers

Disable TDR

  • Disable TDR by pressing Menu and the number 7 - (Menu 7).
  • TDR is used to monitor two frequencies (or channels) but only transmit on one of them.

Enter Receive Frequency - Downlink Frequency

  • Enter the frequency required for reception.
  • For example Kinglake Central, Australia - VK3RMN the Downlink Frequency is 146.850

Enter the Transmit Frequency - Uplink Frequency

  • Communication with the repeater uses two separate frequencies to minimise interference.
  • The Uplink frequency is slightly different from the Downlink Frequency.
  • This is called the Offset
  • For VK3RMN the Offset is -0.6 MHz
  • This means that the Transmit (Uplink) frequency is Lower than the Receive (Downlink) Frequency.
  • To set the Offset enter Menu 26. Press Menu again to enter Edit Mode.
  • Set the Frequency Offset using the keypad.
  • For example a 0.6 MHz offset would be entered as 000.600

Set the Offset Frequency Direction - SFT-D

  • The Offset Freqency direction can be Positive or Negative.
  • To set the direction enter Menu 25. Press Menu again to enter Edit Mode.
  • Use the up and down arrow keys to select from - minus, + positive or Off
  • For Repeater VK3RMN set direction to Negative
  • Press Menu to commit changes.

Transmit CTCS System Setting - Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System

  • Enter Transmit CTCS code (T-CTCS) using Menu 13. Press Menu again to enter Edit Mode.
  • Press Menu and use the up and down arrow keys to select the correct tone frequency for the repeater.
  • In this case the Uplink Tone is 91.5 Hz. This tone is sub-audible. Humans can't hear this tone, but the repeater electronics can.

Disable T-DCS

  • For T-DCS press Menu 12. Press Menu again to enter Edit mode.
  • T-DCS is Digital Coded Squelsh. This feature will be left in the default OFF setting.

Save to Channel

  • Press Menu 27. Press Menu again to enter Edit Mode.
  • Enter the desired channel number. There are 128 channels available.
  • Press Menu to commit the change to memory.

Configuration settings required for an Amateur Radio Duplex Repeater

In amateur radio, a duplex repeater is a specialized radio station used to extend the communication range of handheld or mobile transceivers. It operates in a mode known as "duplex" or "semi-duplex" and plays a crucial role in enabling long-distance communications, particularly for operators using low-power handheld radios.

Here's how a duplex repeater works:

  • Repeater Setup: A duplex repeater consists of two radios connected together. One radio is used as the receiver, and the other as the transmitter. These radios are often connected to high-gain antennas and are usually located at an elevated site, such as a hill or a tall tower. This elevated location provides better coverage and line-of-sight to a wider area.
  • Input and Output Frequencies: The repeater has two operating frequencies: the input frequency and the output frequency. The input frequency is the one on which it listens to signals from users. The output frequency is the one on which it retransmits those signals to reach a wider audience.
  • Repeater Offset: To avoid interference between the input and output frequencies, a frequency offset is used. The offset specifies how much the input frequency differs from the output frequency. For example, if the repeater has a negative offset of -0.6 MHz, it means the input frequency is 0.6 MHz lower than the output frequency.
  • Squelch and CTCSS/DCS: The repeater employs a squelch system to filter out weak or noisy signals. It also often uses CTCSS (Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System) or DCS (Digital Coded Squelch) tones to ensure that it responds only to signals that have the correct tone configured. This helps prevent interference from unwanted transmissions.

Here's how a typical communication session with a duplex repeater works:

  • You transmit on your handheld or mobile radio on the input frequency (e.g., 146.250 MHz).
  • The repeater receives your signal, processes it, and retransmits it on the output frequency (e.g., 146.850 MHz).
  • Other users within the repeater's coverage area, who are also tuned to the output frequency, can hear your transmission.
  • Duplex repeaters are widely used in amateur radio because they extend the range of communication, especially when operating on lower-powered portable radios with limited range.
  • They are commonly found on VHF (Very High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency) bands and play a crucial role in emergency communications, community networks, and everyday ham radio communication.

Configuration settings required for an Amateur Radio Duplex Repeater Kinglake - VK3RMN

Here are some instructions on the setting required to set up for a specific repeater - Kinglake, VIC VK3RMN:

  • Downlink Frequency (Repeater Output): The downlink frequency is the frequency on which the repeater transmits. In this case, it's 146.850 MHz. This is the frequency you would tune your receiver to in order to listen to the repeater's transmissions.
  • Uplink Frequency (Repeater Input): The uplink frequency is the frequency on which you need to transmit in order to access the repeater. In this case, it's 146.250 MHz. When you want to transmit through the repeater, you would set your radio to transmit on this frequency.
  • Offset: The offset specifies how the uplink frequency differs from the downlink frequency. In this case, it's a negative offset of -0.6 MHz. This means that when you transmit on 146.250 MHz (uplink), the repeater will retransmit your signal on 146.850 MHz (downlink), creating a duplex communication link.
  • Uplink Tone (CTCSS Tone): The uplink tone, specified as 91.5, is the CTCSS tone required to access the repeater. When you transmit on the uplink frequency (146.250 MHz), your radio will also transmit a sub-audible tone at 91.5 Hz. The repeater is configured to only respond to incoming signals on its input frequency (146.250 MHz) that have this specific tone. This helps prevent interference from radios not using the correct tone. CTCSS stands for Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System, also known as PL (Private Line) tones or simply "tones" in the context of amateur radio. CTCSS is a method used to selectively open the squelch on a receiver by using a sub-audible tone. It's used to reduce interference and allow multiple users or repeaters on the same frequency to coexist without hearing each other's transmissions.


So, to use this repeater, you would:

  • To receive transmissions from the repeater, simply tune your receiver to the downlink frequency of 146.850 MHz. The repeater's output signal will be there, and it will not contain the CTCSS tone.
  • Enable the CTCSS tone of 91.5 Hz on your radio's transmitter.
  • When you transmit, your radio will transmit both your voice signal and the 91.5 Hz CTCSS tone.
  • The repeater will receive your signal on its input frequency (146.250 MHz). This is the Uplink Frequency and will be programmed in automatically.
  • The repeater will recognize the 91.5 Hz tone, and retransmit your signal on its output frequency (146.850 MHz). This is the Downlink Frequency.
  • This system allows for multiple users to share the same repeater frequency while minimizing interference from other users or unwanted signals.

Other Repeaters around Melbourne

Scanning Radio Frequencies

  • Enter Frequency Mode by toggling the VFO/MR button.
  • Enter the frequency you want to start scanning at.
  • Enter 144.000 (MHz) which is the start of the 2m band.
  • Foundation Amateur Licence holders can transmit from 144.00 to 148.00 MHz
  • Then Press and HOLD the * SCAN button to start the scan.

Search scan video Scanner Resume method

Scanning Increments

  • Scanning increments are set in Menu 1
  • By default they are set to 25.0K Hz
  • The increment can be set to 5.0K Hz

Adjusting Squelch

  • A low Squelch setting may mean that the radio scanning stops too frequently.
  • The squelch can be adjusted during scanning operations to as high as 7-9.
  • To adjust the squelch enter Menu 0. Press Menu again to enter Edit Mode.
  • Use the arrow keys to change the squelch setting.
  • Commit changes by pressing the Menu button.

Stopping and Starting the Scan

  • Then Press and HOLD the * SCAN button to start the scan

Scanning Backwards

  • If you miss something during the scan press on the down arrow the reverse the scan.

Controlling radio responses to Signal Detection

  • You can control what the radio does when a signal is detected.
  • Press Menu 18 - to edit the Scan Resume setting
    • TO - Time Out - Radio stops for a few seconds then continues on.
    • CO - Carrier Operation - Scan will stop at the frequency until the transmission ends.
    • SE - Search - Radio stops while there is detected activity (e.g. a carrier signal)
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