UV-3R
FAQ
An amazing user community collaboration project.
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 1
QUICK TROUBLESHOOTING
GENERAL
What is the Baofeng UV-3R?
What is the Baofeng UV-3R Mark II and UV-X4?
How much does the UV-3R cost?
Where can I buy the UV-3R and accessories?
What warranty is offered?
How long does it take to get it (from Hong Kong)?
What is in the UV-3R box?
What are the differences between the UV-3R Mk.I, UV-3R Mk.II, UV-X4, UV-100 and
UV-200?
Are there clones/similar devices?
12 vs 18 vs 19 menu settings
How do I reset the radio to factory settings?
Is there a display protective film?
Are the coloured cases painted or mass-coloured within the plastic?
Is there a replacement type for the battery?
How long does it take to charge the battery?
Battery care and charging
ANTENNA
What is the antenna connector type?
Which dual-band antenna can I buy?
Is the SRH805 antenna any good?
MEMORIES
How do I manually program memories?
How does the programming software work?
Programming does not work. Help!
Microsoft Windows 7 and stock programming cable
Can I use the programming software without the radio?
Software Install - Mark II Upgrade
How do I delete a memory channel?
How do I skip memories during scanning?
Does Dual-Watch work during scanning?
How do I set alphanumeric tags to memories?
How do I get 99 memories?
Can I operate on AMSAT/LEO satellites?
Can I operate cross-band?
Can I copy a memory to VFO?
Can I build my own programming cable?
Where can I get programming software?
Programming cable troubles
What is the difference between UV-3R software and Chirp?
Why doesn’t Chirp or Boefeng software always keep my settings?
How do I program when using a MAC?
How do I program when using Linux?
FEATURES
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 2
How does the LED torch work?
What is the transmit frequency range?
What is wide/narrow setting?
What does RelayM do?
What does the Save function do?
How can I do “reverse” on a repeater?
How do I generate DTMF tones?
How do I set frequency scan limits?
Squelch Settings
Can I use the UV-3R while the charger is connected?
Can I use the programming cable to remote control UV-3R?
Can I update the firmware with the programming cable?
Can I use Yaesu programming cables?
FM radio reception gets interrupted with VHF/UHF signal
TIPS&TRICKS
KNOWN PROBLEMS (and fixes), MODS and the DATABASE
The Usual Disclaimer
The UV-3R Forum Database
Low power on VHF “low” setting
How to increase output power?
How to disassemble UV-3R?
VHF second harmonic
Loud volume and 1750Hz access tone
TX lock on VHF using the supplied earpiece.
On my UV-3R Mk.II I cannot change the UHF step-size
My VHF/UHF receiver does not work.
My VHF/UHF transmitter does not work
What is the strong signal on 156 MHz?
The FM radio does not work
How to extend frequency range?
Is there a software maintenance mode?
My UV-3R just completely reset itself. Why?
Is it possible to change radio calibration settings with the provided software?
Help! Display shows DDD.D25!
What is the DC plug/connector size?
Technical Documentation
LICENSING ISSUES
Does use of these radios require a license?
Is it legal to use these radios without a ham license if I never transmit?
Can I use it as a FRS/GMRS radio?
What about search and rescue operations?
Can I carry one of these HTs for emergency use in the bush or in my bug out bag?
FCC Certification
Can I use this radio on PMR446 (European equivalent of FRS)?
FAQ History
CONTRIBUTORS
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 3
QUICK TROUBLESHOOTING
Problem Quick solution In the FAQ?
Programming software does
not connect to the radio
TX lock on VHF It is a known problem when using high
Too low power on VHF low This is a known issue, not a fault. On-going
How do I stop the siren/
alarm?
VHF second harmonics? All UV-3R Mk.Is and early Mk.IIs emanate
Push the cable harder into the radio
Check the proper COM port has been
selected (COM5 seems to work)
power on VHF with the supplied earpiece
because of RF getting into the earpiece lead.
Winding the lead through a ferrite core stops
this.
forum discussion suggests that changing
one of the VHF PA coils solves the problem.
Press the PTT.
a high second harmonic when transmitting
within the VHF HAM band. See further down
in the FAQ for solutions.
Yes
Yes
Yes
GENERAL
What is the Baofeng UV-3R?
The Baofeng UV-3R is a compact
as many of the public service bands. It uses a unique pair of microprocessor - one for the radio
itself, and the other as a control computer: this makes it an SDR (Software Defined Radio).
Further, being a low power unit (2 watts, more or less), it is able to use commonly available
lithium ion batteries, such as are found in digital cameras. As a consequence it is very compact,
easily fitting in a shirt or pants pocket.
The transceiver is fully functional with CTCSS and DCS codes, offset, and shift settings for use
to access repeaters. With the programming cable and software, it is possible to set the “splits”
(*)
transceiver for the VHF and UHF amateur bands, as well
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 4
for use with amateur FM satellites.
Further, the transceiver contains a listen-only FM receiver for the FM broadcast band on a
dedicated chip.
(*) The transceiver is 47x81x23 mm, and weights about 120g (radio with battery and antenna).
That’s about the same size as a standard 20 cigarette pack, which non-smokers should also be
familiar with.
What is the Baofeng UV-3R Mark II and UV-X4?
The UV-3R Mark II is a second release of “R” that appeared at the beginning of September
2011. The UV-X4 is the same as the UV-3R Mark II except for the shape of the buttons. The
most obvious difference between these and the UV-3R MarkI is a dual-frequency display and
that it comes with a dual-band antenna, for about 5 USD more.
On September 20 2011, a first user review was published. See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
UV-3R/message/2095 and subsequent messages in the thread.
Also a word of caution if using the programming cable: data format has changed from UV-3R
MarkI to UV-3R MarkII. A new version of the programming software has been released, so
make sure you are using the latest available program!
How much does the UV-3R cost?
As of September 2011 the radio comes shipped from Hong Kong for 45 USD. Local/national
sources may be selling it too, at a higher price but with added customer protection measures
and/or accessories (read below).
Where can I buy the UV-3R and accessories?
At the time being, there are several sources, the cheapest being the known auction website.
As of September 2011 the radio comes shipped from Hong Kong for 45 USD. There are
combined packages with a dual-band antenna, a car charger, a second battery, USB
programming cable … which cost a little bit more but will save you on future shipping costs.
Orders from Hong Kong can be shipped with DHL or other express courier, which means the
box hits your door in a few days, at the costs of few more bucks.
In many countries local HAM radio shops are selling the UV-3R as well, usually offering better
warranty options, faster shipping and no customs fees. Check your local/national sources UV3R price and availability.
Also, Ham radio shops are now selling accessories such as a spare battery, the USB
programming cable, and coloured cases to replace a damaged one or for a change of colour!
Google Plastic Shells for Baofeng UV-3R
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 5
You may want to order it with the USB programming cable. The software is a free download.
What warranty is offered?
If buying directly from Hong Kong you should get a repair/replacement upon return of the faulty
item. You have to pay for the shipping cost for returning the faulty item to HK. Check the rules
with the seller before buying!
If the UV-3R has been bought new from a local/national source, check with the seller for his
warranty policy in advance. Warranty rules depend on your country and shop, so it is impossible
to list them here.
How long does it take to get it (from Hong Kong)?
The answer to this question depends on too many factors. If not ordered with an express courier
and the UV-3R is in stock at the HK seller, it will probably leave Far East within a week from
payment. So far they have been shipped as registered letter, so you can track it on Hong Kong
Post website and then on your country’s Post website.
Depending on your country’s customs, the parcel might get stuck there, so the total travel time
can be anywhere between 2 and 6 weeks. Certain countries may expect more delay. All Far
East sellers are well aware of shipping times and usually mention it on their pages.
If you are in a hurry, then pay for express courier delivery (DHL and such). You may group with
local HAMs to split the extra cost. DHL usually does apply VAT and import duties, so consider
taking advantage of a group buy.
What is in the UV-3R box?
You usually get (copied from an auction description):
1 x BAOFENG UV-3R (VHF136-174 / UHF 400-470 MHz Dual Band)
●
1 x 3.7 V Li-ion Battery
●
2 x Antenna (one for VHF and one for UHF), new versions have a dual band antenna
●
1 x Belt Clip
●
1 x English Manual
●
1 x Charger with Cable (with plug for your Country)
●
1 x PTT Earpiece (see note about problem with this with RF pickup)
●
1 x Wrist/neck strap
●
Additional items can be added in case of combined orders (a dual-band antenna, second
battery, USB programming cable, etc. ).
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 6
What are the differences between the UV-3R Mk.I, UV3R Mk.II, UV-X4, UV-100 and UV-200?
The UV-3R Mk.I, UV-100 and UV-200 models are said to be electrically identical, just with a
different exterior look and external port. UV-100 and UV-200 share a compatibility with speakermic (409shop item 41-75B), UV-3R Mk.I and II do not. NOTE: speaker mike claims compatibility
with all three.
The UV-3R Mk.II and UV-X4 are identical except for the shape of the buttons - they both have
a dual display. Early versions of the Mk.II would not allow the VHF and UHF step sizes to be
different. Later versions allow this. Also, later versions have been modified in several ways better 2nd harmonic reduction, reduced minimum volume level on receive, and a USB charger
socket. Please see the database for all the changes according to serial number. The database
is located where the files section is too.
Are there clones/similar devices?
The UV-3R can also be found under brand names other than Baofeng, like Vero, Magiksun, …
12 vs 18 vs 19 menu settings
Early UV-3R Mk.I transceivers had only 12 settings accessible through the keypad menu.
Settings 13-18 could be changed only via the programming software.
Sometime in Spring 2011 UV-3R Mk.Is were produced with new firmware that gives access to
all 18 settings via the onboard menu. In November 2011 the UV-3R Mk.II had 19 menu settings,
the new one holding the Priority channel On/Off setting.
How do I reset the radio to factory settings?
Hold down the VHF/UHF button while powering up the radio.
Is there a display protective film?
Yes, it is there: the display comes with a protective film on it. It has been cut to the exact shape
of the display, so it is hard to notice (and to peel-off on its own).
Are the coloured cases painted or mass-coloured
within the plastic?
All covers except the camo are mass-coloured and not painted. The camouflaged type is a
green shell, overpainted with olive and black paint with gaps between those two to reveal the
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 7
green shell too, which produces a tri-tone camo. After tests the paint was found to be quite
resilient to damage. Thanks to Nuno for the tests and the following photos:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UV-3R/photos/album/297298078/pic/list
Is there a replacement type for the battery?
The battery pack is a standard NP60 type which is used in many digital cameras of Sony, Nikon
and Ricoh. NP60 is available from many spare part dealers but check the indicated capacity
before purchasing. The stock pack has 1550 mAh (18 menu version) capacity. Note that the
Casio NP60 battery is not the same type....
How long does it take to charge the battery?
Allow between four and five hours. The LED on the charger will change from red to green when
the battery is fully charged. You can disconnect the charger before the battery is fully charged
and use the rig without detriment to the battery. However, the first charge must be a full one.
Battery care and charging
There is a charging controller chip inside the radio but if you charge a battery in the base
there is no controller and it then relies solely on the safety chip in the battery. The wall power
adapters with color changing LEDs (green/red) sense current flow and change colors when
the internal battery safety chip shuts down and do not actually have a charge controller. Some
cheap replacement batteries may not have this chip. Some users have installed a MAX1811
charge control IC in the charging base. See the picture section and search the messages for
MAX1811. In Europe maybe it’s cheaper to use MCP73831.
The battery used is a Li-ion type. For longevity of this type of battery it should be recharged
when the battery level has fallen to just one third full i.e. one little bar left in the battery
icon. Li-ion batteries do not like being fully discharged before charging and their lifespan will be
reduced. Also, they do not like being left in a fully charged state in hot conditions. See Battery
University for full details.
ANTENNA
What is the antenna connector type?
The UV-3R mounts a SMA-Female antenna connector, therefore you need to buy SMA-Male
terminated antennas. You may also get BNC(f)-to-SMA(m) adapters to use your existing whips
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 8
or cables. A PL-to-SMA works too, but it might put too much strain on the antenna connector.
Some of the adapters are a tight fit, and it may be necessary to remove a small amount from the
case near the LED with a hobby knife to get firm seating.
Which dual-band antenna can I buy?
Not all SMA-male antennas fit on the UV-3R: if their base is too large it will get stuck against the
LED.
The new ones (Mark II) come with a dual band antenna.
Favorite after-market antennas are the SMA-male Nagoya NA-666 and NA-701 (most popular)
from eBay. Some of the Comet and Diamond (USA) antennas work nicely as well. In the UK
the Watson WHSM270 dual-band antenna has been found to work well. Sold packaged with
the UV-3R is usually the A3SM-UV, which performs like the standard single-band antennas, or
better.
The issue is that some of the aftermarket antennas are fairly bulky, and can put a strain on the
SMA connector. If you plan on connecting your Baofeng UV-3R to an external antenna, use one
of the SMA to UHF or BNC jumper cables.
Some suggested brand models: MFJ-1716S, MFJ-1713S, Diamond SRH815, Diamond
SRH519, Maldol MH-511, Comet SMA503.
Is the SRH805 antenna any good?
The short answer is: NO.
The long answer is that an antenna needs to be long to perform (in the case of UV-3R, close to
a quarter of wave at the operating frequency), and this dual-band antenna is just 4.5cm tall.
Beware of fake SRH805 on eBay. They are even worse but see the picture section for a mod.
MEMORIES
How do I manually program memories?
First, get a list of the repeaters or simplex frequencies you wish to program into the UV-3R. You
will need:
Receive frequency for the repeater.
●
PL tone, if needed. Omit for the simplex frequencies, of course.
●
Offset direction - plus or minus. Zero for simplex.
●
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 9
Shift value for transmit. Usually 600 kHz for 2 meters, 1.6 or 5 MHz for 70 cm.
●
Make sure you are in VFO mode for 2 meters. Display should show NO channel number. In
case, press/hold U/V key long enough to get there -- it will cycle through memory mode, UHF,
VHF.
To set the receive frequency, lift knob and rotate to get desired value. For 1 MHz steps (saves
some time!), press and release function key, then rotate knob by 1 MHz increments. Do that
same sequence again to get back into normal frequency setting mode.
From here on, you need to set some menu items. The sequence for setting menu items is:
Press Menu key.
●
Rotate knob to desired menu item.
●
Press U/V key to select that menu for alteration.
●
Rotate knob to desired value.
●
Press the PTT button to lock in the desired value.
●
All menu items are set up this way.
You may need to set the step value to 5 or 10 kHz, as the default is 12.5 kHz (12.5 kHz is the
standard in IARU Region 1, that is Europe and Africa). There is a menu item for this.
Select the desired PL tone from the TX tone menu. See the above sequence for setting up a
menu selection. No PL tone is required for simplex channels.
Set the transmit offset to 600 kHz, 1.6 or 5 MHz, as appropriate. Check your repeater directory
for non-standard offsets. For 1 MHz steps you can use the Function tip described above.
Set shift to "+", or "-" as appropriate. For simplex, the value is zero.
Now, test your settings. Pressing PTT should bring up your repeater. If not, check you settings.
Just the receive frequency should be enough to hear your repeater. If you have another HT
properly programmed, use that to key up the repeater for testing. I know, "kechunking" the
repeater is bad manners, but....
If all is well, then store your setup in memory. Press F/A button on side, then U/V. Rotate knob
to desired channel (you should have made a list), press U/V again to store the channel.
Repeat for all other channels. If the PL tone, shift, or offset values are the same, you don't need
to change them. This is why a list is useful. Keep a copy of the channel list with your HT, as
there are no channel labels with the Baofeng, such as are found with the Wouxun and other
HTs.
How does the programming software work?
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 10
First, get a list of the repeaters or simplex frequencies you wish to program into the Baofeng. In
addition, you will need:
A programming cable - USB connector on one end, the four-conductor plug on the other
●
end. Yaesu programming cords will not work, as the connections are different.
Programming software for the Baofeng. Download it from various sites. You will also
●
need the driver software for your cable.
You also need the information to enter into the program:
Receive frequency for the repeater.
●
PL tone, if needed. Omit for the simplex frequencies, of course.
●
Offset direction - plus or minus. Zero for simplex.
●
Shift value for transmit. Usually 600 kHz for 2 meters, 1.6 or 5 MHz for 70 cm. You then
●
add or subtract this from the receive frequency, as appropriate. No shift is needed for
simplex channels.
First plug the USB connector into your computer. We are running Windows, of course. Your
computer should detect the connector. If it asks for the driver software, set to the location where
you have downloaded the driver software and install the driver software, as prompted. This will
only need to be done once.
Open up the computer system settings and find out which COM port has been assigned to the
USB connector. Make a note of this. In the future, save yourself some trouble and always plug
the USB connector into the same jack on the computer.
Now, plug the four pin connector into the microphone jack on the Baofeng HT, and turn it on.
Bring up the Baofeng programming software. Set the port drop-down to the value you found
before. Clicking on a previously saved file won’t work. You have to open the file from within the
control program.
Now, you are ready to program your Baofeng. Key in, line at a time, the receive, transmit,
transmit tone (if needed), power (high, usually), and wide/narrow - wide setting. You will not
need the receive tone, unless you have a repeater that uses tone controlled squelch.
The option functions at the top are self-explanatory. The "Priority Channel" is the equivalent of
a "dual watch" on most other HTs. If you want this feature, set that box to the desired channel
number. The time-out-timer (TOT) should be set to something like 120 seconds. The VOX
should be off, unless you like VOX. A squelch level of 2 or 3 usually works well. For LEO
satellites, set this to zero. The frequency range should be set to V+UHF1.
Save the file you have created with a convenient name for future use. The "Device Write" option
writes to your HT. If you already have something stored in your HT, do a "Device Read" and
save this before you do the "Device Write."
It is convenient to have a number of different memory files for such things as locations you
regularly visit, weather channels (NOAA in the USA), LEO satellites, or public service monitoring
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 11
frequencies (if allowed).
When you are done, exit the program and disconnect the cable from the computer and the HT.
Please turn the radio off before inserting or removing the programming cable and save yourself
the possibility of doing some harm to them.
Once basic programming is done with Baofeng software, then the program called CHIRP works
better. The main difference is Chirp does not have basic setup or config options, but is easier to
use since it has copy/paste and multiple setups with tabs as well as importing data from various
sources. Also, Chirp allows just setting the offset, not having to enter the separate transmit
frequency. Even copying a bank of 2 meter and 70 cm freqs from a Chirps supported scanner
works for monitoring, but that does not give the offsets for transmitting to repeaters.
Programming does not work. Help!
[Referred to the manual procedure] Do a radio full reset. Set up PL tone, offset, shift, and power
level. Set frequency. Press and release F/S, a small memory location number flashes, then
VHF/UHF to store in memory. Rotate knob first, if you don’t like the proposed memory channel.
It is easier to use the programming cable and software in the event that you have more than a
few channels to program. In this way, you can have different sets of channels for the areas to
which you travel.
Microsoft Windows 7 and stock programming cable
On 26 January 2012, Lee KM4YY writes:
'Neither of my Win7 machines were able to talk to the Prolific chip set programming cable. Both
Chirp and the Baofeng software reported "Unable to talk to Radio'. When I examined the I/O
ports using “Start Orb-Control Panel-System-Device Manager-I/O" the entry under the Prolific
driver indicated a "This device cannot start (Code 10)" error. It seems as if bad Windows7
drivers have been distributed with the Baofeng software.
I finally was able to download some drivers that work under W7 to interface the Prolific chipset
cable to Win7 32 bit Ultimate machine and my 64 bit W7 laptop. The Chirp program and the UVX4 program have worked flawlessly ever since.
The correct W7 drivers are contained in the "USB Drivers for Win7.zip" in the Files section of
the UV=3R Yahoo group. Included within this upload is a PDF file describing explicit step-bystep installation procedures.'
Can I use the programming software without the
radio?
UV-3R FAQ v. 2012-01-27 Page 12
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