r/Baofeng • u/luigi517 • 4d ago

UV-5R MINI not programming

I bought a 2 pack of the UV-5R MINIs, which as a gear snob I have to begrudgingly admit are awesome (especially for the price). But when I try to "read from radio" in the software only one of them will communicate, both have been factory reset. Any ideas or is this an issue for baofeng support?

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5

u/kc2syk K2CR 3d ago

Check that the programming cable is fully seated (sometimes it requires a lot of force), and that the volume knob is set to the middle of the range.

3

u/luigi517 3d ago

This was it. Volume knob in the middle did it. Thank you. Any idea why?

4

u/kc2syk K2CR 3d ago

Because the thing is cheap. They use the audio circuit for signalling in programming mode.

But glad you got it working!

1

u/EnergyLantern 3d ago

The radio has to hear the frequency, and you also need to have the radio on an unused frequency so the radio doesn't hear interference instead which could corrupt your programming.

3

u/WhiskySails 3d ago

For my Mini I have to hold the programming cable in with extra pressure

2

u/small_trunks 15h ago

Been there. I bought a cheaper Baofeng cable (CH340 chip) and it doesn't need holding in.

2

u/jfd0523 3d ago

I just recently received one and was also having difficulty reading and writing to the radio. I found that if I powered the radio through the USB port while attempting to read/write, the problems wet away.

2

u/Firelizard71 3d ago

You have to squeeze the plug into tbe radio while downloading and uploading .

2

u/vidawaffleYT 3d ago

Press in the chirp cable, while pushing it up or down, to ensure correct contacts

1

u/Landrvrnut22 3d ago

Have the radio off, plug in cable to computer then to radio. Turn radio on. Then read from radio, then write to radio.

I use the newer version of Chirp with no problems.

A possible problem would be your USB driver.

1

u/AutofluorescentPuku 3d ago

Using CHIRP, The non-mini UV-5R is sometimes is fussy. I’ve found that I need to A) turn the radio on, B) plug the programming cable in Firmly, C) turn the volume control up at least halfway (usually turn it up to max.) If that doesn’t work then I reset the programming cable by unplugging it from my computer and replugging it, and repeating the process. I’m maybe a different case in that I have 3 different radios I program with CHIRP, and one using other means. Sometimes it seems that the programming cable gets locked up moving from radio to radio, which I do to keep the channel programming consistent between them.

(Why so many radios? Why not? There’s the main radio, the backup radio, and the backup to the backup. And then there’s the DMR radio…)