[TenTec] OT: Programming Cheap Chinese Handhelds

Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP Rick at DJ0IP.de
Mon Sep 8 00:52:17 EDT 2014


James,

I know you guys are all genius, the rest of us are normal.

My method enables copy and paste and sharing one single file between 15
different brands of radios.

The main problem most people have (and don't even realize) is exactly what I
had.
We ordered what we "thought" to be a good cable and received a cheap Chinese
clone without any driver.
Even though I finally managed to find a driver that recognized the cable,
the software packages still couldn't find the radio.  "Radio not found" and
"no connection to radio", etc.

The biggest problem is just getting the radio to mate with the computer -
which is almost always a cable problem.
Once you have that solved that problem, programming is a piece of cake.

The easy solution is to buy your cable either with a Baofeng or Wouxon label
on it.
That way you get a good cable with a matching driver.
Perhaps this should be common sense but I didn't realize there were clones
being sold as originals.

>From your description, you must be using your manufacturer's own programming
software.
This works but is not a very good idea.  They store their channel files in a
proprietary format.

It is much better to use a 3rd party programming software such as "Chirp" or
"KG-UV Commander".
With these, your file is stored in as a CSV file, which can be viewed and
easily modified in Excel.
AND, MORE IMPORTANT, one single file can be used to program 15 different
makes of radios; everything from Alinco to Yaesu, be it Japanese or Chinese
- whatever. 

Tip: when creating channel files, work in the CSV file, not directly in the
programming file.  This enables using cut and paste and formulas like
"=B1+012500" and then copying that into B2, B3, B4, etc.  This enables you
to enter 30 or 40 repeater frequencies with 12.5 kHz steps within about 30
seconds.  Saves an hour of typing and reduces the chance of mistakes.
Voila! 

What you call "a lot of fuss over nothing" is a nightmare to many and a
necessity for me.

I took the time to make screen shots and enter them onto my web site so that
visitors to my web won't be emailing me for programming support. Remember, I
get over 2000 visitors per day to my web site and when I cover a topic but
do not cover it thoroughly, I sometimes get a slew of emails with questions.
I answer all emails.  So that fuss saves me time. 

73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt am Main)


-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Richards
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2014 5:51 AM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] OT: Programming Cheap Chinese Handhelds

Golly... seems like a lot of fuss over nothing much.
My friends and I all have these little HTs, and we had no problems setting
up about 100 channels using the included programming software.

I guess it  just went easier for us.   We maintain a 17 site
repeater system, so we had LOTS of channels to program
for all the various link frequencies.   It seemed pretty easy
using Quansheng,  Wouxon, and  Baofeng radios.

Our only hitch was you cannot share programming files between brands, and
there was no copy-paste function (at least at the time we did it)  that
would allow us to clone one list for one brand to another.  But other than
having to type the list again, no issues or hold ups here.

Just MY take, anyway.

--------------------  K8JHR -----------------------------


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