10 ‐ Radio operation

Basic operation & configuration

Radio display is split into upper VFO and lower VFO. You can change upper/lower selection by pressing F + 2 A/B (or by long press 2 A/B).

Explanation on switching VFO Upper and Lower bij pressing 2 A/B or selected RxMode (Menu 51).

• The main channel is marked ► and with PTT active ►TX
• A receiving channel is marked RX as soon as a signal is received. Other VFO/channel is blocked from RX.
• With DUAL RX RESPOND, the secondary VFO/channel is marked > as temporarily the main channel when something is received there.
• If nothing is received after a timer of 4 seconds (>< on screen), that status will expire.

Each VFO can operate independently of each other function in either frequency or channel mode. To switch modes select the desired VFO and press F + 3 VFO/MR (or long press 3 VFO/MR).

In the frequency mode you enter the frequency manually using the keypad. You can also switch different options for that VFO in the menu (first 13 menu entries). If you setup the VFO, the settings can be saved to a memory channel by going into the menu ChSave and choosing the memory channel the VFO should be saved into.

In the channel mode you can switch between saved memory channels. Memory channels can be added manually as mentioned before or with a computer software. You can use either Quansheng Portable Radio CPS or the recommended open source software called Chirp (This link is to special version of EGZUMER-driver).

Warning >Do not use Quansheng CPS it overwrites custom settings.

Frequency/Memory scanning

Frequency scanning

To start a frequency scan switch the VFO to frequency mode. Set the start frequency. Set the frequency step (menu Step). Start scanning with custom button scan function or by long pressing * Scan button.

Scan frequency Range function (ScnRng)

• switch to frequency mode (at least 1 VFO)
• set upper and lower VFO frequencies to scan range boundaries (One must be VFO other can be memory channel)
• long-press 5, ScnRng label should show up
• start scan with long-press * Scan
• it will scan between given boundaries
• short-press EXIT stops scanning.
• Second EXIT or long-press EXIT, or 2 A/B to exit ScnRng mode

ScnRng function is also supported by spectrum analyzer. If you activated the function just start spectrum analyzer.

Memory-channels scanning

To scan channels saved in the radio memory switch the VFO to Memory mode.

The radio has 2 scanning lists. Each memory-channel can belong to 0, 1 or 2 lists. To add/delete a channel to/from a list switch current VFO to desired channel and go to a menu ScAdd1 or ScAdd2, alternatively you can long press 5 NOAA button, you will see icons I and II toggling on and off on the right side of the channel label.

If you set up the scanning lists you can start scanning by using custom button scan function or by long pressing * Scan button. If you press the function button or long press * Scan while scanning, the scanning list will be switched, you will see corresponding icon on the top left of the screen: 1, 2 or * (star means: All memory channels). Active scanning list can also be changed with menu SList. You can view scan lists and its channels by going to menu: SList1 or SList2.

Common frequency/channel scanning features

You can change the scan direction while scanning with UP/DOWN buttons.

The scan can be stopped with the EXIT button, the search result will be ignored and frequency/channel will return to the one that was set before scan begun. Alternatively you can stop the scan with PTT or MENU button in which case the frequency/channel will be set to the last channel where transmission was found.

Single frequency scanning (frequency copy), DCS/CTCSS scanning

This function will allow you to find out and copy frequency and coding settings. The frequency search will only work for strong signals. The transmitting radio has to be close. To start a frequency copy (FC) function use 4 FC function button. Scanner screen will open. Push and hold a PTT button on the other radio. Wait couple of seconds until frequency and code (if used) appears on the screen. The settings can be saved with the MENU button. The settings will be save either to a channel or the main VFO, depending in which mode you started the scan.

You can also search only the DCS/CTCSS code for a frequency set on the main VFO. Choose desired frequency or channel and press F + * SCAN. The same screen will appear, but the frequency search will be omitted, instead the frequency of the main VFO will be used. Wait for a signal to appear or press the PTT on the other radio. It takes 1-2sec for the code to be found. The save procedure is the same as above.

There is another option of DCS/CTCSS code scanning. Choose desired frequency or a channel. Go to the menu RxDCS or RxCTCS. Enter the menu option and press * SCAN button. A SCAN label will appear. Wait for a radio signal or press the PTT button on the other radio. When code is found the SCAN label will disappear, to save confirm the option with the MENU button. It doesn't matter on which of the two menu items you start the scan. Both DCS and CTCSS will always be found, and the menu entry will be changed to the correct one.

1750 Hz toneburst for repeater access

When the PTT is pressed, the 1750 Hz can be activated by pressing Function-button-II (side key 2, bottom)

DTMF calling (decoding) is removed.

Removed DTMF (egzumer menu 45 - 54).

DTMF decoding will not be supported due to limited space

Sending DTMF-tones from keyboard does work.

TX on all bands

Warning

• This modification is for RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY, to explore the capabilities of the device and chipset. The output stage (TX) of the radio is constructed in such a way that only the range of VHF/UHF frequencies can function properly.

• DO NOT transmit on illegal frequencies. Use a dummy load. The author(s) and contributor(s) of this repository are NOT liable for any damages, lawsuits, or other consequences of misuse of this research firmware and assume no blame whatsoever.

• By installing firmware from this repository, you accept full responsibility for any consequences and waive the right to take legal action against the author(s).

This option does not allow you to transmit in a modulation other than FM (TX), this is a hardware limitation. Switching to AM or SSB only changes the AF (RX) audio output mode of an RF IC. It does not switch the entire IC into AM/SSB mode. This is for listening only (RX). This firmware is built with an additional lock that blocks TX when AM or SSB is enabled.

As an example against using this for actual communications, consider the following chart for transmission power for a transmission at 27.254MHz:

• 27.254MHz -> 228 microwatts
• 54 Mhz -> 2.4 milliwatts
• 81 Mhz -> 230 milliwatts
• 109 Mhz -> 558 milliwatts
• 136 Mhz -> 412 milliwatts
• 163 Mhz -> 122 milliwatts
• 190 Mhz -> 14.8 milliwatts
• 218 Mhz -> 2 milliwatts
• And finally, on 245 Mhz -> 2.6 milliwatts.

CREDITS: https://github.com/Tunas1337/UV-K5-Modded-Firmwares#even-bigger-warning

How to unlock TX on all bands

1. Go to hidden menu
2. Enter menu F-Lock
3. Choose option UNLOCK ALL
4. Repeat steps 2-3 10 times. Do it carefully, if you confirm any other option in the process counter will get zeroed and you will have to repeat that 10 times more.