154 lines
7.0 KiB
Markdown
Executable File
154 lines
7.0 KiB
Markdown
Executable File
## Overview
|
|
|
|
The UV-3R family of radios are dirt cheap 2W handheld transceivers with
|
|
reasonably good stock features especially given the price. They can be
|
|
very easily modified to take advantage of the on board MCU and crappy
|
|
programming of that MCU. The UV-3Rs are software controlled radios (not
|
|
SDRs) the DSP isn't controllable beyond squelch thresholds (afaik) which
|
|
means only when and where to transmit and receive not any changes to
|
|
modulation or demodulation.
|
|
|
|
## Links
|
|
|
|
### General Info
|
|
|
|
- [uv3r.com](http://uv3r.com/)
|
|
- [bricklore UV-3R tagged](http://www.brickolore.com/search/label/UV-3R)
|
|
- [bricklore UV-3R Mark II
|
|
tagged](http://www.brickolore.com/search/label/UV-3R%20Mark%20II)
|
|
- [Lior's
|
|
Work](http://www.liorelazary.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:hacking-the-uv3r&catid=14:baofeng-uv5r&Itemid=17)
|
|
|
|
### Modifications
|
|
|
|
#### Software
|
|
|
|
- [CHIRP](http://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Home) - a free,
|
|
open-source tool for programming your amateur radio. (appears to
|
|
support the UV-3R)
|
|
- [firmware modification
|
|
tool](http://www.radioaficion.com/HamNews/articles/9289-baofeng-uv-3r-220-mhz-soft-mod.html)
|
|
- [manufacturer's software
|
|
tool](http://www.brickolore.com/2011/12/baofeng-uv-3r-software-version-110-uv.html)
|
|
- ["Out of
|
|
range"](http://hamradio.selfip.com/i6ibe/baofeng/frequenze.htm)
|
|
|
|
#### Firmware
|
|
|
|
- [FOSS
|
|
Firmware](http://www.liorelazary.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:hacking-the-uv3r&catid=14:baofeng-uv5r&Itemid=17)
|
|
- pads can be fragile or lift off easily.
|
|
[User:haxwithaxe](User:haxwithaxe "wikilink") recommends using a
|
|
nonsolder based means of connection.
|
|
- code: [on github](https://github.com/lelazary/UV3RMod)
|
|
- feature set beyond stock firmware as of 2013/04/08 noonish [ripped
|
|
from WISHLIST on
|
|
github](https://github.com/lelazary/UV3RMod/blob/master/WISHLIST)
|
|
- Quick interface to program rx freq, tx freq, power and PL code
|
|
very quickly for repeaters. No offset, you just start with the rx
|
|
freq and shift it by whichever amount you want. This will allow
|
|
allow you to turn off the tx, or operate satellites. At any point
|
|
during this mode, you can hold the mem channel and it will ask you
|
|
which number you want to save this to.
|
|
- Memory mode will allow you to go through your saved memory. At any
|
|
point you can press menu and change more details about the
|
|
channel. The details will include power with granular level, DTMF
|
|
TX/RX, and other functions TBD. This mode will show the channel
|
|
name and the freq underneath it.
|
|
- Satellite Mode: Auto tuning of the frequency with response to the
|
|
Doppler shift.
|
|
- (not yet) Digital mode. Hopefully I could add some text base
|
|
digital data for rx and tx. You might need to tx the text using
|
|
morse code since there is no alpha numeric keypad on the radio.
|
|
The digital mode will also include a store and repeat message
|
|
forwarding.
|
|
- (mostly implemented) Computer mode: All the functions of the radio
|
|
including the RDA1846 registers, TX, and RX will be controlled
|
|
through the serial port on the radio.
|
|
- Fox/Hunt mode. Can be used to transmit a signal intermittently
|
|
(like call sign morse code). Or send the RSSI signal into the
|
|
audio, and with a directional antenna you can go hunting.
|
|
- (not yet) Advance mode: Any RDA 1846 register can be set manually
|
|
and saved for during startup.
|
|
- (not yet) If the digital mode works, then RF programming of the
|
|
radio. This will allow anyone to send you repeater information
|
|
from their memory locations. I will work by selecting a memory
|
|
channel to rx, and pressing a button. Then on another radio you
|
|
can send the programming info.
|
|
- (not yet) APRS mode: Boots straight to 144.39 mhz (or whatever you
|
|
set it to), doesn't accept inputs, stays on the set frequency.
|
|
|
|
#### Hardware
|
|
|
|
- [computer interface for
|
|
satelite](http://hamradio.selfip.com/i6ibe/baofeng/baofeng.htm)
|
|
- [DIY programming
|
|
cable](http://uv3r.com/images/uv-3r_programming_ha4bf.jpg)
|
|
- [APRS
|
|
rig](https://sivantoledotech.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/building-an-aprs-tracker/)
|
|
(without foss firmware)
|
|
- fixes:
|
|
- [spurious
|
|
harmonics](http://www.brickolore.com/2011/11/baofeng-uv-3r-second-harmonic-issue.html)
|
|
- [very low, low
|
|
power](http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UV-3R/message/4036)
|
|
|
|
#### Recommended Modifications
|
|
|
|
- fix harmonics (needs links)
|
|
- fixes as needed: speaker volume, [mic
|
|
volume](HAM_HT_Baofeng_UV-3R_Mic-Volume "wikilink"), super-low
|
|
low-power (needs links)
|
|
|
|
## Notes
|
|
|
|
- **DON'T BUY THE PROGRAMMING CABLE** you can use a 3.5mm stereo plug
|
|
and a usb to serial device. (pinouts available
|
|
[here](http://uv3r.com/))
|
|
- If you buy one the only working setup for using the manufacturer's
|
|
programming software found by
|
|
[User:haxwithaxe](User:haxwithaxe "wikilink") has been Windows7 with
|
|
**Vista** drivers for the Prolific serial adapter.
|
|
- others have had success with WINE and in XP but since many of the
|
|
cables have counterfeit controllers they have varying levels of
|
|
functionality with different drivers.
|
|
- [User:haxwithaxe](User:haxwithaxe "wikilink") used a VirtualBox VM
|
|
with usb pass through.
|
|
|
|
### Recommended Accessories
|
|
|
|
- A wide based flush fit BNC (or similarly durable connector) adapter
|
|
(sometimes called an antenna saver) given the short mating cycle "SMA
|
|
connectors are rated for up to 500 mating cycles" [citation via
|
|
Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMA_connector)
|
|
- example: [SMA Male to BNC Female
|
|
Connector](http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/m/mUgb7YRjFqInb9GoQZVkQMw/140.jpg)
|
|
- Also you can replace the adapter much more easily than the SMA
|
|
connection in the radio.
|
|
- You can even apply some threadlock (the light duty stuff) to the
|
|
threaded part and still keep the groundplane continuity because of
|
|
the wide base on the adapter touching the rim of the SMA socket.
|
|
- Get a dedicated antenna for the VHF and UHF (or whichever you will use
|
|
the most). The dedicated antennas will do wonders for performance as
|
|
the stock antenna is really pretty horrible and multiband antennas in
|
|
general can only be so good on any given band they are tuned for
|
|
before the others suffer, so they end up being okay at best on all of
|
|
them. If you followed the above then get a BNC terminated antenna and
|
|
don't worry about adapters for the antennas.
|
|
|
|
## Hardware Versions
|
|
|
|
There are a large number of internally identical radios with very
|
|
nonstandardized names in the UV-3R and UV-5R family.
|
|
|
|
- UV-3R is the first iteration of the UV-3R series it is it's own beast
|
|
for the most part
|
|
- Mostly-clones UV-100 and UV-200
|
|
- UV-3R MKII is the next oldest and has several variants
|
|
- UV-X4 - Just a rename for marketing?
|
|
- UV-3R+ (aka UV-3R Plus or UV-3R + Plus)
|
|
- different battery and charging method - has an actual charging
|
|
cradle but battery type is not common
|
|
- different audio jacks (separate speaker and mic/ptt)
|
|
- female instead of male SMA (not RP-SMA)
|
|
- [UV-5R](HAM_HT_Baofeng_UV-5R "wikilink") |