Need help with setting up a btech 50x1

[FrancisHaws]

Just got a btech 50x1. My family has had a gmrs license since 2017 but I only have experience using cobra micro talks and my 2 brothers run midland micro mobiles and we have only ever talked simplex on road trips. There are a bunch of open repeaters listed in my area and I hear them IDing all the time but can't figure out how to program this thing to use them. Are there any experienced btech users who wouldn't mind hand walking a newbie through the process of setting this thing up?

[BoxCar]

Download CHIRP and use it to program your radio. You'll need a programming cable but CHIRP lays all the fields out in a spreadsheet so it is an easy task. The Miklor website has both the links and instructions to make the job easier. www.miklor.com

[FrancisHaws]

Yeah I ordered a programming cable but to be completely honest with you I wouldn't know the first thing to do with it. I have not even connected to a repeater yet. I am taking baby steps at this point. Thanks

[wayoverthere]

Just got a btech 50x1. My family has had a gmrs license since 2017 but I only have experience using cobra micro talks and my 2 brothers run midland micro mobiles and we have only ever talked simplex on road trips. There are a bunch of open repeaters listed in my area and I hear them IDing all the time but can't figure out how to program this thing to use them. Are there any experienced btech users who wouldn't mind hand walking a newbie through the process of setting this thing up?

Find a repeater near you using the repeater directory here (or other means, if that's easier)...you'll need to note the frequencies  and the tones it uses.

 

tune your radio to the right frequency/channel (the offset transmit/receive is already set up...it'll be REPT15-REPT22), then go into the menu (button on the mic, or press the left knob), and scroll to "T-CTCSS" or "T-DCS", depending what the repeater uses; press menu again to scroll through the tones, and one more time to select the correct one. then hit the exit button (mic or radio). as long as it's within range, that should get you started.

[FrancisHaws]

Find a repeater near you using the repeater directory here (or other means, if that's easier)...you'll need to note the frequencies and the tones it uses.

 

tune your radio to the right frequency/channel (the offset transmit/receive is already set up...it'll be REPT15-REPT22), then go into the menu (button on the mic, or press the left knob), and scroll to "T-CTCSS" or "T-DCS", depending what the repeater uses; press menu again to scroll through the tones, and one more time to select the correct one. then hit the exit button (mic or radio). as long as it's within range, that should get you started.

Thanks bud, I was able to make my first repeater contact today while mobile because of your help. I am starting to figure out how to program this thing and work the menu. It's pretty confusing until you have messed with it a bit.

[WROW674]

Hello, I am completely new to all this, so I have no clue how to do much programming. I am retired and plan to do some traveling and would love to have a way to communicate besides just a cell phone. If any members live in my general area, Maryville, Tn., I will gladly meet up with them at their place of choice. It is easier for me to watch and learn verses texting. I'll gladly repay you with the lunch of your choice. You can answer me on here or request more information. Thanks

[wayoverthere]

(Going with the text, since being in CA, I'm a bit far for an in person chat)

Honestly, unless you want to add a bunch of specific things to listen to, delving into programming via software isn't absolutely necessary, since as far as I know, the btech is still limited to the first 30 (hard coded) channels being all we get for transmit. Nearly all part 95e (gmrs certified) radios come with the basic 30 (22 simplex+8 repeater, or 7 low power, 8 high power simplex, and 8 repeater with the 7 frs channels left out) channels preprogrammed.

Tones arent a necessity for simplex (radio to radio) use, just make sure you're on the same channel/frequency as who you want to talk to. For repeater (duplex) use, adding a transmit tone is the only extra needed (think of tones as a filter...your signal needs to match the filter to open a repeater). Miklor.com has some good examples of various setups, and setting up Chirp, hooking the radio up and reading out what's there is a good place to start, and get a look at what the preprogrammed channels look like. While you're there, save a copy of the stock image, and put it aside. Then save a 2nd working copy to add to. I'd be willing to get some screenshots from my working image for you as well...could be useful as a sample, but you'd want to adjust for what's in your area.

Miklor also has a guide to chirp and a link to Chirp's field descriptions.

Hopefully you can find some local assistance, @wrow674 , but you'll definitely find some willing help here in the meantime. If there's some specific stuff you're stuck on, the knowledge and experience here can probably help.

 

[WROW674]

Thank you so much for your quick response. Sorry, I'm so late in answering. Been super busy. I'm going to try what you suggested. Please send me the screenshots, I know they will of help. I can transmit and I'm heard on the other radios, however, when they respond to me, I can't hear their transmission. That's my biggest issue right now. I'll let you know how I come out with your suggestions. Thank you so much! 

[wayoverthere]

40 minutes ago, WROW674 said:

Thank you so much for your quick response. Sorry, I'm so late in answering. Been super busy. I'm going to try what you suggested. Please send me the screenshots, I know they will of help. I can transmit and I'm heard on the other radios, however, when they respond to me, I can't hear their transmission. That's my biggest issue right now. I'll let you know how I come out with your suggestions. Thank you so much! 

No worries....the beauty of fourms compared to Facebook is it's easy to come back to your posts without them getting totally buried.

I'll get some screenshots a bit later this evening or tomorrow; in the meantime, a few things come to mind.

First, tones; for testing purposes, turn off any receive tones (if you go into the menu, either pushing the left knob on the radio or the button on the mic). The menu items you want will be r-ctcs and r-dcs, and make sure both are set to "off". Since tones are kind of a filter, this means you'll hear everything, with or without a tone. You can also use the "mon" button to shut off squelch altogether and see if you can hear them that way. If i remember right, the signal strength bar will show a signal level for signals not matching the rx tone set, but grey instead of color and no sound...are you seeing any indication it's receiving something?

Second, double check that the squelch isn't set too high, just above the threshold to keep it quiet is a good point for testing. If it's too high, their signal just may not be strong enough to open the squelch.

Third, the setups, and the distance between you and the other users. Is it possible your setup transmits farther than theirs, and they just can't reach you?  If you still aren't hearing anything with the squelch open, it makes me think either A, range issue/mismatch, or B, they're transmitting on the repeater channel, while you're using the simplex channel.

If you want to check for this, go to menu item "tdr" and set it to a+b or m+b. For your b channel, switch to vfo, and punch in the repeater input for the channel youre using...instead of 462.xxx, it'll be 467.xxx. Then, switch back to your a channel youve been using and have them transmit. If you hear it on the be channel (the arrow on the display will move over to b), they're using the repeater channel instead of the simplex channel. (15rp on a Midland, rept15 on the btech for ch 15..462.550 for simplex, 467.550 for a repeater input).

[wayoverthere]

1 hour ago, wayoverthere said:

I'll get some screenshots a bit later this evening or tomorrow; in the meantime, a few things come to mind.

 

Screenshot as promised.  A few things i'll point out:

• note i have most of the channels set with Tone Mode "none"; this means the only filter is i won't hear signals low enough that they don't break through the squelch. with tone mode to "none", it won't matter what's in any of the tone columns.
• Note REPT16 and REPT18, Tone Mode is "Tone", which will send the tone in the Tone column on transmit, with no filter on the receive; if I set that to "TSQL", then the ToneSql (tone squelch) filter is in play, and the incoming signal needs to match the number in the ToneSql column for you to hear it. you can also use "cross" if you need different tones for TX and RX (referred to as "split tones")
• Some repeaters don't use an output tone, and if you have one set and it isn't sending one, you won't hear it. On the other hand, if it IS sending a tone, and you don't have a RX tone (again, think of it as a filter) set, you'll still hear it.

Hope the extra info helps.