BTECH-V1 Unable to Transmit

[Guest Lee]

I purchased a new BTECH-V1 radio, which did not come pre-programmed with FRS channels. I happened to be in a group that was using FRS channel 17. So I programmed 462.6000 using the key pad and stored it to a memory location and switched back to channel mode. I selected the channel I programmed and I could hear everyone else in my group, however I could not transmit and cannot find any documentation to tell me how to fix this. It appears to be Listen Only. This also appears to be the case for Marine UHF channels etc. that I program in. Does this mean that the radio is only designed to transmit on the channels it came preprogrammed with. If so I need to return this and select some other model. Any help is appreciated

[mbrun]

I do not believe you should have had to do anything at all to communicate with an FRS radio. I believe the BTECH channel 17 was already factory configured to use the same frequency. Only change to that channel that may be necessary is enabling CTCSS or DCS if it was applicable.

If I interpret correctly the various posts from other users on this forum I have read, you can program loads of your own channels for receive only on the BTECH, but you can only transmit on the ones that are factory programmed for you. A weakness of BTECH and Midland Radios. I will need to let owners of said radios comment further.


Michael
WRHS965
KE8PLM

[WRCZ387]

Yes, the V-1 comes from the factory with preset frequencies, it will only transmit on FRS & GMRS frequencies, but you can enter receive frequencies on VHF & UHF, I think the receive ranges are 136-174 MHz & 400-470 MHz

It looks like there are two different models of the GMRS V-1

One model has 22 factory set receive/transmit channels, the other one has 30 receive/transmit channels, so the 22 channel model will not transmit on the 467.5625-467.7125 MHz half-watt frequencies

Any channel above either 22 or 30 (depending on the model you have) is going to be receive only, plus, you can't change the frequency on any of the factory set ones

I have the 22 channel model

I looked at the CHIRP recovery files for both models to reference

On the 22 channel model, physical channel 17 is 462.600 REPT 17

On the 30 channel model, physical channel 17 is 462.600 GMRS 17

I'm presuming that there are mixed models of V-1's being used, so on the 22 channel model, 462.600 GMRS 17 is physical channel 9

So, depending on whether your group is talking on the direct channel or through a repeater, all your radios need to say "GMRS 17" or "REPT 17", or whatever channel your group intends to use, all your radios need to match what the display says, then if you're going to use CTCSS codes or not, obviously those all need to match also

I hope that I understand the problem correctly, & I hope that this will help get things sorted out

73