Tone not saving on RA-25 (DB-20, AT-779UV)

[PartsMan]

I cannot get a tone to save on my Retevis RA-25 that I have entered on the radio.

Tones that I have programed with a computer save fine.

I have read the book a dozen times but it only saves until a power cycle if entered with the radio buttons.

Am I missing something?

[Borage257]

I have the same issue, even with the “new” firmware 

I can get it to stick if I set up a channel thru VFO mode. But changing it and it sticking (if you move channels it forgets in channel mode) is not happening. Same with naming channels from the front face. 
 

interestingly the “1” button will move the ‘cursor’ to the right. “4” to the left

 

What frequency “mode” or range is the radio set to?

[PartsMan]

Huh. I have not tried a new channel through VFO mode.

It is "opened up" right now.

I may try putting it back to GMRS too. I hate being limited to 22 simplex channels though.

We are headed to another state this weekend and it would be nice to set up there repeaters on the fly.

 

[Borage257]

Look at the miklor website for instructions on making a back up programming cable.

 

https://www.miklor.com/COM/UV_ProgrCableAT779.php

[MichaelLAX]

1 hour ago, Borage257 said:

Look at the miklor website for instructions on making a back up programming cable.

 

https://www.miklor.com/COM/UV_ProgrCableAT779.php

Are you both using Retevis Ra-25s?  This may be another distinction that I post about these units being different than the AT-779UV/DB20-G's (the other being Retevis CPS software is unable to open code plugs written in AT-779UV/DB20-G software).

Are you both "unlocked?"

Why would he need a Miklor DIY programming cable?  The Retevis does not come with one like the AT-779UV/DB20-G's?

[PartsMan]

Mine is a Retevis from amazon.

Had to buy the cable separate.

It is "unlocked" to a wide range of frequencies.

 

[Borage257]

31 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

Why would he need a Miklor DIY programming cable?  The Retevis does not come with one like the AT-779UV/DB20-G's?

It’s always good to have a backup…

…mine might be, uh, misplaced…

 

Mine is opened, and I use the Anytone software.

[MichaelLAX]

OK: I now have an Anytone and the Radioddity versions.

Borage is your an Anytone branded radio and if so do you not have the problems that OP has?

I am going to try to mimic these problems on one of mine, now.

[MichaelLAX]

Before turning on the radio, these are my recollections:

Yes, once a Channel is programmed by the CPS software, if you change a setting such as Tone, it only "holds" while you are on that Channel.

If you change channels and return, or power off and then on, it will default back to the Channel's settings from the CPS software.

Here is what I do:

I program "gaps of channels" between different categories of Channels.  I'll try to do a screenshot later.

So if like @Borage257you program a new frequency and tone in VFO, you can then save this to one of the empty channels without having to use the software and it will stick.

[MichaelLAX]

I wrote these "tips" back a couple of years ago; hopefully they still work:

Quote

Some Operational Tips:

Open up the Ham 2 meter and 70 cm bands to transmit on the USA version:

1) Turn off the power.  

2) While holding down the V/M button, turn on the power.  Use the Up and Down arrow keys to change from the GMRS setting on the display to 136-174 MHz; 400-470 MHz and now power down.  

3) When you power back up licensed operators can now transmit on the GMRS channels and the 2 meter and 70 cm Ham bands. 

NOTE: This can easily be accomplished with the provided software too.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Giving a Channel an alphanumeric name without using a computer:

1) Go to the appropriate Channel

2) Push the FUN button and using the V/M and MAIN buttons to go through the Menu items until you reach Function 29: DSPCHANNEL and using the Up and Down arrow buttons, select NAME. Push the FUN button to exit the Function menu.

3) Push the FUN button and using the V/M and MAIN buttons to go through the Menu items until you reach Function 12: CHANNEL NAME.  Using the Up and Down Arrow buttons, scroll through the list of 1-0, A-Z and a-z to find the first letter.  When you do find it, push the MON button to confirm that character and move to the 2nd position.  Repeat as necessary until up to 8 characters are entered.

4) Save the NAME to the proper channel by pushing Fun and UP on the microphone and then use the UP and DN keys on the mic to scroll to the proper channel number (and frequency noted at the bottom of the screen).

5) Save the NAME to this channel holding down the "MON-*" key on the mic.

6) Push the FUN button and you are done!
----------------------------------------------------------------

Programming a repeater channel without using a computer:

1) Switch to VFO mode (from Channel Mode) using the V/M key

2) Using the number keys on the mic, enter the repeater's output frequency

3) On the mic, push FUN then 9 repeatedly until the proper split (+ or - or blank for Off) appears above the frequency.

4) Press the FUN key on the Radio and use the V/M and Main keys as an up/down to get to function 10:Offset.  

Use the Up and Down arrow keys to set your offset split, such as 5.00000MHz or 0.60000MHz (you can hold down the Up or Down key to have it continuously change). 

Once you get to the proper offset, push the FUN key again.

5) Press the FUN key on the Radio and go to Function 01:T-CDC and use the Up and Down keys to find the proper transmit PL Tone.  

Use the same method to optionally set the proper receive PL Tone, if necessary, on Function 02:R-CDC (or Function 03: RT-CDC if both tones are the same)

6) You can rotate through High, Medium and Low transmit power using FUN and 0 (zero) on the mic.

7) Save to the first open channel by pushing Fun and UP on the microphone (or then use the UP and DN keys on the mic to scroll through the available channels, with empty ones saying NULL

Save to this channel holding down the "MON-*" key on the mic and you are done!
----------------------------------------------------------------

Use DCS Digital Tones:

Go to desired channel
Press FUN on mic
Press 1 on mic
Go to menu 1 using V/M or Main key on mic
Press number 1 on mic to cycle to 000 N display for menu 1
Use up and down on mic to scroll to code corresponding to desired DCS code. 
List is in the instructions.
Use V/M or Main to go to menu item 2. Repeat selection process
Press DIL on mic to exit.
_________________________________________________________________

New Radioddity DB20-G CPS software V2.02
1. Change the default bandwidth from Narrow to Wide.
2. Address the bug that "when repeater TX frequency change, RX frequency automatically match"
----------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Borage257]

11 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

OK: I now have an Anytone and the Radioddity versions.

Borage is your an Anytone branded radio and if so do you not have the problems that OP has?

I am going to try to mimic these problems on one of mine, now.

Mine is an Anytone. I think I have the same problems.

[PartsMan]

28 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

I program "gaps of channels" between different categories of Channels.  I'll try to do a screenshot later.

I have gaps already. 

[Borage257]

37 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

 

I wrote these "tips" back a couple of years ago; hopefully they still work:

Quote

 

Some one needs to write a better manual for this/these unit(s)

[PartsMan]

IT WORKED!

Setting up a new channel in vfo does save.

Not the handiest thing but it works without a computer.

[MichaelLAX]

31 minutes ago, Borage257 said:

Some one needs to write a better manual for this/these unit(s)

Perhaps, but you still can't complain about the features available for the price charged.

[Borage257]

Oh no, I’m thinking of getting a second at some point (after I upgrade my HTs from the UV5G).

I’ve done a fair amount of googling to get all the features listed and unlisted figured out. Some, like the “1” key moving Channel Name cursor to the right, I came across by messing around with the radio. I haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere.

[Borage257]

1 hour ago, PartsMan said:

IT WORKED!

Setting up a new channel in vfo does save.

Not the handiest thing but it works without a computer.

HURRAY!!!

[MichaelLAX]

See if you can figure this one out:

VFO A is set for VHF and has the common 0.6000 MHz set for OFFSET (Menu 10)

VFO B is set for UHF and has the common 5.0000 MHz set for OFFSET (Menu 10)

(those VFO settings come from my codeplug I believe).

In any event, if we have to change Menu 10's setting, is there a way to enter it manually?  I have had to scroll from 0.6 MHz to 5.0 MHz and back and it is a slow process to watch it scan up or down.