Baofeng UV 5G Plus Repeater Transmitting Issues

[Hockeydude]

Good evening, 

 A friend and I recently purchased the Baofeng UV 5G Plus and used CHIRP software to program some of our local repeater.  The issue we are having is when transmitting it's nothing but static.  However, when just listening we can hear others without issue.  We have programmed the appropriate Tx and Rx codes and I can see when transmitting the frequency will jump up 5 (example, repeater is on 462 and when transmitting it jumps to 467).  Anybody have suggestion on the cause or a potential solution?  This is happening on all repeaters we have programmed in the radios.

 

Thanks 

[OffRoaderX]

What, exactly do you mean by "nothing but static" ?

YOU hear static, or people are reporting that you sound like static? Or, something else?

[Hockeydude]

@OffRoaderX The person on the other end of the radio is only hearing static and not my voice for the entire time of the conversation.  I am nearing nothing when talking, but i do hear the tail after releasing the PTT.

Edited May 8 by Hockeydude

[WRXP381]

Are you close enough to the repeater?   What antenna are you running?   Anything in the way? Houses, trees, hills, mountains?   
 

also do they each transmit to eachother on simplex?  

[Hockeydude]

@WRXP381We are, we can hear others on the repeater without issue.  We are using the antenna that came with the unit.  We did try simplex and that worked without issue

[WRXP381]

Just now, Hockeydude said:

@WRXP381We are, we can hear others on the repeater without issue.  We are using the antenna that came with the unit.  We did try simplex and that worked without issue

Just because you can hear them does not mean you are close enough for them to hear you.   You may be right on the edge of the uv5s ability where you can open the squelch but not get a good useable transmission through.   I’d try moving closer to the repeater first.   A better antenna may help as well.   A hand held has anywhere from 1 miles to 30 or more.  But it’s all about line of sight and antenna 

[Hockeydude]

3 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

Just because you can hear them does not mean you are close enough for them to hear you.   You may be right on the edge of the uv5s ability where you can open the squelch but not get a good useable transmission through.   I’d try moving closer to the repeater first.   A better antenna may help as well.   A hand held has anywhere from 1 miles to 30 or more.  But it’s all about line of sight and antenna 

I am within 2-3 miles from the repeater and my friend was about 2-3 miles away as well, just in the direction.

[WRXP381]

Well.  If you’re on a uv5g that transmits correctly on simplex and you’re opening the repeater squelch your tones are right and they can hear your static then the frequency is right.   I’d personally say you’re just too far.   Can you transmit 2-3 miles on simplex?    That’s all you’re doing with a repeater is transmitting into it on one frequency and listening in another.  Personally I’d drive closer and closer untill I could be heard clearly.   Also talking to the repeater owner may shed some light on areas that work and areas that don’t.   Repeaters are not magic.  They dont make your transmissions go further.  
it takes time to know what areas you can transmit from and what areas you can’t.  Again line of sight is key. 

[Hockeydude]

1 minute ago, WRXP381 said:

Well.  If you’re on a uv5g that transmits correctly on simplex and you’re opening the repeater squelch your tones are right and they can hear your static then the frequency is right.   I’d personally say you’re just too far.   Can you transmit 2-3 miles on simplex?    Personally I’d drive closer and closer untill I could be heard clearly.   Also talking to the repeater owner may shed some light on areas that work and areas that don’t.   Repeaters are. It magic.  They dont make your transmissions go further.  
it takes time to know what areas you can transmit from and what areas you can’t.  Again line of sight is key. 

I actually started with the repeater owner and sent the setting I have in the radio and he thought it might be the offset is set to 0.00, and I am able to change it to 5.00. However, after powering off the radio it's not saving the setting.

If we were to try different radio's, is there one that you would recommend?

Thanks 

[WRXP381]

So I’d first get the offset to stay.  Can you download chirp on a computer and get a programming cable to make sure your programming is correct?    Also a uv5 transmits just as far as any other hand held that is 5ish watts. For 2-3 miles your well within the range of a hand held.  I would not get any other radio untill I got this figured out.   Then if you find you have trees or something in the way a 20w car/truck unit MAY be in order.  If you have mountains or lots of homes or buildings in the way a 50w may not work either.   If your thinking of a home base unit then it may help to get a good antenna up as high as possible.   But even that you could hook to your hand held and you should easily make 20-30 miles line of sight.   

[Hockeydude]

2 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

So I’d first get the offset to stay.  Can you download chirp on a computer and get a programming cable to make sure your programming is correct?    Also a uv5 transmits just as far as any other hand held that is 5ish watts. For 2-3 miles your well within the range of a hand held.  I would not get any other radio untill I got this figured out.   Then if you find you have trees or something in the way a 20w car/truck unit MAY be in order.  If you have mountains or lots of homes or buildings in the way a 50w may not work either.   If your thinking of a home base unit then it may help to get a good antenna up as high as possible.   But even that you could hook to your hand held and you should easily make 20-30 miles line of sight.   

I used CHIRP to program the radios an in the software the offset is set to +5.0.  After programming, when going through the radio menu, it shows the offset as 0.00.

[WRXP381]

Ok don’t worry about that.  They are hearing you so you’re ok on the off set.  

[WRQI663]

Have you tried duplexing? Use another radio to listen to the repeater when transmitting - then switch radios to see if you are having the same result.

Do the same thing between radios on a simplex channel

The mic in the 'static' radio may have a problem, anything from not working to 'eating the mic' - listen on the other radio and see how your audio sounds.

[Hockeydude]

43 minutes ago, WRQI663 said:

Have you tried duplexing? Use another radio to listen to the repeater when transmitting - then switch radios to see if you are having the same result.

Do the same thing between radios on a simplex channel

The mic in the 'static' radio may have a problem, anything from not working to 'eating the mic' - listen on the other radio and see how your audio sounds.

Good morning, We have tried three sets of Baofeng radios and setting them up the same way with either CHIRP or directly on the radio and it's always the same result.

[Sshannon]

11 hours ago, Hockeydude said:

Good evening, 

 A friend and I recently purchased the Baofeng UV 5G Plus and used CHIRP software to program some of our local repeater.  The issue we are having is when transmitting it's nothing but static.  However, when just listening we can hear others without issue.  We have programmed the appropriate Tx and Rx codes and I can see when transmitting the frequency will jump up 5 (example, repeater is on 462 and when transmitting it jumps to 467).  Anybody have suggestion on the cause or a potential solution?  This is happening on all repeaters we have programmed in the radios.

 

Thanks 

Are you on a repeater channel?  You will hear the repeater on the 15-22 channels but you won’t be able to transmit to the repeater. Those channels are setup for simplex and don’t allow an offset. Channels 23-30 (or whatever they’re called on the uv5g) will have the offset. 

[WRXP381]

36 minutes ago, Hockeydude said:

Good morning, We have tried three sets of Baofeng radios and setting them up the same way with either CHIRP or directly on the radio and it's always the same result.

So it’s not the radio or the programming since they can hear you it’s just static on their side.   I’m betting you have something in the way. Hill or trees or buildings or even interference of some sort.   Again I fully recommend you jump in the car and drive the 2-3 miles closer to the repeater.  Maybe even meet with the owner if possible and see how things go.   If the radios are working in every other way (simplex), you break squelch on the repeater (tones) and they can hear a static filled transmission from you(frequency and tones) and you can hear them on your repeater channel(offset) then your settings are correct.   Any other repeaters in the area?  Jump in the car and take all your radios with you.    You may need a better antenna or one on the car or house up high.  

[WRWE456]

Do you hold the radio/antenna vertical while transmitting? It's a simple thing but many people new to radio do not know that antenna's work properly when vertical.

[WRQW589]

11 hours ago, Hockeydude said:

I actually started with the repeater owner and sent the setting I have in the radio and he thought it might be the offset is set to 0.00, and I am able to change it to 5.00. However, after powering off the radio it's not saving the setting.

If we were to try different radio's, is there one that you would recommend?

Thanks 

Might have been relevant information to share initially, that you're trying to work a repeater with an offset of 0.00. That means you're just transmitting on the output frequency, right?

 

Have your friend sit in his car a half mile away, with his radio set to listen to the input frequency (+5.00). Transmit to the repeater. If he doesn't hear you, you're not transmitting on the repeater's input frequency. If he does hear you, you're at least using the right offset. But your post seems to indicate you are not transmitting on the repeater input.

 

Next, if you *are* transmitting on the repeater input, and you're actually getting the squelch tail when you release the PTT, but people at the other end only hear static, and your friend has heard you from a half mile away transmitting on the repeater's input coherently, then you're just out of range.

[Hockeydude]

36 minutes ago, WRWE456 said:

Do you hold the radio/antenna vertical while transmitting? It's a simple thing but many people new to radio do not know that antenna's work properly when vertical.

I do

[WSCS285]

I can't help here but I am learning from all this troubleshooting.

[Hockeydude]

3 hours ago, WRQW589 said:

Might have been relevant information to share initially, that you're trying to work a repeater with an offset of 0.00. That means you're just transmitting on the output frequency, right?

 

Have your friend sit in his car a half mile away, with his radio set to listen to the input frequency (+5.00). Transmit to the repeater. If he doesn't hear you, you're not transmitting on the repeater's input frequency. If he does hear you, you're at least using the right offset. But your post seems to indicate you are not transmitting on the repeater input.

 

Next, if you *are* transmitting on the repeater input, and you're actually getting the squelch tail when you release the PTT, but people at the other end only hear static, and your friend has heard you from a half mile away transmitting on the repeater's input coherently, then you're just out of range.

I have confirmed, when transmitting that it is changing from 462.xxx to 467.xxx with the offset being at 0.00.

 

I took that radio out to lunch and someone did respond back they could hear me, so I am thinking that it could me my home area and his work location causing interference for transmitting since we can hear others on the repeater channels.

[WRXP381]

26 minutes ago, Hockeydude said:

I have confirmed, when transmitting that it is changing from 462.xxx to 467.xxx with the offset being at 0.00.

 

I took that radio out to lunch and someone did respond back they could hear me, so I am thinking that it could me my home area and his work location causing interference for transmitting since we can hear others on the repeater channels.

This is what I’ve been saying.  Something is in the way.   I have locations I can talk 50miles on my hand helds and other locations I can’t get 1/2 a mile.  It’s all about line of site.