[chirp_users] Baofeng uv-5r plus not able to read from

[Dave Nathanson]

Hi Paul,
It seems that almost all communications errors and "no reply from radio" are a cable problem. Or more specifically a problem with the software that makes the cable work. One way to sidestep almost all of those problems is to get a USB to serial cable with a FTDI chip in it, then use the matching FTDI software to make it go. 

Guide to programming cables
http://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/CableGuide

I'm not saying any cable vendor is better or worse, but I bought my FTDI cable from
http://www.valley-ent.com/catalog/programming-cables-c-25_45.html

I used the FTDI software driver linked at the top of this page (Mac, Windows & Linux drivers are all there):
http://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/MacOS_Tips

Alternately, if you have the extremely common Prolific cable (or more likely a counterfeit and/or “Generic”) you'll need to make sure you get the driver that will actually work, which is not necessarily the current driver from Prolific. That has been mentioned here recently, and If the cable is "Prolific based 2303 chip the proper tried and true driver is build 3.2.0.0. Others may work but this is what we all use for Prolific 2303 and Win7." (Milton's words)

Also check this link for "Drivers & USB Cables". 
http://www.miklor.com/uv5r/

Other common problems mentioned frequently here are cables that don't quite fit all the way in, and this can be the fault of either the radio trim, or the cable end. Careful inspection ought to help figure out if it is a good idea to fix that by removing some material from the cable or radio housing. It depends. 

Other than that, what are the symptoms of the problem you see? 

Best,
 Dave Nathanson

On Oct 16, 2013, at 6:07 PM, Paul Plasters <wa9ffl at yahoo.com> wrote:

> HMM, maybe that is my problem.  How do we decide if it is the cable that is the problem?  At least as important, where do we get a cable that is good?
> Thanks, Paul
> 
> 
> On Wednesday, October 16, 2013 5:35 AM, Dave Nathanson <KG6ZJO at nathanson.org> wrote:
> Good news Tony.
> It is just amazing (to me) how many problems are related to these USB to serial cables! 
> After reading a bunch of cable stories, I bought good quality FTDI cables for myself, and skipped the whole issue. At the time I thought they were expensive at $20 bucks, but maybe good cables are actually cheaper after you consider the hidden costs of "cheap" cables; time & frustration, and in some cases the cost of another set of cables. 
> 
> Anyway, glad it worked out for you. 
> 
> Best,
> Dave Nathanson
> 
> On Oct 16, 2013, at 1:54 AM, Tony Cratz <cratz at hematite.com> wrote:
> 
> > On 10/10/2013 02:18 AM, Jim Unroe wrote:
> >> If the above isn't the problem, then I would suspect that the
> >> programming cable is bad and needs replaced.
> >> 
> >> Jim KC9HI
> > 
> > 
> >     I want to follow up on this thread I started. After trying to
> >     trim the orginal connector on the cable I had and trying it
> >     again, it failed.
> > 
> >     I did order a new cable which had on it the Baofeng name. It
> >     showed up Friday and last night I tried it.
> > 
> >     The cable worked with no problem what so ever. Which means the
> >     other cable I bought was bad. It was not the connector but the
> >     cable itself.
> > 
> >     Now that I have a good working cable I have been able to
> >     download from the radio and also upload to it with no problem.
> > 
> >     Chrip worked fine and I have already added some 70+ channels to
> >     my new UV-5R+.
> > 
> > 
> >                                 Tony
> > _______________________________________________
> 

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