Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

SO5AJG
Posts: 91
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:44 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by SO5AJG » Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:16 pm

I have the impression that the problem with running RD5R as a hotspot is due to some software error and not the antenna signal getting to the cable connecting the radio with pi-star. I did such a test that on the radio antenna socket I installed a plug with a short circuit once and the second time an artificial load of 50 ohm with a hotspot of 50mW. Each time trying to set up an Echo connection after receiving a feedback signal, the information appears on the screen for 1 second and after 15 seconds the RD5R switches to radio operation. Is there anyone who this radio works properly as a hotspot or possibly coped with this problem.

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F1RMB
Posts: 2518
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 5:42 am
Location: Grenoble, France

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by F1RMB » Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:48 pm

SO5AJG wrote:
Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:16 pm
I have the impression that the problem with running RD5R as a hotspot is due to some software error and not the antenna signal getting to the cable connecting the radio with pi-star. I did such a test that on the radio antenna socket I installed a plug with a short circuit once and the second time an artificial load of 50 ohm with a hotspot of 50mW. Each time trying to set up an Echo connection after receiving a feedback signal, the information appears on the screen for 1 second and after 15 seconds the RD5R switches to radio operation. Is there anyone who this radio works properly as a hotspot or possibly coped with this problem.
I take the bet.
I can trigger a USB reset with a GD77S with its genuine antenna, with 50mW setting.
Using the exact same setup, with a smaller antenna (can't remember the reference, it's made by retevis), and no problem, even with higher output power.

The main problem with the RD5R is its general quality, plus a bad filtering, plus, like others, the super low quality of the programming cable (there is no shielding at all).

Connect to your pi-star, and once the ht leave the hotspot more, type
'dmesg'
You will see the in the kernel log the messages about the USB reset.

Cheers.
---
Daniel

R2AZE
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2020 7:08 am

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by R2AZE » Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:49 pm

I have been searching hither and yon but I can't figure out how to make a backup of stock firmware/settings/eeprom from an RD-5R using the current OpenGD77CPS, or, well, in any other manner. Which is something I would rather do before installing OpenRD-5R at all.

It complains that there's no serial port, which is true: OpenGD77CPS installs a driver for vendor ID 0x01FC9 product ID 0x0094, while RD-5R presents itself as vendor ID 0x015A2 product ID 0x00073. The naive solution, setting the values in install_OpenGD77_comm_driver.bat to these, produces a driver that is recognized but fails to start.
  1. Is it possible at all to make a backup of firmware, settings and eeprom using OpenGD77CPS and the stock RD-5R firmware, or do I absolutely have to load the OpenRD-5R firmware first? That kinda defeats the purpose of backing up. Are there any other methods of making a complete backup before I start messing with the radio?
  2. Assuming I do bite the bullet and flash the OpenRD-5R firmware, will it become possible to backup the internals, i.e. do the vendor/product numbers change, does OpenGD77CPS backup function start working? What would be the procedure for restoring to original stock firmware afterwards?
EDIT: Answering my own second question: Yes, the open firmware does assign its own device ID, 1FC9:0094, which should make OpenGD77CPS recognize it if you can get the firmware on the device at all. Which, presumably, the standalone firmware loader will do for me.

I would still like to know if it's possible to make a full backup before making any modifications to the firmware at all, though, and how would one go back to stock.
Last edited by R2AZE on Fri Jul 03, 2020 2:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

w9lw
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 5:31 pm

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by w9lw » Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:54 pm

I have an inexpensive, portable frequency counter. I does not count correctly when I transmit on DMR but does fine on FM. Do I correctly assume that if my frequency looks OK on FM, that I don't need to adjust the reference oscillator?

N1KY
Posts: 84
Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 10:46 pm

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by N1KY » Fri Jul 03, 2020 2:11 pm

w9lw wrote:
Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:54 pm
I have an inexpensive, portable frequency counter. I does not count correctly when I transmit on DMR but does fine on FM. Do I correctly assume that if my frequency looks OK on FM, that I don't need to adjust the reference oscillator?
Yes

VK3KYY
Posts: 7489
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:25 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by VK3KYY » Fri Jul 03, 2020 10:01 pm

R2AZE wrote:
Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:49 pm
I have been searching hither and yon but I can't figure out how to make a backup of stock firmware/settings/eeprom from an RD-5R using the current OpenGD77CPS, or, well, in any other manner. Which is something I would rather do before installing OpenRD-5R at all.

It complains that there's no serial port, which is true: OpenGD77CPS installs a driver for vendor ID 0x01FC9 product ID 0x0094, while RD-5R presents itself as vendor ID 0x015A2 product ID 0x00073. The naive solution, setting the values in install_OpenGD77_comm_driver.bat to these, produces a driver that is recognized but fails to start.
  1. Is it possible at all to make a backup of firmware, settings and eeprom using OpenGD77CPS and the stock RD-5R firmware, or do I absolutely have to load the OpenRD-5R firmware first? That kinda defeats the purpose of backing up. Are there any other methods of making a complete backup before I start messing with the radio?
  2. Assuming I do bite the bullet and flash the OpenRD-5R firmware, will it become possible to backup the internals, i.e. do the vendor/product numbers change, does OpenGD77CPS backup function start working? What would be the procedure for restoring to original stock firmware afterwards?
EDIT: Answering my own second question: Yes, the open firmware does assign its own device ID, 1FC9:0094, which should make OpenGD77CPS recognize it if you can get the firmware on the device at all. Which, presumably, the standalone firmware loader will do for me.

I would still like to know if it's possible to make a full backup before making any modifications to the firmware at all, though, and how would one go back to stock.
The official firmware has no backup features

W1CY
Posts: 76
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2020 6:57 pm

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by W1CY » Wed Jul 15, 2020 3:43 am

I tried everything, I used ferrite on the USB cable, I wrapped the cable and the pi-Zero with aluminum paper, and I connected the radio to the external antenna in the attic using a LMR-400 cable. I could not prevent the RF interference that prevents pistar to update the dashboard and to reset the TX counter.

Restored factory firmware, but forgot to backup the settings when on the OPENGD77. After the factory firmware was loaded, I got an error on the display, that went away when I burned the original CPS.

I will retire my plan to use the RD-5R as a hotspot and return the GD-77 to that function.

VK3KYY
Posts: 7489
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:25 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by VK3KYY » Wed Jul 15, 2020 5:01 am

W1CY wrote:
Wed Jul 15, 2020 3:43 am
I tried everything, I used ferrite on the USB cable, I wrapped the cable and the pi-Zero with aluminum paper, and I connected the radio to the external antenna in the attic using a LMR-400 cable. I could not prevent the RF interference that prevents pistar to update the dashboard and to reset the TX counter.

Restored factory firmware, but forgot to backup the settings when on the OPENGD77. After the factory firmware was loaded, I got an error on the display, that went away when I burned the original CPS.

I will retire my plan to use the RD-5R as a hotspot and return the GD-77 to that function.
Perhaps the problem is internal to the RD-5R and it can't operate the USB and transmit at the same time

Unless anyone has actually managed to get the hotspot mode working on their RD-5R, I think potentially, I'll need to remove it as an option from the RD-5R version.

W1CY
Posts: 76
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2020 6:57 pm

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by W1CY » Fri Jul 17, 2020 6:10 am

VK3KYY wrote:
Wed Jul 15, 2020 5:01 am
W1CY wrote:
Wed Jul 15, 2020 3:43 am
I tried everything, I used ferrite on the USB cable, I wrapped the cable and the pi-Zero with aluminum paper, and I connected the radio to the external antenna in the attic using a LMR-400 cable. I could not prevent the RF interference that prevents pistar to update the dashboard and to reset the TX counter.

Restored factory firmware, but forgot to backup the settings when on the OPENGD77. After the factory firmware was loaded, I got an error on the display, that went away when I burned the original CPS.

I will retire my plan to use the RD-5R as a hotspot and return the GD-77 to that function.
Perhaps the problem is internal to the RD-5R and it can't operate the USB and transmit at the same time

Unless anyone has actually managed to get the hotspot mode working on their RD-5R, I think potentially, I'll need to remove it as an option from the RD-5R version.
It is painful, since I was really intending to make it work, but I agree with you, it looks like something at the HW level. The shielding did not work to prevent pistar of locking up the last heard list.
Thanks for your work, it is really great !!!

VK3KYY
Posts: 7489
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:25 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Experimental Baofeng RD-5R version

Post by VK3KYY » Fri Jul 17, 2020 6:47 am

The other problem could possibly be the power supply internally in the radio.

I noticed that when transmitting on DMR all the backlight LED's flicker slightly, which indicates that the supply voltage regulation is not good.
But I've no idea specifically what in the radio causes the problem.

With hotspot mode, did you try running 50mW and see if it crashes less often.

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