Basic operation & configuration

Radio display is split into upper VFO and lower VFO. You can change upper/lower selection by pressing F + 2 A/B (or by long press 2 A/B).

Each VFO can operate independently of each other function in either frequency or channel mode. To switch modes select the desired VFO and press F + 3 VFO/MR (or long press 3 VFO/MR).

In the frequency mode you manually type in the frequency with the keypad. You can also switch different options for that VFO in the menu (first 13 menu entries). If you setup the VFO, the settings can be saved to a memory channel by going into the menu ChSave and choosing the memory channel the VFO should be saved into.

In the channel mode you can switch between saved memory channels. Memory channels can be added manually as mentioned before or with a computer with CHIRP

Frequency scanning

To start a frequency scan switch a VFO in frequency mode. Set a start frequency. Set a frequency step (menu Step). Start scanning with custom button scan function or by long pressing the * Scan button.

Scan frequency range function

switch to frequency mode
set upper and lower VFO frequencies to scan range boundaries
long-press 5 NOAA, ScnRng label should show up
start scan with long-press * Scan
it will scan between given boundaries
long-press 5 NOAA or EXIT, or switch VFOs to exit ScnRng mode

ScnRng function is also supported by spectrum analyzer. If you activated the function just start spectrum analyzer.

Memory-channels scanning

To scan channels saved in the radio memory switch the VFO to Memory mode.

The radio has 2 scanning lists. Each memory-channel can belong to 0, 1 or 2 lists. To add/delete a channel to/from a list switch current VFO to desired channel and go to a menu ScAdd1 or ScAdd2, alternatively you can long press 5 NOAA button, you will see icons I and II toggling on and off on the right side of the channel label.

If you set up the scanning lists you can start scanning by using custom button scan function or by long pressing * Scan button. If you press the function button or long press * Scan while scanning, the scanning list will be switched, you will see corresponding icon on the top left of the screen: 1, 2 or * (star means: All memory channels). Active scanning list can also be changed with menu SList. You can view scan lists and its channels by going to menu: SList1 or SList2.

Common frequency/channel scanning features

You can change the scan direction while scanning with UP/DOWN buttons.

The scan can be stopped with the EXIT button, the search result will be ignored and frequency/channel will return to the one that was set before scan begun. Alternatively you can stop the scan with PTT or MENU button in which case the frequency/channel will be set to the last channel where transmission was found.

Single frequency scanning (frequency copy), DCS/CTCSS scanning

This function will allow you to find out and copy frequency and coding settings. The frequency search will only work for strong signals. The transmitting radio has to be close. To start a frequency copy (FC) function use 4 FC function button. Scanner screen will open. Push and hold a PTT button on the other radio. Wait couple of seconds until frequency and code (if used) appears on the screen. The settings can be saved with the MENU button. The settings will be save either to a channel or the main VFO, depending in which mode you started the scan.

You can also search only the DCS/CTCSS code for a frequency set on the main VFO. Choose desired frequency or channel and press F + * SCAN. The same screen will appear, but the frequency search will be omitted, instead the frequency of the main VFO will be used. Wait for a signal to appear or press the PTT on the other radio. It takes 1-2sec for the code to be found. The save procedure is the same as above.

There is another option of DCS/CTCSS code scanning. Choose desired frequency or a channel. Go to the menu RxDCS or RxCTCS. Enter the menu option and press * SCAN button. A SCAN label will appear. Wait for a radio signal or press the PTT button on the other radio. When code is found the SCAN label will disappear, to save confirm the option with the MENU button. It doesn't matter on which of the two menu items you start the scan. Both DCS and CTCSS will always be found, and the menu entry will be changed to the correct one.

How to unlock TX on all bands

Go to hidden menu
Enter menu F-Lock
Choose option UNLOCK ALL
Repeat steps 2-3 10 times. Do it carefully, if you confirm any other option in the process counter will get zeroed and you will have to repeat that 10 times more.

Hidden menu

Hidden menu is activated by holding PTT + SIDE BUTTON 1 while turning on the radio and than Release All Keys.

F Lock - sets the TX frequency band plan.

DEFAULT+ (137-174, 400-470) - allows TX on default bands, plus options Tx 200, Tx 350, Tx 500
FCC HAM (144-148, 420-450)
CE HAM (144-146, 430-440)
GB HAM (144-148, 430-440)
(137-174, 400-430)
(137-174, 400-438)
DISABLE ALL - disables TX on all frequencies
UNLOCK ALL - enables TX on all bands (it has additional lock, read a wiki on how to turn that on)

Tx 200 - enables TX on 200MHz
Tx 350 - enables TX on 350MHz
Tx 500 - enables TX on 500MHz
350 En - enables RX on 350MHz
ScraEn - enables scrambler function
BatCal - battery calibration, measure the voltage on the back of the radio, and adjust the value in the menu accordingly
BatTyp - battery type, 1600mAh and 2200mAh battery has very different discharge curve, this is used to calculate battery level percentage
Reset - resets radio configuration settings

VFO - removes only channel settings
ALL - resets all radio settings

Main menu

The number in front of the menu-item-description is a menu item number that can be used for quick selection

Step - step of the frequency (in kHz), up/down buttons change frequency by this value, also you can only set a frequency that is multiple of half of this value.
TxPwr - radio output power (LOW/MID/HIGH)
RxDCS - receiver Digital-Coded Squelch, if you enable this, squelch will only unlock if this code is being received. You can start a DCS/CTCSS scan while you are in this menu option by pressing * SCAN button
RxCTCS - receiver Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System, squelch will only unlock if this code is being received. You can start a DCS/CTCSS scan while you are in this menu option by pressing * SCAN button
TxDCS - transmitter Digital-Coded Squelch, radio will send given code while transmitting
TxCTCS - transmitter Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System, radio will send given code while transmitting
TxODir - transmitter frequency offset direction
TxOffs - transmitter frequency offset value
W/N - bandwidth used by transceiver

WIDE - 25kHz
NARROW - 12.5kHz

Scramb - scrambler, distorts the audio so it would be harder to understand for other listeners, if two radios use the same setting they can communicate
BusyCL - busy channel lockout, blocks radio from transmitting when signal is being received
Compnd - compander (compressor/expander), allows signals with a large dynamic range to be transmitted over facilities that have a smaller dynamic range capability, improves audio quality, both radios should use this option
Demodu - demodulator mode, default is FM, AM/USB can be used for listening only
ScAdd1 - add channel to scan list 1
ScAdd2 - add channel to scan list 2
ChSave - save current setting to a memory channel
ChDele - delete memory channel
ChName - modify memory channel name

Use up/down keys to select a channel to edit
Press the Menu button again to enter edit name mode
Use up/down keys or digits (0 ~ 9) to cycle the letters etc.
Press the Menu button to move to the next character position
Repeat above two steps till you reach the end
When "Sure?" pops up, press Menu to save, or Exit to cancel
Press Exit at any time to cancel the edit and return to main menu.

SList - selects which channel is used by memory channel scanner
SList1 - channels assigned to scan list 1
SList2 - channels assigned to scan list 2
ScnRev - scan resume mode

CARRIER - resume scan after signal disappears
TIMEOUT - resume scan after 5 seconds pause
STOP - after receiving a signal, stop the scan

F1Shrt - side button 1 short press function
F1Long - side button 1 long press function
F2Shrt - side button 2 short press function
F2Long - side button 2 long press function
M Long - menu button long press function
KeyLck - auto keypad lock option
TxTOut - max transmission time limit
BatSav - battery save option, a rate between active time and sleep time
Mic - microphone sensitivity
MicBar - microphone bar that appears while transmitting
ChDisp - channel display style
POnMsg - power on message
BatTxt - additional battery value on the status bar in % or volts
BackLt - backlight duration
BLMin - minimal backlight brightness, when the screen backlight turns OFF it will go dim to this value
BLMax - maximal backlight brightness, when the screen backlight turns ON it will turn bright to this value
BltTRX - backlight activation on TX or RX
Beep - keypad press beep sound
Roger - roger beep at the end of transmission
STE - squelch tail eliminator, eliminates noise at the end of a transmission
RP STE - repeater squelch tail eliminator
1 Call - one key call channel, lets you quickly switch to the channel with 9 Call button
ANI ID - DTMF communication radio ID
UPCode - DTMF code that is sent at the beginning of transmission
DWCode - DTMF code that is sent at the end of a transmission
PTT ID - sets if UPCode and/or DWCode should be transmitted
D ST - DTMF side tone switch, lets you hear transmitted tones in the radio speaker
D Resp - DTMF decoding response

DO NOTHING: do nothing
RING - Local ringing
REPLY - reply response
BOTH - local ringing + reply response

D Hold - DTMF auto reset time
D Prel - DTMF pre-load time
D Decd - enables DTMF decoder
D List - list of DTMF contacts
D Live - displays DTMF codes received by radio in the middle of the screen
AM Fix - activates autogain AM fix function
VOX - voice TX activation sensitivity level VOX Setting
BatVol - battery voltage and percentage
RxMode - sets how the upper and lower frequency is used

MAIN ONLY - always transmits and listens on the main frequency
DUAL RX RESPOND - listens to both frequencies, if signal is received on the secondary frequency it locks to it for a couple of seconds so you can respond to the call (DWR)
CROSS BAND - always transmits on the primary and listens on the secondary frequency (XB)
MAIN TX DUAL RX - always transmits on the primary, listens to both (DW)

Sql - squelch sensitivity level