Radio Tech 2018

This page provides technical information about the Firefly radio setup. If you're just using a radio, you probably don't need it.

Radio Channels

Firefly Radio Channels 2018

See this sheet for the latest version of the 2018 radio channels. This version is current as of 2018-06-29:

Channel	BF-888 Channel	MD-390 Channel	UV-82HP UV5R Channel	Rcv	Xmt (if different)	Tech	Tone/Isolation	Description
MURS1			0	151.82		VHF Analog	None
Safety1	1	1	1	464.5	469.5	UHF Analog	127.3	Primary Safety Core channel. Repeater-enabled
TAC1ICS	2	2	2	469.55		UHF Analog	114.8	For use when ICS is activated
Sanctuary	3	3	3	456.8		UHF Analog	100	Sanctuary-only
Board	4	4	4	451.8125		UHF Analog	88.5
DPW	5	5	5	456.8125		UHF Analog	94.8
LNT	6	6	6	456.8		UHF Analog	203.5
GGGP		7		451.8		UHF DMR	Group Call 1	Gnome Gate Greeters Parking Security
GTFO		8		451.8		UHF DMR	Group Call 2	Get The Freaks On/Off (the hill). Digital only.
Accessibility		9		451.8		UHF DMR	Group Call 3	Digital radios only!
WAKE			7	151.505		VHF Analog	123
TAC2			8	151.625		VHF Analog	114.8
TAC3			9	151.7		VHF Analog	100
WX W VT			10	162.5	---	VHF AnalogWide	None	West Vermont NOAA weather broadcast.
WX E VT			11	162.475	---	VHF AnalogWide	None	East Vermont NOAA weather broadcast.
WX W NH			12	162.525	---	VHF AnalogWide	None	West NH NOAA weather broadcast.

Chirp Files

If you'd like to program your own radio, Chirp files are available here. This is entirely at your own risk -- neither Radio Core nor Rangers offer support for personally owned or programmed radios.

Radio Hardware

Firefly uses several variants of commercially-produced, commonly-available amateur handheld transceivers (HTs).

BF-888s

Name	BF-888s
Channels	16
Bands	UHF only
Frequency Range	400 - 470MHz
RF Power	~3W
Operating Voltage	3.7V
Users	Dirt Rangers, other Safety Cores, anyone who doesn't need a different radio

Links

• Web "manual" for the BF-888

UV-5R

Name	UV-5R (also UV-5Rv2, UV-5R+, etc.)
Channels	128
Bands	UHF/VHF
Frequency Range	136-174MHz, 400-520MHz TX
RF Power	~4W
Operating Voltage	7.4V
Users	Khaki, anyone on a long shift

The UV-5R has several ~identical-looking variants. When programming the radio, it's important to look at the model plate on the front and see what you have. If it's not "UV-5R", you likely have one of the custom variants -- see Baofengtech's compare chart for more info on the differences. They all have basically the same capability, with the exception of the RD-5R, which is a digital radio.

Links

• Annotated user manual -- extremely useful!

TYT MD-390

Name	TYT MD-390
Channels	lots
Bands	UHF
Frequency Range	400-480MHz
RF Power	~4W
Operating Voltage	7.4V
Users	For 2018: GGGP, GTFO, Accessibility

This is a DMR (Digital Mobile Radio). It can be used on the analog UHF channels in a similar fashion to the other radios, but its primary use is on the digital channels. For users, its operation is the same as the others: push to talk.

We may expand our use of DMR in the future depending on how 2018 goes.

Links

• MD-380 manual
• CPS -- programming software for the MD-390
• MD-390 specs

Programming Radios

Analog radios

Preparation: (Open CHIRP, load files: BF888, UV-5R- {307, 311, 313})

BF-888: just flash it

• Select BF-888 file tab
• Turn on radio
• Plug in programming cable
• Upload to Radio → Alt-U or Radio→ Upload
• Wait for upload to complete
• Unplug and turn off

Firefly UV-5R (no +, E, V2, etc.): flash with care

• Select UV-5R 311 file tab
• Turn on radio, volume up, plug in
• Upload to Radio
• IF OK: unplug, turn off
• IF ERROR (firmware mismatch)
  • note version of firmware (in error message)
  • if 307 or 313, open that file, retry flash
  • otherwise, see procedure below

Firefly UV-5R V2+, E, U, etc., Other Radio, or Privately Owned Analog Radio

• Download from Radio: Alt-D or Radio → Download
• Plug in cable, turn on, wait 5 seconds
• Select correct radio type in dropdown (All UV-5R variants use “UV-5R” option)
• Press enter, wait for download
• Open new file (tab all the way to the right, may need to scroll using little arrow in upper right)
• File → Import → Select type “.csv” in dropdown → open FF2018.csv
• Leave 1-7 or 1-8 checked (include MURS1 = 0 if there)
• Press Enter
• Upload to Radio, unplug, check/test freqs

DEBUG

"Error: Radio did not respond"

• Is it on?
• Check cable -- fully plugged in?
• Turn volume up
• Wait 5 seconds, retry
• Recharge, retry

Other error:

• Write down error on post-it
• Stick it in dead radio bin

Digital radios

Hoo boy. Best to get someone who knows how to help you with this for now. Better instructions to come.

Additional resources

Firefly Radio Basics

Radio Reference Card 2016-print version

Burning Man Radio Training:

• Video: https://vimeo.com/101945669
• Document: http://tinyurl.com/ArtOfRadio