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Reviews For: CHIRP

Category: Ham Software/Apps - Other than logging

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Review Summary For : CHIRP
Reviews: 51MSRP: free
Description:
CHIRP is a FREE, open-source, cross-platform, radio programming tool. It works on Windows and Linux (and MacOSX with a little work). It supports a growing list of radios across several manufacturers and allows transferring of memory contents between them.
Product is in production
More Info: http://chirp.danplanet.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00513.8
AC7CW Rating: 2015-05-09
Updated review Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I erroneously said CHIRP will not program all the misc wouxun settings, it does them all. I couldn't be happier with this software.
K2WO Rating: 2015-05-07
Great on Mac (Yoemite) Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I run Chirp on my Mac (Yosemite) and it works great. The only way to program my Baofeng handhelds, the IC-7000 and others. Great software.
N5EVD Rating: 2015-05-06
Great on Linux ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Running the Chirp daily build on Linux Mint Xfce 17.1. Running Linux for awhile, I found the Python setup easy. Chirp is an excellent program for setting up frequencies, CTCSS and all the oth/UHF er perimeters for supported radios. My 1.25 meter capable Baofeng UV-82X and Yaesu VHF/UHF radios are supported, the toughest part are solid data cables.
WV9K Rating: 2015-02-06
Great bit of kit! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Found this when I got my FT-817 and it worked flawlessly. Ditto for my UV-5R and now my TH-9800.

TH-9800 is not fully implemented yet, but good enough for what I want out of it at this time.

These folks do this gratis and deserve all the kudos and support possible :-)! These folks are not a huge faceless corporation nor are they getting paid for this.

I really don't understand those folks who can't seem to make it work, after you get the cable issues resolved under your operating system of choice it just works. May not do everything for your particular rig, but it does quite well enough for my gear.

One always has the option to send those folks a rig to work with, it helps.
KA2DDX Rating: 2015-02-06
works fine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
so far have programmed 6 baofeng ht's - win xp and win7 .....no issues....easy to use
KK7SS Rating: 2015-02-06
Works just fine with WinXp, Win7, Linux Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
First... licensed since 1964!!
Works just fine with my Baofeng UV0-5R+ Version 3.
The vendor supplied a cable using the Prolific chip!! *IF* you do some checking on the web, there is info to NOT use the Microsoft supplied driver. Uninstall it and install Prolific Version 3.2.0.0. NOT the newer one.
This solved my unable to connect problem.
Also check out http://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/FAQ it has a lot of useful info. You can also submit any issues you might encounter.
The Vendor supplied program was useless!!!
WX4LTG Rating: 2015-02-05
Best Freeware Found Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Manually programming a Baofeng UV-5R is an exercise in futility. CHIRP does exactly what I need it to do:

1) Pulls data from sources like repeaterbook.com and radioreference.com including strange offsets and PL tones.

2) Allows me to organize the memory entries into logical groups.

3) Dumps them straight into the radio.

That said, the actual interface from the computer to the radio can be a problem. There are a lot of counterfeit cables on the market (I've run across two so far) and getting the drivers to make them work can be problematic. CHIRP itself works great - as long as you've gotten the cable recognized and the driver loaded.

Most of the complaints I've heard about CHIRP have little to do with the application, and everything to do with the cable interface/driver issues.
KJ4RWH Rating: 2015-02-05
Excellent resource Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've been using Chirp since summer'12 and it has functioned fine with my Wouxun and Baofeng HTs. I'm surprised at some that complain about features of something that's free to use and feel sad for those who can't make it work. Maybe we should donate some "Space Patrol" walkie-talkies to those.:-)
I've used both factory supplied and 3rd party USB cables with success.
W4JBE Rating: 2015-02-05
worked for me with no problems Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I found a deal on the web---buy a cheap radio and get a cheaper one for free. The "little" mobile unit is a Leixen VV898. Using CHIRP, the programming was a breeze. I had 25 repeaters programmed in about 15 minutes and the upload was flawless. The free radio was a Baofeng uv-5r but I work out of town and didn't have time to play with this one using CHIRP yet. If it goes as smooth as the mobile then I'll be happy with this free software.
N9TGW Rating: 2015-02-05
SAD Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am Glad it is free because for me it was worth the price. I have a family of four hams. one of the big problems we face is one likes this radio another likes that one, and keeping universal programming is a pain, so I look for software that works on more than one rig. Add to that two of us use the Yaesu VX-170... no support outside the ADMS software. When I saw CHIRP I THOUGHT I had an answer, it supports the Alinco, Kenwood and Yaesu's we use according to their support pages. I was wrong. I didn't get past the Yaesu 170s... it would download from the radio and I was able to manipulate the basic frequencies and settings and that was it. And I do mean IT. I cant tell you if the manipulation is valid, because I cant upload it to the radio. it fails every time. Two different radios and two different cables. bot radios and cables will download, neither will upload. the operating systems tried are all windows, XP, VISTA, 7, and 8. I found further information on their daily builds DL page. they claim function in one list, however, the Verified Radio list conspicuously LACKS the Yaesu VX-170. I didn't even bother trying the other radios, and wont bother trying my 857D, why bother? it doesn't support banks, and the idea was one piece of software for all the radios. so I am back to multiple packages. Sadly, this is why so many people frown on open source software. Empty promises. This reminds me of the days of the Amiga, and all the vaporware for what was one of the easiest computers to write programs for. The people were less consistent than the hardware.