How to Use CHIRP to IMPORT Previous Frequencies from Another Radio
- Never could cross-load CHIRP .img files between the UV-5R, UV-82 and BF-F8HP Radios
- Never cross-load between different firmware versions either (Example N5R-20 and BFB-311)
How to properly Cross-Load Images from Radios with Example Below:
Using the FILE->IMPORT feature of CHIRP
Example: Using and UV-5R and UV-82 (any make or model supported by Chirp can follow these same procedures)
So to load UV-5R channels into a UV-82:
Download from the UV-82 to create a tab compatible with the UV-82 (an alternate method would be to load an existing UV-82 .img file).
Then erase all of the channels from the UV-82 tab (type Ctrl-A to select all of the channels and then press Delete to erase them all).
Now go File->Import, change the mask to ‘CHIRP Radio Images (*.img)’ and load the UV-5R .img file with the desired channel layout. Make any changes to the import window and continue. All of the UV-5R channels are now in the UV-82.
The same can be done to transfer between the UV-5R (or UV-82) and the BF-F8HP. CHIRP even understands the power level mapping. LOW power of the UV-5R will be LOW power in the BF-F8HP. HIGH power will import as MID power in the BF-F8HP (the closest matching power level). And going from the BF-F8HP to the UV-5R (or UV-82), HIGH and MID will be translated to HIGH.
Remember, this only transfers the data related to the channels (the spreadsheet memory editor). The other settings must be handled separately. The import window will automatically disable any channels that are not compatible with the destination template.