I have used CHIRP for programming for many years.? I have used it for FT817, FT818, FT70D and UV5R radios of my own and two or three for other people.? I also mentored others doing it themselves.? I am convinced that the radios I worked with could not have been bricked.? It is likely that something was done during the upload (i.e. intermittent power or an bad entry in the data) that caused the radio to go stupid.? Every time that occurred, a factory reset fixed it.? That is why I tell everyone who asks, make sure you have a copy of the radio saved so you can get back to the state before you attempted to program.? I also make sure they know the procedure for their radio to be factory reset.? When I have heard people tell me their radio was bricked, I ask a few questions and find that the radio just wasn't acting as they thought so they called it "bricked" and sent it back for repair.? I find CHIRP to be a powerful utility for using programmable radios.? I recommend it for your use.
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Al Skierkiewicz
WB9UVJ
Al WB9UVJ