Program a GMRS radio with CHIRP Cables, repeater offsets and tones

Sources: CHIRP's own documentation on chirpmyradio.com (download page, beginner's guide, column reference, cable guide and supported-radio list), maker pages and 47 CFR Part 95, all checked 2026-10-21. We haven't tested CHIRP with each radio, so support status is CHIRP's, not ours.

What r/gmrs asks about programming

Programming is where many new GMRS users get stuck (I am stupid and I need help., Baofeng T-22 & Chirp). Experienced users ask newcomers to get repeater tones and offsets right (PSA: No one cares if you use a ham radio, but please program it right), and they warn about fake download sites (Want to remind people of a few codeplug/programming software sources that are reliable). For what to load, see Must have settings/frequencies?.

Step 1: check that CHIRP supports your radio

CHIRP’s supported-radio list is the authority. Some radios are listed under another brand’s driver: CHIRP says to use “Radioddity UV-5G Plus” for a Baofeng UV-5G Plus, for example. These GMRS radios in our database were on the list on 2026-10-21:

CHIRP notes that “not all functionality is supported on all radio models.” Radios marked with an asterisk on the list haven’t been validated in the current CHIRP-next build.

Step 2: install CHIRP from the official site

Download CHIRP-next from chirpmyradio.com’s download page. CHIRP says it’s “the only version of CHIRP that is actively maintained,” that builds are dated, and that you should always run the latest. It lists Windows 10 and later (Intel 64-bit), macOS Big Sur and later, and modern Linux. Avoid lookalike download sites. r/gmrs users have reported fake links (reliable software sources).

Step 3: get the right cable

Most GMRS handhelds in the Baofeng/BTECH family use the two-pin Kenwood K1 jack. CHIRP’s cable guide warns that many cheap cables “use a counterfeit Prolific USB to serial chip that has a number of driver problems with recent versions of Microsoft Windows,” and that “saving $10-15 on a cable might cost you a good bit of time and frustration.”

For BTECH GMRS-V2 and other K1-jack radios: BTECH PC03

Why: BTECH lists a genuine FTDI FT232RL chip, says it’s “CHIRP-ready” on Windows, macOS and Linux, and names the GMRS-V2 among compatible radios, along with UV-5R-style Baofengs. $22.49 (USB-A) on BTECH’s site, in stock (2026-10-21). A USB-C version is the same price.

Other radios: BTECH says the GMRS-20V2 uses its PC04 cable. Mobiles and other brands often use a different plug, so check your radio’s manual before you buy a cable. Some newer radios, such as BTECH’s GMRS-PRO, program from a phone app over Bluetooth instead.

Step 4: download, edit, upload

CHIRP’s beginner’s guide uses the same three steps for every clone-mode radio:

1. Download from the radio. Radio menu → Download From Radio, choose the serial port, the vendor and the model, then OK.
2. Save the image first. CHIRP suggests saving an .img file before and after your changes. Keep the untouched one as a backup.
3. Edit the channels in the memory editor. Enabling Hide Unused Fields and Smart Tone Modes in the View menu makes it simpler.
4. Upload to the radio. Radio menu → Upload To Radio. Don’t unplug or power off until it finishes.

To reuse a channel plan, CHIRP can export to and import from CSV. It says to always download from the target radio first, then import or paste the channels into that image before uploading.

Step 5: set up a GMRS repeater channel

A GMRS repeater listens on a 467 MHz main channel and transmits on the paired 462 MHz channel, 5 MHz lower (how repeaters use the channels). In CHIRP’s columns, as its column guide defines them:

The tone in the example is made up. Use the one the repeater owner publishes, and get permission before you use it. Many GMRS radios have their channel frequencies fixed by the factory. On those, CHIRP may only let you change tones, names and power, which is all a repeater channel needs. Mobiles can’t transmit on channels 8–14, and GMRS mobiles are built so they won’t (§95.1763).

Step 6: test it

• Listen first, then key up briefly and say your call sign. Brief test transmissions are allowed (§95.319(c)).
• If you can hear the repeater but it doesn’t come back, the tone or offset is usually wrong. Check Duplex, Offset and Tone Mode.
• If CHIRP can’t talk to the radio at all, it’s usually the cable, driver, port or plug seating (FAQ below).

What CHIRP can’t do

• Unlock a GMRS radio. Part 95E radios are certified to transmit only on GMRS channels. A radio that can transmit on amateur bands can’t be GMRS-certified (§95.1761(c)), and modifying a radio so it breaks the rules voids its certification (§95.337).
• Program app-only radios. BTECH’s GMRS-PRO and GMRS-50PRO use BTECH’s phone app. One GMRS-50PRO buyer review on BTECH’s site says “it is not programmable by CHIRP.”

Related: privacy codes and repeater tones · repeaters and mobile setup · channels and power · best GMRS handheld radios · UV-5R vs UV-5G vs GMRS-V2