Vol 25 — Cheatsheet + Glossary + Canonical Anchor Index

Section	Topic
1	About this volume
2	Cheatsheets
2.1	The lineup at a glance
2.2	DMR talkgroup quick-reference card
2.3	Codeplug-edit workflow per radio family
2.4	Frequency-by-service quick lookup
2.5	NWS S.A.M.E. event code reference
2.6	CTCSS / DCS tone tables
2.7	Hotspot quick-start card
2.8	Trunking system identification flowchart
2.9	Cable + connector cross-reference per radio
2.10	Pre-flight checklist before any TX session
3	A-Z glossary
4	Canonical anchor index
5	How to navigate this series
6	Resources

1. About this volume {#about-this-volume}

This is the closing volume of the 25-volume Scanners_and_Radios deep dive — a consolidating reference appendix that strips the prose out of the first 24 volumes and leaves the parts you reach for at the bench, in the vehicle, or in the field. Three deliverables, each with a different job:

The cheatsheet cluster (Sections 2.1 through 2.10) — ten dense field cards, table-heavy and exposition-light. Each card stands on its own: print to 4×6 or 5×8, laminate, drop in the go-bag or pin to the shack corkboard. The numbers come from the deep volumes; the volumes carry the derivations. When you need to know the FIPS code structure of a S.A.M.E. message while you’re staring at the Midland WR120’s data-entry screen, the cheatsheet is what you flip to — not Vol 9 §4, which is where you learn why the leading “0” of 026093 means “entire county” in the first place.
The A-Z glossary (Section 3) — ~180 entries spanning every term used across the series, alphabetized, each entry one-to-three lines with the volume where the term is treated in depth and (where useful) cross-related terms. Useful when reading sibling deep dives that cross-link in and you hit a term you forgot. Coverage spans DMR network terminology, scanner/trunking architecture, Uniden DMA codeplug objects, HF amateur fundamentals, FCC regulatory parts, hardware (connectors / batteries / displays), programming software, bench test equipment, and the WiPhone’s SIP/VoIP layer.
The canonical anchor index (Section 4) — the structured cross-deep-dive link surface. Other Hack Tools deep dives (especially the Antennas series Vol 29 use-case matrix and the Hacker Tradecraft Vols 13-15 RF cluster), the Fubsy Polymath website’s planned “radios” subdomain, and external references should link to this project using the frozen vol{NN}-<slug> anchors listed here rather than authoring new ones. The list isn’t every H2 in the consolidated HTML — the consolidated HTML has 634 generated anchors at the time of writing, most of them too granular for cross-deep-dive use. The ~180 listed below are the canonical link targets: one or two per major section per volume, the ones that name something other deep dives are likely to reach for.

The cheatsheets are the half-pound paperback you actually use; the 24 volumes that precede this one are the four-pound textbook you keep on the shelf. Both have their place; neither replaces the other.

This volume follows the structural pattern established by the sibling closeouts Antennas Vol 33 (Hack Tools Antennas closeout — same author, same voice) and Hacker Tradecraft Vol 21 (Hack Tools Hacker Tradecraft closeout — denser glossary, similar anchor-index layout). Read those if you want to see how the same patterns play across the rest of the corpus.

2. Cheatsheets {#cheatsheets}

Ten one-page field cards. Designed for laminate-and-keep-at-the-bench reference. Each card is dense by design; the verbose framing of the same material is in the source volumes the card cites.

2.1 The lineup at a glance {#lineup-at-a-glance}

Every radio, scanner, hotspot, and bench instrument in the lineup, with its volume, class, bands, primary CPS, and where its programs/codeplugs live in the project tree. This is the canonical “what does Jeff own and where does its stuff live” card.

Vol	Item	Class	Bands	Primary CPS	Programs path
2	Yaesu VX-8DR	Quad-band HT	6 m / 2 m / 1.25 m RX / 70 cm	CHIRP (or RT Systems)	`programs/yaesu-vx8dr/`
3	Baofeng F8HP	Dual-band HT (8 W)	2 m / 70 cm	CHIRP	`programs/baofeng-f8hp/`
4	Baofeng UV-B5	Dual-band HT (4 W)	136-174 / 400-470 MHz	CHIRP	`programs/baofeng-uvb5/`
5	AnyTone AT-D878UVII PLUS	DMR HT + analog	2 m / 70 cm DMR + FM	AnyTone CPS	`programs/anytone-d878uvii/`
6	Xiegu X6100	HF + 6 m portable	0.5-30 MHz + 50-54 MHz	wfView / firmware loader	`programs/xiegu-x6100/`
7	Xiegu XPA125B	100 W HF amplifier	1.8-54 MHz	(DIP switches + front panel)	`programs/xiegu-xpa125b/`
8	Tecsun PL-880	Shortwave portable	LW / MW / SW / FM / air AM	(panel only, no PC CPS)	`programs/tecsun-pl880/`
9	Midland WR120	NWR S.A.M.E. weather	7 NWR channels (162.4-162.55 MHz)	(panel only, no PC CPS)	`programs/midland-wr120/`
10	Uniden SDS100	Flagship digital HT scanner	25-1300 MHz	ProScan + Sentinel	`programs/uniden-sds100/`
11	Uniden SDS200	Flagship digital base/mobile scanner	25-1300 MHz	ProScan + Sentinel	`programs/uniden-sds200/`
12	Uniden BCD536HP	Mid base/mobile digital scanner	25-1300 MHz	Sentinel + ProScan	`programs/uniden-bcd536hp/`
13	Uniden BCD396XT	Mid HT scanner	25-1300 MHz	FreeScan + ProScan	`programs/uniden-bcd396xt/`
14	Uniden BC246T	Legacy HT (Trunk Tracker III)	25-956 MHz	FreeScan	`programs/uniden-bc246t/`
15	Uniden BC350A	Legacy desktop analog	30-512 MHz	(panel only on early units)	`programs/uniden-bc350a/`
16	Uniden BC355N	Legacy compact mobile	25-960 MHz	(panel only)	`programs/uniden-bc355n/`
17	Uniden Homepatrol	Legacy zip-code-programmable	25-1300 MHz	Sentinel (HP-2)	`programs/uniden-homepatrol/`
18	SkyBridge Plus	Commercial DMR hotspot	2 m / 70 cm DMR	Browser-based BridgeCom UI	`programs/skybridge-plus/`
19	DIY WPSD HotSpot	DIY DMR/D-Star/YSF/NXDN/P25/M17	2 m / 70 cm digital	Browser-based WPSD dashboard	`programs/wpsd-hotspot/`
23	Gigatronics 6060A/6062A	RF signal generator	0.01-2.4 / 0.01-20 GHz	GPIB + front panel	`programs/gigatronics-6060a/`
23	MFJ-419 CW Elmer	CW practice generator	Audio	(panel + USB text mode)	`programs/mfj-419/`
23	MFJ-422D Keyer	Iambic keyer + paddle	n/a	(panel only)	`programs/mfj-422d/`
23	RCP-665 VTVM	Vacuum-tube voltmeter	DC + ~100 MHz RF probe	(mechanical zero / cal)	`programs/rcp-665/`
24	WiPhone	SIP/VoIP phone	Wi-Fi (no RF radio)	Browser-based + Wi-Fi provisioning	`programs/wiphone/`

The cross-cutting synthesis vols (Vol 20 DMR Network, Vol 21 Programming Software, Vol 22 Frequency Planning) don’t have an item — they describe behaviors across the lineup. Vol 1 is the overview, Vol 25 is this closeout. Total: 19 RF devices + 4 bench/curio items + 1 radio-adjacent (WiPhone) + 5 synthesis/overview/closeout vols = 25 volumes.

2.2 DMR talkgroup quick-reference card {#dmr-talkgroup-quick-reference}

The talkgroups Jeff is most likely to key up on, organized by network. Sources: Vol 20 §2 (BrandMeister + TGIF + WPSD overview) and Vol 20 §3 (talkgroups + routing).

BrandMeister (BM) — the default network:

TG	Name	Slot convention	Notes
1	Local	hotspot Slot 2	repeater-local, doesn’t route off
9	Local (simplex/hotspot)	Slot 2	community convention; hotspot default
13	North America	Slot 1	continental scope, English
91	Worldwide English	Slot 1	the global “lobby” — drop-in calling, don’t camp
92	Europe	Slot 1	regional
93	North America (regional)	Slot 1	regional
94	Asia/Pacific	Slot 1	regional
95	Russia	Slot 1	regional
100	Russia (alternate)	Slot 1	regional
3100	USA Nationwide	Slot 1	US-wide
3162	Michigan Statewide	Slot 2	Jeff’s home state
31660	Michigan Regional	Slot 2	sub-state
31661	Michigan Skywarn	Slot 2	weather spotter net
31602	Michigan Public Safety	Slot 2	comms net
31012	Michigan TAC	Slot 2	tactical channel
31998	US Politics	Slot 2	topical
3169	TAC 310 (US Tactical)	Slot 2	the canonical “let’s QSY here” TG
31010	SOTA / POTA NA	Slot 2	parks/summits-on-the-air
310777	BridgeCom Users Net	Slot 2	vendor-affiliated net
4000	Disconnect	(legacy IPSC)	drops dynamic TG subscriptions
5057	APRS Gateway	Slot 2	DMR data → APRS-IS
9050	Self-Care Status	(informational)	BM portal channel
9990	Echo Test (Parrot)	Slot 2	always-test-here-first
50000	BrandMeister News	Slot 2	network news

TGIF Network — the lighter community alternative:

TG	Name	Notes
2	TGIF General	main lobby; analog to BM 91
31	TGIF Fellowship	flagship Friday-night net
91	TGIF Worldwide	independent of BM 91 — different TG
235	TGIF UK	independent of BM 235
313	TGIF Michigan-local	independent of BM 3162
1776	TGIF Patriot Net	topical
4639	Mid-Continent	central US geo
38055	TGIF QRP	low-power-themed

WPSD — runs upstream of BM or TGIF; small internal TG set:

TG	Name	Notes
(varies)	WPSD News	informational, WPSD-master only
(varies)	WPSD Help	support

US state TG numbering — quick lookup (BrandMeister 31xx convention):

State	TG	State	TG	State	TG
Alabama	3101	Kentucky	3117	Ohio	3139
Alaska	3102	Louisiana	3118	Oklahoma	3140
Arizona	3104	Maine	3119	Oregon	3141
Arkansas	3105	Maryland	3120	Pennsylvania	3142
California	3106	Massachusetts	3148	Rhode Island	3144
Colorado	3108	Michigan	3162	South Carolina	3145
Connecticut	3109	Minnesota	3127	South Dakota	3146
Delaware	3110	Mississippi	3128	Tennessee	3147
Florida	3112	Missouri	3129	Texas	3148
Georgia	3113	Montana	3130	Utah	3149
Hawaii	3151	Nebraska	3131	Vermont	3150
Idaho	3116	Nevada	3132	Virginia	3151
Illinois	3117	New Hampshire	3133	Washington	3153
Indiana	3118	New Jersey	3134	West Virginia	3154
Iowa	3119	New Mexico	3135	Wisconsin	3155
Kansas	3120	New York	3136	Wyoming	3156

TBD — the BrandMeister state-TG numbering plan was substantially reshuffled in the 2018 post-FIPS-recoding update; some sources still show the older numbering (Michigan was 3126 pre-2018, 3162 post-2018). The post-2018 column above is the current standard but verify against https://brandmeister.network/?page=talkgroups before relying on a specific number for an out-of-state TG.

Etiquette discipline: TG 9990 (Echo Test / Parrot) is the always-key-here-first talkgroup — every session, verify your audio + DMR ID + network path against the parrot before keying any other TG. Camping on TG 91 (BM Worldwide English) is the canonical DMR rudeness; key, ID, QSY to a regional or topical TG. Static talkgroups load the network — keep your static count low (5-per-slot is BrandMeister’s posted ceiling, but most operators run 2-3). See Vol 20 §6 for the full etiquette protocol.

2.3 Codeplug-edit workflow per radio family {#codeplug-edit-workflow}

Five CPS ecosystems serve the bench. The workflow for each is structurally identical (read → backup → edit → write → test) but the buttons and the file formats differ. Sources: Vol 21 §2-7 (per-CPS coverage), Vol 21 §8 (versioning discipline).

CPS	Vendor	Radios	Read-from-radio	Backup file	Edit then write-back	Backup location
ProScan	Bill Davis / W6BD (paid, ~$50 lifetime)	SDS100, SDS200, BCD536HP, BCD396XT	USB → “Read From Radio”; saves `*.psf` (ProScan codeplug file)	`.psf` + auto-generated `.bak`	Edit in-app; “Write To Radio” pushes back via same USB session	`programs/uniden-{sds100,sds200,bcd536hp,bcd396xt}/proscan/`
Sentinel	Uniden (free, vendor)	SDS100, SDS200, BCD536HP, Homepatrol	USB mass-storage → mount SD card → copy `Profile.dat` off	`Profile.dat` (binary) + Sentinel project file	Edit in Sentinel; “Save” writes `Profile.dat`; mount + copy back to SD; eject + restart radio	`programs/uniden-{slug}/sentinel/`
FreeScan	ARC/Butel (free, third-party)	BC246T, BCD396XT, BC125AT, legacy lineup	Serial cable (USB-to-PS-2300/2304-protocol via PL-2303 or FTDI) → “Read”	`*.fsd` (FreeScan project file)	Edit in app; “Write” pushes back via serial	`programs/uniden-{slug}/freescan/`
AnyTone CPS	AnyTone (free, vendor — Windows only)	D878UVII	USB (proprietary clip-on cable) → “Read From Radio”	`*.rdt` (AnyTone codeplug bundle: channels + zones + talkgroups + contacts + at_options)	Edit in CPS; “Write To Radio” pushes back. Version-match the CPS to the radio’s firmware (CPS v2.04 → fw 2.04A, etc.)	`programs/anytone-d878uvii/cps/`
CHIRP	Open-source community (free, OSS, cross-platform)	Baofeng F8HP, Baofeng UV-B5, Yaesu VX-8DR, hundreds of others	Serial cable (Baofeng K1 type or Yaesu CT-149) → “Download from radio”	`.img` (CHIRP image file — generic per-model binary) + auto `.csv` export	Edit in CHIRP grid view; “Upload to radio” pushes back	`programs/{slug}/chirp/`
wfView	Open-source community (free, OSS, GPL — cross-platform)	Icom HF (no current rig in lineup — archived; useful when an IC-7300 enters the bench)	CI-V (USB or RS-232) → live virtual control panel	`*.qsi` (wfView config)	Edit in app; no separate “write” step — settings push live as you change them	`programs/wfview/`

The non-negotiable rule across all five: before any edit, read-and-save a baseline backup named {radio-slug}_YYYY-MM-DD_pre-{purpose}.{ext}. The “I’m about to do something risky” backup costs 30 seconds and is the only thing standing between “bricked codeplug” and “10-minute recovery.” See Vol 21 §8.1 for the discipline; see Vol 10 §5 for the SDS100-specific worked example.

The Sentinel vs. ProScan decision for Uniden DMA radios: Sentinel is free and fine for basic codeplug edits; ProScan is paid and worth the $50 if you do bulk edits, want a remote web-server head, want RadioReference live integration, or own multiple Uniden radios that benefit from a shared environment. Discovery Mode (the unknown-talkgroup logging feature on the SDS100/SDS200/BCD536HP) is Sentinel-only — ProScan doesn’t have its own equivalent. The pragmatic answer is own both and use whichever serves the moment.

2.4 Frequency-by-service quick lookup {#frequency-by-service-lookup}

Three sub-tables. Sources: Vol 22 §2-7.

Part 97 amateur — band edges + sub-band modes (Extra-class privileges):

Band	Frequency (MHz)	Phone sub-band	Mode notes	Power ceiling
160 m	1.800-2.000	1.800-2.000 SSB	All modes	1500 W PEP
80 m	3.500-4.000	3.700-4.000 SSB (Extra)	CW lower, phone upper	1500 W PEP
60 m	5 USB channels: 5332/5348/5358.5/5373/5405 kHz	n/a (channelized)	USB only, secondary	100 W ERP ref. half-wave dipole
40 m	7.000-7.300 (Region 2)	7.025-7.300 SSB (Extra)	All modes	1500 W PEP
30 m	10.100-10.150	none — no phone	CW + digital only, secondary	200 W PEP
20 m	14.000-14.350	14.150-14.350 SSB (Extra)	DX workhorse	1500 W PEP
17 m	18.068-18.168	18.110-18.168 SSB	WARC, no contests by convention	1500 W PEP
15 m	21.000-21.450	21.200-21.450 SSB (Extra)	Solar-cycle DX	1500 W PEP
12 m	24.890-24.990	24.930-24.990 SSB	WARC	1500 W PEP
10 m	28.000-29.700	28.300-29.700 SSB; 29.5+ FM repeaters	All modes	1500 W PEP
6 m	50.000-54.000	50.100+ SSB; 50.0-50.1 CW/EME; 51-54 FM	”magic band”	1500 W PEP
2 m	144.000-148.000	144.200 SSB DX call; 144.39 APRS; 146-148 FM repeaters	LOS + repeaters	1500 W PEP
1.25 m	222.000-225.000 (Region 2)	222-225 FM	RX-only on VX-8DR	1500 W PEP
70 cm	420.000-450.000	432.10 SSB DX call; 442-450 FM repeaters	Heaviest VHF/UHF allocation	1500 W PEP
33 cm	902-928	shared w/ Part 15 ISM + Part 90	Secondary	1500 W PEP
23 cm	1240-1300	shared w/ GPS L2	Secondary; coordination needed	1500 W PEP

Part 95 — GMRS / FRS / CB / MURS (no amateur license helps; each is its own regime):

Service	Frequency	Power	License	Notes
CB (Citizens Band, 40 ch)	26.965-27.405 MHz AM/SSB	4 W AM / 12 W PEP SSB	None	Type-accepted radio required
FRS (Family Radio Service, 22 ch shared w/ GMRS)	462.5625-462.7250 + 467.5625-467.7125 MHz FM	0.5-2 W	None	Integrated antenna only
GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service, 30 ch: 22 shared w/ FRS + 8 repeater inputs)	462.55-462.7250 + 467.55-467.7125 MHz FM	up to 50 W (main channels); lower on shared	$35 / 10-yr license (covers family)	Repeater-capable; GMRS-certified radio required
MURS (Multi-Use Radio Service, 5 ch)	151.820, 151.880, 151.940, 154.570, 154.600 MHz NFM	2 W	None	Type-accepted radio required

Part 87 aero — civilian AM voice + military VHF/UHF (RX legal; TX requires aircraft station license):

Range	Use	Mode
108.0-117.975 MHz	VOR / ILS navigation	AM (RX-only)
118.0-136.975 MHz	ATC voice (civilian airband)	AM
121.5 MHz	Civilian emergency / guard	AM
123.0 MHz	UNICOM (uncontrolled-field common traffic)	AM
225-380 MHz	Military airband	AM
380-400 MHz	Military airband (US DoD)	AM
243.0 MHz	Military emergency / guard	AM

Part 80 marine + NOAA WX:

Channel	Frequency (MHz)	Use
Marine 16	156.800	International calling + distress (the canonical “16”)
Marine 09	156.450	Calling (US recreational alternative to 16)
Marine 13	156.650	Bridge-to-bridge navigation (commercial vessels)
Marine 22A	157.100	USCG working / weather alerts
WX1	162.550	NOAA WX (typically Detroit/Pontiac for SE MI)
WX2	162.400	NOAA WX
WX3	162.475	NOAA WX
WX4	162.425	NOAA WX
WX5	162.450	NOAA WX
WX6	162.500	NOAA WX
WX7	162.525	NOAA WX

Cross-link: full Part 22 cellular RX legal framing (and the ECPA §2511 carve-out) is in Vol 22 §5; the Part 90 LMR scanner RX framing is in Vol 22 §4; the receive-only etiquette posture is in Vol 22 §8.

2.5 NWS S.A.M.E. event code reference {#same-event-codes}

The S.A.M.E. event codes Jeff is most likely to see on the Midland WR120 (Vol 9). The full ~80-code list is at https://www.weather.gov/nwr/eventcodes; the subset below is the active-Michigan-geography selection. Sources: Vol 9 §3.5 (event filter) and Vol 9 §7.3 (filter tuning).

Warnings (high urgency — always enable; alert tone + voice):

Code	Event	Notes
TOR	Tornado Warning	imminent / observed tornado
SVR	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	58+ mph winds OR 1”+ hail
FFW	Flash Flood Warning	flash flooding imminent / observed
FLW	Flood Warning	non-flash river / area flooding
EWW	Extreme Wind Warning	tropical hurricane 115+ mph wind core
HUW	Hurricane Warning	hurricane conditions within 36 hr
TSW	Tsunami Warning	(mostly coastal — not MI-relevant but enable for travel)
BZW	Blizzard Warning	35+ mph wind + ≥3 hr falling/blowing snow
WSW	Winter Storm Warning	heavy snow + ice + wind combined
ICW	Ice Storm Warning	significant ice accumulation
DSW	Dust Storm Warning	<1/4 mi visibility
CFW	Coastal Flood Warning	coastal flooding
LEW	Law Enforcement Warning	civil emergency, evacuation, etc.
HMW	Hazardous Materials Warning	chemical / nuclear release
CDW	Civil Danger Warning	imminent threat to life/property
CEM	Civil Emergency Message	catch-all serious civil emergency
FRW	Fire Warning	wildfire imminent / observed
NUW	Nuclear Power Plant Warning	nuclear emergency
RHW	Radiological Hazard Warning	radiation release
VOW	Volcano Warning	(n/a in MI but enable for travel)
AVW	Avalanche Warning	(n/a in MI flatland)

AMBER / child-safety:

Code	Event	Notes
CAE	Child Abduction Emergency (AMBER)	emotional preference; default enabled

Watches (lower urgency — enable selectively; voice without siren is a reasonable default):

Code	Event
TOA	Tornado Watch
SVA	Severe Thunderstorm Watch
FFA	Flash Flood Watch
FLA	Flood Watch
HUA	Hurricane Watch
BZA	Blizzard Watch
WSA	Winter Storm Watch
HWA	High Wind Watch
WCA	Wind Chill Watch

Advisories + statements (informational — usually disable unless interested):

Code	Event
SPS	Special Weather Statement
WCY	Wind Chill Advisory
WIY	Wind Advisory
HTY	Heat Advisory
FOG	Dense Fog Advisory
WSY	Winter Weather Advisory
AQA	Air Quality Alert
SUY	Heat Advisory (variant)

Tests + administrative:

Code	Event	Notes
RWT	Required Weekly Test	Wed late morning chirp; enable to confirm radio works
RMT	Required Monthly Test	first Wed of month, alternating with EAS
NPT	National Periodic Test	rare, system-wide
DMO	Practice / Demo	drill
EAN	Emergency Action Notification	(extremely rare — president of US authorized; enable)
ADR	Administrative Message	NWS housekeeping
EVI	Evacuation Immediate	always enable
SPW	Shelter In Place Warning	always enable

FIPS code structure: S.A.M.E. county codes are 6-digit: leading “0” + 5-digit Census FIPS. Livingston Co MI = Census FIPS 26093 → S.A.M.E. 026093. The leading “0” means “entire county”; “1” through “9” are partial-county codes used only where NWS has explicitly subdivided coverage (rare). Multi-county configuration: program multiple FIPS slots (the WR120 holds 25 slots). Full lookup at https://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/coverage/county_coverage.html.

2.6 CTCSS / DCS tone tables {#ctcss-dcs-tones}

Two tone systems coexist on FM voice repeaters. CTCSS (sub-audible analog tones, 67.0 Hz to 254.1 Hz) is the older, by-far-more-common system; DCS (digital codes, 023 through 754, normal + inverted) is the newer, slightly more selective alternative. Programmed in CHIRP, AnyTone CPS, and (radio-side) the F8HP keypad menus.

CTCSS — full 50-tone table (EIA standard CTCSS frequencies in Hz):

Tone	Hz	Tone	Hz	Tone	Hz	Tone	Hz	Tone	Hz
XZ	67.0	4Z	91.5	1Z	118.8	4A	156.7	9Z	196.6
XA	69.3	4B	94.8	1A	123.0	4B (alt)	159.8	9A	199.5
WA	71.9	ZZ	97.4	2Z	127.3	5Z	162.2	M1	203.5
XB	74.4	ZA	100.0	2A	131.8	5A	165.5	M2	206.5
WB	77.0	ZB	103.5	2B	136.5	5B	167.9	0Z	210.7
YA	79.7	1Z (alt)	107.2	3Z	141.3	6Z	171.3	M3	218.1
YB	82.5	1A (alt)	110.9	3A	146.2	6A	173.8	M4	225.7
ZA (alt)	85.4	1B	114.8	3B	151.4	6B	177.3	(high)	229.1
ZB (alt)	88.5					7Z	179.9	(high)	233.6
						7A	183.5	(high)	241.8
						7B	186.2	(high)	250.3
						8Z	189.9	(high)	254.1
						8A	192.8

The frequencies in numerical order (the order CHIRP and AnyTone CPS list them):

67.0, 69.3, 71.9, 74.4, 77.0, 79.7, 82.5, 85.4, 88.5, 91.5, 94.8, 97.4, 100.0, 103.5, 107.2, 110.9, 114.8, 118.8, 123.0, 127.3, 131.8, 136.5, 141.3, 146.2, 151.4, 156.7, 159.8, 162.2, 165.5, 167.9, 171.3, 173.8, 177.3, 179.9, 183.5, 186.2, 189.9, 192.8, 196.6, 199.5, 203.5, 206.5, 210.7, 218.1, 225.7, 229.1, 233.6, 241.8, 250.3, 254.1 Hz.

Setting on a repeater: “TX tone 100.0 Hz, RX tone none” is the typical posture for accessing a repeater that requires a CTCSS tone on its input but transmits its output unsquelched. Some repeaters use “tone squelch both directions” — TX tone 100.0, RX tone 100.0 — which keeps your speaker silent until the repeater keys up with the same tone.

DCS — Digital-Coded Squelch codes (104 codes, octal-encoded):

The DCS codes are octal numbers from 023 to 754. Each code is presented in normal (N) and inverted (I) orientations; the repeater operator picks one and your radio must match. A condensed list of the most-commonly-encountered codes (the full 104-code list is in the FCC technical reference and in every CPS):

023, 025, 026, 031, 032, 036, 043, 047, 051, 053, 054, 065, 071, 072, 073, 074, 114, 115, 116, 122, 125, 131, 132, 134, 143, 145, 152, 155, 156, 162, 165, 172, 174, 205, 212, 223, 225, 226, 243, 244, 245, 246, 251, 252, 255, 261, 263, 265, 266, 271, 274, 306, 311, 315, 325, 331, 332, 343, 346, 351, 356, 364, 365, 371, 411, 412, 413, 423, 431, 432, 445, 446, 452, 454, 455, 462, 464, 465, 466, 503, 506, 516, 523, 526, 532, 546, 565, 606, 612, 624, 627, 631, 632, 654, 662, 664, 703, 712, 723, 731, 732, 734, 743, 754.

Notation convention: “D023N” means DCS 023 normal; “D023I” means DCS 023 inverted. In CHIRP the field labels are “Tone Mode = DTCS” with the code typed as a 3-digit octal number plus a polarity flag. In AnyTone CPS the field is labeled “QT/DQT” and accepts the same notation.

2.7 Hotspot quick-start card {#hotspot-quick-start}

Side-by-side power-up + first-config for the SkyBridge Plus (Vol 18) and the DIY WPSD HotSpot (Vol 19). Both run BrandMeister + TGIF by default; both expose a web dashboard on the local LAN; the difference is depth of configurability and how much you have to assemble.

Step	SkyBridge Plus	DIY WPSD HotSpot
Power-up	Plug in USB-C 5 V 2 A (or use BridgeCom AC adapter); ~30 s to LED-green	Plug in micro-USB 5 V 2.5 A; ~60 s for Pi + WPSD to boot
Find on LAN	mDNS hostname: `skybridge.local` (browser); or check router DHCP lease list	mDNS hostname: `tjs-duplex.local` (current — was `pi-star-duplex.local` pre-migration); router DHCP lease list
Dashboard URL	`http://skybridge.local` (HTTP only by default)	`http://tjs-duplex.local` (HTTP only by default)
Default credentials	(BridgeCom-provided sticker on bottom; defaults to factory pwd, change immediately)	Pi-Star/WPSD: `pi-star` / `raspberry` SSH; dashboard admin UI defaults configurable in first-boot wizard
First-config: DMR ID	`Configuration → DMR Master → DMR ID` — enter your 7-digit radioid.net DMR ID	`Configuration → General Configuration → DMR ID` — same
First-config: master	`Master Server` dropdown → “BrandMeister BM_3101” (US-East) or BM_3102 (US-West); add TGIF as secondary	`DMR Network 1` → “BrandMeister” → `Master` → “BM_3101”; `DMR Network 2` → “TGIF”
First-config: callsign	Enter callsign (must match the radioid.net entry for the DMR ID)	Same
First-config: TX freq	433.500 MHz typical hotspot freq (avoid local repeater pairs!)	Same — check the local repeater coordinator’s list first
First-config: TX power	10-12 mW (default; do NOT raise without coordination)	10-20 mW (default duplex)
First-config: color code	CC 1 (default; matches your radio’s codeplug for hotspot channels)	CC 1 (default)
Talkgroup-of-the-day check	`Status → Last Heard` — see which TGs are active right now	`Dashboard → Last Heard` — same
First TX	Key TG 9990 (Parrot) on the radio configured for the hotspot frequency; the parrot echoes your audio back ~5 s later if everything works	Same
Firmware/OS update	`Update → BridgeCom Updates` (pulls from BridgeCom support portal)	`Update → System Update` in dashboard, OR `sudo pistar-update` from SSH
Backup before update	Hotspot’s web UI: `Backup` button → downloads a `.tar` config bundle	`Backup` button in WPSD dashboard → downloads a `.tar` bundle

The two-minute hotspot test: plug in → find on LAN → load dashboard → check that “Last Heard” is showing recent TG 3162 (or your home state TG) traffic → key TG 9990 from a radio configured for the hotspot frequency → confirm the parrot echoes your audio back. If all four steps work, the hotspot is operational. See Vol 18 §3 for SkyBridge depth and Vol 19 §4 for WPSD depth.

Don’t-publish list for the hotspot config: Wi-Fi PSK, the radioid.net password, the dashboard admin password, the hostname-on-LAN if it reveals your home address. See Vol 19 §5.3 for the full discipline.

2.8 Trunking system identification flowchart {#trunking-identification}

A decision tree for figuring out what kind of trunked system you’re hearing when you tune across an unknown control channel. Sources: Vol 10 §3 (SDS100 trunking architecture), Vol 22 §4 (Part 90 LMR overview), and the per-system breakdowns in Vol 11 §3 (SDS200).

Hear traffic on a single frequency, but it comes and goes in
short bursts with discrete digital-sounding "burps" between voice?
│
├─ Yes → trunked system. Continue below.
└─ No  → either conventional analog/digital, or a busy simplex
         channel. Set radio to "conventional" and decode the
         modulation directly.

A trunked system has a control channel — a frequency that
carries continuous data (no voice; you hear it as a constant
sub-audible-rate digital warble). Find it first.
│
├─ Control channel sounds like a continuous 4800-baud-ish
│  buzzing warble (LSM / C4FM) on a low-VHF, high-VHF, UHF,
│  or 700/800 MHz channel → P25 (Project 25). Continue.
│
├─ Control channel is a faster, ~9600 bps multi-tone pattern
│  → maybe Motorola Type II Smartnet, EDACS, or LTR.
│  - Type II Smartnet: control channel data bursts have
│    a distinctive "tweet-tweet-tweet" cadence; 800 MHz
│    common, also 900 MHz, sometimes UHF.
│  - EDACS: control channel is faster than P25, GE/Ericsson
│    heritage, 800/900 MHz typical (NJ Statewide, ATT MTS
│    historically).
│  - LTR (Logic Trunked Radio): older, slower control,
│    no separate control channel — "burst" embeds in every
│    voice channel. 800/900 MHz typical, fading from use.
│
├─ Control channel sounds like rapid DMR-like TDMA chirps
│  (two-burst per ~30 ms) → DMR Tier III (commercial DMR
│  trunking — not amateur). NXDN is similar but FDMA, single-
│  burst pattern.
│
├─ Control channel sounds like P25 (4800-baud LSM/C4FM) but
│  voice is TDMA two-slot → P25 Phase II (the modern flagship
│  for state-wide / county public safety). Both slots carry
│  voice; control channel is still Phase I C4FM.
│
├─ Encrypted voice (sounds like white noise after the unsquelch
│  burst) → P25 Phase II + AES-256 or DES-OFB. **Don't decode**
│  (Part 90 / ECPA — even if you could, it's illegal).
│
└─ Voice traffic is unmistakably analog FM but jumps among ~5
   different freqs with no apparent pattern → analog trunked
   (older Type II or LTR systems). Most fading from use.

For P25 systems, the scanner needs the NAC (Network Access Code)
to fully decode in talkgroup mode. NAC is a 12-bit code (000-FFF
hex); the system advertises it on the control channel; modern
scanners (SDS100/SDS200/BCD536HP) auto-discover NAC and don't
need it manually entered.

For Type II Smartnet / EDACS, the scanner needs the system's
"Site ID" (a fingerprint of the control-channel timing) +
talkgroup list. RadioReference is the canonical database.

The legacy-scanner question: pre-Trunk-Tracker scanners can't
decode trunking at all — they hear single frequencies, miss the
talkgroup mapping. Trunk Tracker III (BC246T, BCD396XT, etc.)
handles Type II / EDACS analog. Modern scanners (SDS100/SDS200/
BCD536HP) add P25 Phase I + II and NXDN. None decode encrypted.

Quick visual identification of common system types — by what you hear:

What you hear	Likely system	Where to verify
~4800-baud LSM warble, no voice	P25 Phase I control channel	RadioReference site lookup
LSM warble + two-slot TDMA voice	P25 Phase II	RadioReference; check for “Phase II” in metadata
Fast multi-tone burst pattern, 800 MHz	Motorola Type II Smartnet	RadioReference; Motorola Type II flag
Slow burst + analog FM voice across multi-freq	Old Type II / LTR	RadioReference; “Analog trunked”
Two TDMA slots, DMR-like burst	DMR Tier III (commercial)	RadioReference; “DMR” flag
Single-slot FDMA chirp, like DMR but different cadence	NXDN	RadioReference; “NXDN”
Encrypted-sounding white noise after unsquelch	P25 + AES/DES, or DMR + ENHANCED privacy	(don’t try to decode)

2.9 Cable + connector cross-reference per radio {#cable-connector-reference}

The cable-on-a-shelf inventory by radio. Sources: per-radio Vol §2 (Hardware tour) entries.

Radio	Programming cable	Programming protocol	Antenna jack	Power connector
Yaesu VX-8DR	Yaesu CT-149 (USB-to-4-pole-3.5mm-jack)	proprietary serial via CP2102 USB-UART	SMA-F (female on radio)	proprietary slide-in BL-8 / FBA-39 + USB charger
Baofeng F8HP	Baofeng K1-type (USB-to-2-pin-Kenwood)	PL-2303 USB-UART	SMA-F (female on radio)	barrel jack + USB-C alternative (radio-revision-dependent)
Baofeng UV-B5	Baofeng K1-type (same as F8HP)	PL-2303 USB-UART	SMA-F (female on radio)	barrel jack
AnyTone D878UVII PLUS	AnyTone-proprietary USB clip-on (no standard cable)	USB-HID custom protocol	SMA-F (female on radio)	proprietary slide-in QB-44L Li-ion + USB-C charger
Xiegu X6100	(firmware updates via SD card; CAT control via USB-C)	CAT (Yaesu/Icom-flavored) over USB-C	BNC-F (also SO-239 on rear for stationary)	barrel jack 12-15 V DC + internal 18650 Li-ion
Xiegu XPA125B	(firmware updates rare; DIP switches for band data)	n/a (DIP + CAT band-data)	SO-239 (RF in + out)	Anderson PowerPole 13.8 V DC
Tecsun PL-880	(no PC programming)	n/a	telescoping whip + 3.5 mm ext-antenna jack	4× AA NiMH + USB charger (mini-USB on older units, USB-C on newer revs — TBD)
Midland WR120	(no PC programming)	n/a	3.5 mm ext-antenna jack (or screw terminal on early revs)	mains wall-wart + 3× AA backup (some revs 4× AA — TBD)
Uniden SDS100	USB-C (direct mass-storage mode for SD card; serial for ProScan)	USB-mass-storage + USB-CDC virtual COM	SMA-F (female on radio)	proprietary slide-in BP-100 Li-ion + USB-C charger
Uniden SDS200	USB-B (mini or full-size, revision-dependent)	USB-CDC virtual COM	BNC-F (female on radio)	barrel jack 13.8 V DC + USB power tap
Uniden BCD536HP	USB-B (full-size)	USB-CDC virtual COM	BNC-F	barrel jack 13.8 V DC
Uniden BCD396XT	USB-B (mini)	USB-CDC virtual COM	SMA-F (female on radio)	proprietary slide-in BP2000 NiMH pack + USB charger
Uniden BC246T	Uniden RS-232 cable (USB-to-RS232 adapter for modern PCs)	RS-232 (proprietary Uniden)	BNC-F	proprietary slide-in BP-160 NiMH + 9 V wall-wart
Uniden BC350A	(panel only)	n/a	BNC-F	12 V DC barrel jack
Uniden BC355N	USB-C (mini-USB on early revs, USB-C on later — verify against Jeff’s unit)	USB-mass-storage	BNC-F	proprietary slide-in or 12 V vehicle
Uniden Homepatrol	USB-B (HP-2 has USB-B); HP-1 has 9-pin RS-232	USB-CDC (HP-2)	SMA-F	12 V DC barrel jack
SkyBridge Plus	n/a (browser-based config; SD card removable for OS rebuild)	Web HTTP/HTTPS on LAN	SMA-F (or RP-SMA — TBD per the unit’s hat variant)	USB-C 5 V 2 A
DIY WPSD HotSpot	n/a (browser config; microSD removable for image flash)	Web HTTP on LAN; SSH to underlying Pi	SMA-F on duplex hat (most likely); could be dual SMA for duplex	micro-USB 5 V 2.5 A
Gigatronics 6060A	GPIB IEEE-488	GPIB (24-conductor connector)	N-type female (RF out)	IEC C13 + mains
MFJ-419	USB-B (text-mode interface for tutor practice)	USB-CDC	n/a (audio only)	9 V wall-wart + AA backup
MFJ-422D	n/a (panel only)	n/a	n/a	9 V wall-wart
RCP-665 VTVM	n/a (hand-meter)	n/a	banana jacks (DC + AC + Ohms); RF probe attachment	IEC C13 + mains (also a 117 V version, depending on RCP variant)
WiPhone	USB-C (charging + firmware update)	USB-CDC	n/a (Wi-Fi internal)	USB-C 5 V

The interesting cross-cutting observations:

Most modern scanners use SMA-F (female on the radio — meaning the antenna has a male SMA jack). The two exceptions in the lineup are the SDS200 and BCD536HP, which use BNC-F because they’re base/mobile units where BNC is more rugged.
The Baofengs and AnyTone share Baofeng-K1-type programming cables but use PL-2303 vs CP2102 chipsets — the cable physically fits but if your PC has driver problems for one chipset, the other usually works. CHIRP autodetects both.
USB-C migration is incomplete. As of mid-2026, the SDS100 / WiPhone / AnyTone D878UVII / X6100 are USB-C; the SDS200 / BCD536HP / older Uniden scanners are still USB-B (mini or full); the Baofengs and Yaesu are USB-UART through a proprietary jack-to-USB adapter. The shack drawer needs all three cable families.
The proprietary battery situation is the worst per-unit cost over the radio’s lifetime. Yaesu BL-8 / FBA-39, Uniden BP-100 / BP2000 / BP-160, AnyTone QB-44L — each is a single-source spare-parts proposition. Generic AA / 18650 retrofit packs exist for some (Vol 2 §2.5 for the Yaesu FBA-25A AA tray; Vol 13 §2.4 for the BCD396XT BP2000 18650 retrofit).
PL-2303 vs FTDI matters on Windows 10/11: the OEM PL-2303HXA chip’s driver is rejected by Windows since 2020 (“This driver has been blocked by Code Integrity Guard”). The genuine PL-2303TA or FTDI FT232RL is the working alternative. CHIRP detects the chip and warns.

2.10 Pre-flight checklist before any TX session {#pre-flight-checklist}

Run through this before keying any TX-capable radio. Designed to fit on a single laminated 4×6. Sources: Vol 6 §6 (X6100 portable posture), Vol 22 §2.3 (§97.119 ID rule), Antennas Vol 31 (MPE / RF safety).

[  ] License-tier authorization for this band — Extra (Jeff has)
     covers all amateur; non-amateur services require their own
     license. Cross-check Part 95 / Part 90 / Part 87 / Part 80
     before TX outside amateur bands.

[  ] Frequency is allocated to the service you're operating under
     (Part 97 amateur, Part 95 GMRS/FRS/MURS/CB, etc.) — not in
     a guard band, not within a Part 87 aero allocation, not on
     a primary user's allocation where you're secondary.

[  ] Output power is within the band-specific ceiling:
     - 30 m: ≤200 W PEP (CW/digital only — no phone)
     - 60 m: ≤100 W ERP ref. half-wave dipole (USB only, 5 ch)
     - all other amateur HF/VHF/UHF: ≤1500 W PEP

[  ] Antenna is connected and resonant on this band:
     - SWR ≤2.0 at the rig is the typical "OK to TX" gate
     - Sweep with NanoVNA if SWR is unknown
     - Verify dummy load is NOT in line if you intend to actually
       transmit; verify dummy load IS in line if you intend to
       tune or test without radiating

[  ] RF amplifier settings if used (XPA125B):
     - Drive level matches the amp's expected input (8-12 W
       typical for XPA125B from X6100)
     - ALC cable connected if running SSB (non-negotiable)
     - Fan mode = AUTO, not OFF
     - Band selected matches the band you're transmitting on

[  ] ID per §97.119:
     - At least every 10 minutes during a contact
     - At the end of every transmission session
     - Phone: spoken callsign; CW: sent callsign; digital: callsign
       embedded in protocol (FT8 / FT4 / DMR / etc. handle this
       automatically)
     - Hotspot operation: the DMR ID carried in the digital frame
       satisfies §97.119; voice-ID periodically for conservative
       posture

[  ] DMR-specific (Vols 5 / 18 / 19):
     - Encryption DISABLED (Part 97.113(a)(4) violation if enabled)
     - Color code matches the repeater/hotspot
     - Slot matches (hotspot = Slot 2 convention)
     - DMR ID is registered on radioid.net and matches your callsign

[  ] MPE / RF safety (cross-link Antennas Vol 31):
     - Maintain minimum distance per OET-65 for the power +
       frequency + duty cycle combination you're running
     - Do not transmit handheld with the antenna touching your
       ear or pressed to your head at full power
     - Long digital-mode sessions (high duty cycle) have stricter
       MPE separation than SSB voice

[  ] Posture awareness:
     - Operating from the registered station address: no suffix
     - Mobile: /M
     - Portable (different physical location from registered):  /P
     - From a different call district: /N (where N is the district)
     - Activating a POTA park or SOTA summit: /P + park/summit ID
       in the contact exchange

The two-line “before you key” summary: band right, power right, antenna good, ID required. Everything else is detail.

3. A-Z glossary {#a-z-glossary}

Every term used across the 24 prior volumes that’s likely to be cross-linked from a sibling deep dive or that an engineer-grade reader might want a precise one-line definition for. Alphabetized. Each entry: term, optional acronym expansion, one-to-three-line definition, optional cross-link to the volume that treats it in depth. Cross-references between glossary entries use “see also” where the connection is non-obvious.

A

AES-256 — Advanced Encryption Standard, 256-bit key. The encryption flavor commonly applied to P25 Phase II public-safety voice; available as a firmware option on the AnyTone D878UVII PLUS but prohibited on amateur frequencies per §97.113(a)(4). Vol 5 §3.4, Vol 22 §4.4.
AGC (Automatic Gain Control) — Receiver circuit that adjusts gain to keep output level approximately constant despite varying input signal strength. Most modern SDR-based scanners run AGC continuously; HF rigs expose it as a per-band setting. Vol 6 §3, Vol 8 §3.
ALC (Automatic Level Control) — Transmit-side feedback loop that limits drive power into the PA to prevent overdrive and splatter. On the X6100 + XPA125B chain, an ALC cable is non-negotiable for SSB. Vol 7 §7.
AMBE+2 — Advanced Multi-Band Excitation, version 2 — the proprietary voice codec used in DMR (and D-STAR, P25 Phase II, NXDN). Licensed from DVSI. Vol 5 §3, Vol 20 §3.
ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) — ARRL’s volunteer emergency-response program. Not a regulatory concept — differs from RACES (§97.407, which is FCC-defined). Vol 22 §2.6.
APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) — Bob Bruninga’s amateur packet-radio protocol for position beacons, weather, messaging. 144.39 MHz is the national channel. Yaesu VX-8DR has internal AFSK TNC; AnyTone supports APRS via DMR data (TG 5057 BrandMeister gateway). Vol 2 §3, Vol 5 §3.7.
Attenuator — Passive RF device that reduces signal level by a known dB. Bench-essential for protecting LNAs / spectrum analyzers from overload; programmable on most modern scanners as a front-end overload defense. Vol 6 §7.5, Vol 23 §2.
ATU (Automatic Antenna Tuner) — Matching network that automatically tunes for low SWR. Internal in the X6100; external options include LDG, MFJ, mAT. See also: Tuner, L-network. Vol 6 §2.6, Antennas Vol 17.
Autotuner — Synonym for ATU. See also: ATU.

B

Bank (Uniden legacy) — Memory grouping in pre-DMA Uniden scanners (BC246T era). Replaced in modern Uniden DMA radios by Favorites. Vol 14 §3.
Baofeng F8HP — Dual-band 8 W HT, 2 m / 70 cm. The “HP” suffix is the 8 W variant. Type-accepted as Part 90 (commercial LMR) but not as Part 97 amateur — operates under the amateur exception. Vol 3.
Baseband — The unmodulated signal information. In modern SDR scanners (SDS100), TrueIQ baseband decoding means the radio captures the full IQ data stream rather than just the demodulated audio, enabling deferred decoding of digital modes. Vol 10 §3.
BCD (Uniden product family) — “Bearcat” digital scanner line — BCD436HP, BCD536HP, BCD396XT, etc. The “BCD” prefix denotes digital (P25)-capable models. Vols 12-13.
Bird 43 — The canonical through-line RF wattmeter (Bird Electronic Corporation). Slug-based; replace slug for different frequency / power ranges. Antennas Vol 26.
BL-5C / BL-8 / FBA-25A / FBA-39 — Yaesu HT battery model designations. BL-5C is the legacy NiMH; BL-8 is the Li-ion; FBA-39 is the slim Li-ion the VX-8DR ships with; FBA-25A is the AA-cell battery tray. See also: BP-100 / BP2000 / BP-160 (Uniden equivalents). Vol 2 §2.4.
BL_v2 — The hardware-revision marker on the AnyTone D878UVII PLUS — the “BL version 2” hardware refresh adds bluetooth audio + boot-pic features. Pre-BL_v2 units have less RAM and don’t accept the newer firmware. Vol 5 §2.
BNC connector — Bayonet Neil-Concelman; quick-disconnect 50 Ω coax connector, usable to ~4 GHz. Standard on Uniden SDS200 / BCD536HP / BC246T. Mechanical robustness wins over performance vs SMA at HF/VHF/UHF amateur ranges. Antennas Vol 5 §8.
BP-100 / BP2000 / BP-160 — Uniden HT battery models. BP-100 is the SDS100 Li-ion; BP2000 is the BCD396XT NiMH pack; BP-160 is the BC246T NiMH. See also: BL-5C (Yaesu equivalents). Vol 10 §2.
BrandMeister (BM) — The largest amateur DMR network, ~140k DMR IDs as of 2026. Open-source IPSC2 server stack, run by volunteers. Default network for most US amateurs. Vol 20 §2.1.
Bridging (DMR) — Cross-network routing of a single talkgroup across BrandMeister + TGIF + WPSD — e.g. a club’s TG that appears as “31313” on BM and “313” on TGIF, bridged at the master so traffic flows both ways. Vol 20 §2.5.

C

CAE / CDW (Civil Danger Warning) — S.A.M.E. event codes for AMBER alert / civil danger. Vol 9 §3.5.
Callsign — FCC-assigned alphanumeric station identifier. Sequential (issued in birth-order, e.g. N0SWN) or vanity (operator-requested, e.g. W6DBD). Vol 22 §2.3.
CAT (Computer Aided Transceiver) control — Serial-protocol command set for controlling an HF radio from a PC. Yaesu’s “FT-991” protocol, Icom’s “CI-V” protocol, Kenwood’s various variants. wfView speaks CI-V; FLrig and Hamlib speak many CAT dialects. Vol 6 §4, Vol 21 §6.
CB (Citizens Band) — Part 95 §95D, 26.965-27.405 MHz, 40 channels, 4 W AM / 12 W PEP SSB, no license required. See also: Part 95. Vol 22 §3.
CC (Color Code) — DMR network identifier on a channel — a 4-bit code (0-15) that distinguishes co-channel DMR repeaters from each other. Standard amateur hotspot CC is 1. Vol 20 §3.5.
CHIRP — Open-source cross-platform CPS supporting hundreds of Baofeng / Yaesu / TYT / Wouxun radios. Does not support Uniden scanners or AnyTone DMR. Vol 21 §7.
Codeplug — Vendor-specific term for the bundle of channels + zones + talkgroups + scan lists + settings that lives in a radio’s NVRAM. A “codeplug backup” is a serialized snapshot of that bundle. See also: Profile.dat, RDT, IMG. Vol 21 §8.
Color Code — See: CC.
Common-mode current — Equal-and-in-phase RF current flowing on the outside of a coaxial cable shield. Causes feedline radiation, RF in the shack, and pattern distortion. Suppressed by current BALUNs / common-mode chokes. Antennas Vol 5 §9, Antennas Vol 16.
Conventional (vs trunked) — A scanner mode that decodes one frequency at a time without the trunking overhead. Pre-trunking scanners are conventional-only; modern scanners do both. Vol 10 §3.
Counterpoise — A length of wire serving as the RF “ground” reference for an end-fed or vertical antenna. Not the same as the AC safety ground. Antennas Vol 20.
CPS (Customer Programming Software) — Vendor’s PC tool for reading/editing/writing a radio’s codeplug. Sentinel (Uniden), AnyTone CPS, ProScan, FreeScan, CHIRP all count. Vol 21.
CTCSS (Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System) — Sub-audible analog tones (67.0-254.1 Hz, 50 standard tones) used to gate FM repeater access. See also: DCS, PL tone. Vol 25 §2.6.
Current BALUN — BALUN topology that forces equal-and-opposite currents on its output (rather than equal-and-opposite voltages). The default modern feedpoint choke for dipoles and verticals. See also: Voltage BALUN, Guanella. Antennas Vol 16 §2.
CW (Continuous Wave) — Morse code over a keyed carrier. The original amateur mode; still used. The MFJ-419 (CW Elmer) is a CW practice generator. Vol 23 §3.

D

D-STAR — Icom’s amateur digital voice protocol. Uses AMBE+2 (now AMBE+ codec, vocoder version dependent). Reflector-based routing. Largely overtaken by DMR for new builds. Vol 19 §3.
dBd — Gain referenced to a half-wave dipole. dBi = dBd + 2.15 dB. Antennas Vol 3 §6.
dBi — Gain referenced to an isotropic radiator (the theoretical “equally in all directions” antenna). The marketing-preferred number — always 2.15 dB higher than dBd for the same antenna. Antennas Vol 3 §6.
dBm — Power referenced to 1 mW. 0 dBm = 1 mW; +30 dBm = 1 W; +60 dBm = 1 kW. The decibel-based power scale used everywhere in RF except amateur (which still uses watts). Antennas Vol 3 §3.
DCS (Digital-Coded Squelch) — Digital alternative to CTCSS for FM repeater access. 104 codes (octal 023-754), normal + inverted polarities. Vol 25 §2.6.
DCS (Distributed Crypto, P25) — Different acronym, same letters — the P25 trunking system’s encryption variant. Context disambiguates.
Decision Tree (this project) — The “I want to do X, which radio?” lookup table — Vol 1 §3 carries the canonical version, this volume’s §5 has a use-case-grouped distillation.
Discone antenna — Wideband VHF/UHF receive antenna — a disc above a cone. Standard for scanner bases. Antennas Vol 12.
Discriminator — The frequency-demodulator stage of an FM receiver. Old scanners had a “discriminator tap” — a hardware test point exposing the raw discriminator output for software decode of digital modes. Replaced by IQ-stream-based decoding in SDR-era scanners. Vol 14 §2.
DMA (Dynamic Memory Architecture, Uniden) — The post-2007 Uniden codeplug model used in BCD396XT, BCDx36HP, SDS100, SDS200. Allows arbitrary sizing of memory objects (vs the older fixed-bank model). Vol 10 §3, Vol 21 §2.
DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) — ETSI TS 102 361 — open standard digital voice + data protocol. Tier I (FDMA simplex), Tier II (TDMA conventional, 2-slot), Tier III (TDMA trunked, commercial). Amateur DMR uses Tier II. Vol 5 §3, Vol 20.
DMR ID — 7-digit numeric identifier registered at radioid.net (formerly DMR-MARC). One DMR ID per operator (not per radio). Vol 20 §4.6.
DMR-MARC — Original amateur DMR network (2012, IPSC infrastructure). Effectively dormant in 2026; legacy IDs and TGs are bridged through BrandMeister. Vol 20 §2.4.
DMR Tier I — FDMA simplex DMR — direct-to-direct without TDMA. The unlicensed DMR mode on UHF business channels. Vol 5 §3.2.
DMR Tier II — TDMA conventional DMR, two timeslots on a 12.5 kHz channel. The amateur DMR standard. Vol 5 §3.1, Vol 20 §3.4.
DMR Tier III — TDMA trunked DMR (commercial). Not amateur — Part 90 LMR. Vol 22 §4.
DSP (Digital Signal Processing) — Software-defined signal manipulation (filters, demodulators, noise reduction) on a captured baseband stream. Every modern HF rig and scanner is DSP-based. Vol 6 §3.2, Vol 10 §3.
Dummy load — Resistive RF termination, typically 50 Ω, that absorbs transmitter output power without radiating. Bench-essential for TX testing without on-air transmission. Antennas Vol 26 §3, Vol 23 §5.
Duplex (hotspot) — Hotspot mode where transmit and receive run on two different frequencies simultaneously, allowing both DMR Tier II slots to operate independently. Requires a duplex MMDVM hat with two transceivers. See also: Simplex. Vol 19 §3.1.
DVSI — Digital Voice Systems Inc — the company that owns the AMBE+2 codec used in DMR, P25, D-STAR, NXDN. Vol 5 §3.

E

EDACS (Enhanced Digital Access Communications System) — GE/Ericsson trunking system, 800/900 MHz. Largely retired by 2026, but legacy systems still exist (NJ Statewide). Vol 22 §4.2.
ECPA (Electronic Communications Privacy Act) — 18 USC §2511 — federal statute that prohibits intentional interception of certain communications. The carve-out for cellular voice and the boundary at “intentional decryption of protected communications” is the receive-side regulatory issue for scanners. Vol 22 §5.2, Vol 22 §8.1.
EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) — Transmitter power adjusted by antenna gain referenced to isotropic. EIRP = P_tx (dBm) + Gain (dBi). The MPE-compliance variable. Antennas Vol 31 §3.
ERP (Effective Radiated Power) — Transmitter power adjusted by antenna gain referenced to a half-wave dipole. ERP = EIRP - 2.15 dB. The Part 97 60 m allocation is specified in ERP. Vol 22 §2.1.
ETSI — European Telecommunications Standards Institute. Publishes DMR standard (TS 102 361). Vol 5 §3.

F

Favorites (Uniden DMA) — Memory-organization concept in modern Uniden DMA scanners (replaces banks). A “Favorites List” is a collection of systems / sites / talkgroups, GPS-aware (auto-enable/disable by location), and the unit of scan-list organization. Vol 10 §3.2.
FCC ID — Type-acceptance identifier on certified radio equipment. Searchable at https://fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid. Required for Part 95, Part 90, Part 87, Part 80 service. See also: Type acceptance. Vol 22 §3.2.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) — US regulator of radio frequency spectrum. Codified in 47 CFR. Vol 22.
FFW — S.A.M.E. event code: Flash Flood Warning. Vol 25 §2.5.
FIPS code (Federal Information Processing Standard) — 6-digit county identifier used in S.A.M.E. messages. Leading “0” + 5-digit Census FIPS = entire county. Vol 9 §4.1.
FLrig — Open-source CAT-control front-end (Dave Freese, W1HKJ). Companion to FLdigi. Vol 6 §4.
FNB-101LI — Yaesu Li-ion battery for newer Yaesu HTs. Not used on the VX-8DR (which uses FBA-39); included in the FNB-101 hardware family glossary because it’s a common Yaesu term across the broader product line.
FreeScan — Free third-party CPS for older Uniden scanners (BC246T, BCD396XT, BC125AT). Wine-runnable on Linux. Vol 21 §4.
FRS (Family Radio Service) — Part 95 §95B, 462/467 MHz, 22 channels shared with GMRS, 0.5-2 W, no license, integrated antenna only. Vol 22 §3.1.
FT8 / FT4 — Joe Taylor / K1JT digital modes for HF weak-signal contacts. 15s / 7.5s exchange windows respectively. Auto-ID via embedded callsign satisfies §97.119. Vol 6 §3, Vol 22 §2.3.
FT-991 / FT-450 — Yaesu HF rig model designations (not in this lineup, but the CAT protocol family is referenced in Vol 21 §6 wfView).

G

G.711 — ITU-T audio codec for SIP/VoIP (the WiPhone uses G.711 μ-law for US calls). 64 kbps PCM, narrowband. See also: OPUS. Vol 24 §3.
Gigatronics 6060A / 6062A — Microwave RF signal generators on Jeff’s bench. 0.01-2.4 GHz / 0.01-20 GHz. GPIB IEEE-488 controllable, also front-panel-operable. Vol 23 §2.
GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) — Part 95 §95E, 462/467 MHz, 30 channels, up to 50 W, $35 / 10-year license (covers family). Vol 22 §3.4.
GPIB / IEEE-488 — Instrument-control bus standard from the late 1970s. 24-conductor parallel cable, supports up to 15 instruments on one bus. The Gigatronics 6060A is GPIB-controllable. Vol 23 §2.3.
Guanella — A type of current BALUN topology where two transmission lines are wound onto a common core. 1:1 Guanella is the default modern feedpoint choke. Antennas Vol 16 §2.

H

Hot key (AnyTone) — Programmable key combination on the D878UVII (e.g. #+1 = Group Call to TG 91) that bypasses menu navigation. Vol 5 §7.6.
Hotspot — Low-power (10-20 mW) personal DMR / D-STAR / YSF transceiver that bridges your HT’s RF signal to the internet via an MMDVM modem + Pi. Two in the lineup: SkyBridge Plus (commercial) and the DIY WPSD HotSpot. Vols 18-19, Vol 20 §5.
HOA (Homeowners Association) — Private restriction on antennas + visible outdoor RF infrastructure. The PRB-1 federal preemption (1985, FCC) provides some protection for amateurs but doesn’t always override HOA covenants. Antennas Vol 23.

I

IF (Intermediate Frequency) — In a superheterodyne receiver, the frequency to which the RF input is mixed before final detection. Modern SDR-based rigs may use multiple IFs or a direct-conversion (zero-IF) topology. Vol 6 §3.
IF shift — Receiver control that moves the IF passband relative to a fixed BFO, useful for removing adjacent-channel interference. Vol 8 §3.4.
Iambic keyer — CW paddle + keyer combination that alternates dits and dahs while both paddles are held. Iambic A / B differ in how they handle the “alternation continues after release” edge case. The MFJ-422D is iambic. Vol 23 §4.2.
IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) — FEMA’s upstream of the EAS / NWR S.A.M.E. message flow. The NWS pulls weather alerts from IPAWS-affiliated weather offices and broadcasts them on NWR. Vol 9 §8.
IPSC2 — Server protocol used by BrandMeister masters to route DMR traffic. Successor to the original IPSC (Motorola). Vol 20 §2.1.
ITU (International Telecommunication Union) — UN agency for spectrum coordination. Defines ITU Regions 1/2/3 (EU+Africa / Americas / Asia-Pacific) which determine amateur band allocations. Vol 22 §2.1.

J

J-pole — Single-band end-fed VHF antenna with a folded matching section. Common DIY for 2 m / 70 cm. See also: Slim Jim. Antennas Vol 9 §6.
JS8 / JS8Call — Weak-signal digital mode for HF (Jordan Sherer, KN4CRD). FT8-derived, conversational rather than contact-only. Vol 6 §3.
Jumbo-Spot Duplex — Brand of MMDVM duplex hat (DIY-builder grade). One of three suspected hat options for Jeff’s WPSD HotSpot (silkscreen verification pending). Vol 19 §2.2. TBD — confirm against Jeff’s actual unit.

K

K1JT — Joe Taylor, callsign — author of WSJT-X and the FT4/FT8/JT modes. Princeton physicist. See also: WSJT-X. Vol 6 §3.

L

L-network — Two-element (one inductor + one capacitor) impedance matching network. The simplest tuner topology. See also: T-network, Pi-network. Antennas Vol 17 §2.
Last Heard (LH) — BrandMeister / TGIF / WPSD dashboard feature showing the most recent transmissions per talkgroup / per DMR ID. The “what’s active right now” view. Vol 20 §2.1.
LMR (Land Mobile Radio) — Part 90 commercial radio — public safety, business, taxi dispatch. The Uniden scanners are the receive-only window into LMR. Vol 22 §4.
Loopstick antenna — Ferrite-rod-wound RX-only AM broadcast antenna. Internal in the Tecsun PL-880 for MW. Vol 8 §2, Antennas Vol 15 §6.
LSM (Linear Simulcast Modulation) — A P25 modulation variant for simulcast trunking systems — keeps multiple-transmitter simulcasts coherent. Vol 10 §3.4.
LTR (Logic Trunked Radio) — Older trunking system, no separate control channel — burst data embeds in voice channels. 800/900 MHz typical, fading from use. Vol 22 §4.2.

M

M17 — Open-source amateur digital voice protocol (~2020-present). Open codec (Codec2), open source, no licensing fees. Limited adoption but growing. WPSD supports it natively. Vol 19 §3.
MA-40 / MA-770MDP — US Tower model designations for motorized crank-up amateur towers. Antennas Vol 21 §5.
mDNS (Multicast DNS) — Zero-config network naming protocol (Apple Bonjour, etc.). Used to find hotspots on a LAN by hostname (tjs-duplex.local, skybridge.local). Vol 19 §4.2.
MFJ-419 — CW practice generator (“CW Elmer”). Vol 23 §3.
MFJ-422D — Iambic keyer + paddle (combined assembly). Vol 23 §4.
MFJ-Enterprises — Magnolia, MS-based amateur radio gear vendor. Founded by Martin F. Jue (K5FLU); closed mid-2024 after Martin’s retirement and corporate divestiture. Continued parts/service support is limited. Vol 23 §3.5.
MMDVM (Multi-Mode Digital Voice Modem) — Open-source hardware modem (also a software stack, MMDVMHost) that handles the physical-layer modulation/demodulation for DMR / D-STAR / YSF / NXDN / P25 / M17 / POCSAG. Drives a Pi-based hotspot. Vol 19 §2.2.
MMDVM_HS_Hat — Specific MMDVM hardware product line (single-board hotspot hat for Raspberry Pi). The simplex variant; the duplex variant is sometimes “MMDVM_DUP_Hat” or “Duplex Hat.” Vol 19 §2.2.
MPE (Maximum Permissible Exposure) — FCC/OET-65 limit on RF exposure to humans. The Part 97 §97.13(c) categorical exclusion changed in 2021 to be more inclusive; categorically-excluded stations now must perform a station evaluation rather than self-exempt. Antennas Vol 31 §5, Vol 22 §2.1.
MURS (Multi-Use Radio Service) — Part 95 §95J, 5 VHF channels (151.820, 151.880, 151.940, 154.570, 154.600 MHz), 2 W, no license, integrated antenna only. Vol 22 §3.5.
MW (Medium Wave) — AM broadcast band (530-1700 kHz in US). The Tecsun PL-880 covers it. Vol 8 §3.2.

N

NAC (Network Access Code) — 12-bit identifier (000-FFF hex) carried on a P25 control channel that identifies the network. The scanner needs the NAC to fully decode talkgroup traffic; modern scanners auto-discover NAC from the control channel. Vol 10 §3.3.
NanoVNA — Pocket vector network analyzer. The canonical bench tool for sweeping antennas, BALUNs, and feedlines. Antennas Vol 24.
Nextion display — Resistive-touchscreen color LCD with on-board MCU (HMI compiler). Used as the operator HMI on DIY MMDVM hotspots. Sizes 2.4” / 3.2” / 3.5” available; the WPSD HotSpot is likely 3.5” (TBD against the actual unit). Vol 19 §2.3.
NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) — Legacy rechargeable battery chemistry. Found in old Uniden scanner packs (BC246T BP-160 was originally NiCd; replacements are NiMH). Vol 14 §2.4.
NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) — Rechargeable battery chemistry. Capacity ~2x NiCd. Found in modern Uniden HT packs (BP2000) and the Yaesu BL-5C. Vol 13 §2.4.
NMO (New Motorola) — A standard antenna mount for vehicle scanners + mobile rigs. Easy magnetic and through-hole variants. Antennas Vol 9 §1.
NTS (National Traffic System) — ARRL-organized traffic-handling network for written radiograms. See also: Third-party traffic.
NVRAM (Non-Volatile RAM) — Memory that persists across power-down without battery backup. Where modern radios store codeplugs.
NWR (NOAA Weather Radio) — NOAA’s continuous-broadcast weather service on 7 VHF channels (162.4-162.55 MHz). Source of S.A.M.E. alerts. Vol 9.
NXDN — Kenwood / Icom narrow-FM digital voice protocol — 6.25 kHz channel spacing, FDMA, competes with DMR in commercial LMR. Amateur NXDN is rare. Vol 5 §3, Vol 22 §4.

O

OFD-65 — FCC bulletin “Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields.” The MPE-compliance workbook. Antennas Vol 31 §5.
OLED display — Organic light-emitting diode display. Used on the SkyBridge Plus front panel (1.3” monochrome). Vol 18 §2.
OpenSpot — SharkRF brand of commercial DMR/D-Star/YSF hotspot. Competes with the SkyBridge Plus. Vol 20 §2.1.
OPUS — Open-source audio codec, replacement for many older codecs. Used in some VoIP applications including newer WiPhone firmware. Vol 24 §3.

P

P25 (Project 25) — TIA-102 — public-safety digital radio standard. Phase I = single-slot FDMA on a 12.5 kHz channel; Phase II = two-slot TDMA on a 12.5 kHz channel. Common in US public safety from ~2010 onwards. Vol 10 §3, Vol 22 §4.
P25 Phase I — Single-slot FDMA, C4FM-modulated. Older P25 deployments. Vol 10 §3.3.
P25 Phase II — Two-slot TDMA voice over a Phase I C4FM control channel. The modern flagship for state-wide/county public safety. Vol 10 §3.3.
Part 15 (FCC) — Unintentional radiators (microwave ovens, garage door openers, Wi-Fi, ISM band devices). License-free with type-acceptance. Antennas Vol 31 §2.
Part 22 (FCC) — Cellular allocations. ECPA’s primary domain for the scanner-RX question. Vol 22 §5.
Part 80 (FCC) — Maritime mobile / vessel-based radio. Vol 22 §7.
Part 87 (FCC) — Aviation services. AM voice on 108-137 MHz civilian + 225-400 MHz military. Vol 22 §6.
Part 90 (FCC) — Private Land Mobile Radio. Public safety + business + transportation + utility comms. Scanner-monitor-able receive-side; TX requires per-license. Vol 22 §4.
Part 95 (FCC) — Personal Radio Services — GMRS, FRS, MURS, CB, R/C, etc. Vol 22 §3.
Part 97 (FCC) — Amateur Radio Service. The full Part 97 covers 47 CFR §§97.1-97.815. Vol 22 §2.
Parrot (TG 9990) — BrandMeister’s echo-test talkgroup. Key it, it records your audio, plays it back. Always-test-here-first. Vol 20 §6.2.
PEP (Peak Envelope Power) — RF output power measured at the peak of the modulation envelope. Part 97 amateur regulations specify ceilings in PEP. Vol 22 §2.1.
Pi-Star — Original MMDVM hotspot OS (MW0MWZ, Andy Taylor). Minimally maintained since 2020; superseded by WPSD for active development. Vol 19 §2, Vol 20 §2.3.
Pi 4B — Raspberry Pi model 4B — the compute host suspected for Jeff’s DIY WPSD HotSpot (Pi Zero 2W and Pi 3B+ are alternatives; verification pending). Vol 19 §2.1. TBD — verify against Jeff’s unit.
Pi Zero W — Raspberry Pi Zero W (single-core ARM, 512 MB RAM). The compute host inside the SkyBridge Plus. Vol 18 §2.
PL-2303 — Prolific USB-to-UART converter chip. Used in cheap Baofeng programming cables. See also: FTDI. Vol 3 §4.1.
PL-259 — UHF-series connector (despite the misleading name, it’s a 1930s low-frequency standard, usable to ~300 MHz reasonable performance, ~1 GHz with degradation). The screw-on bayonet connector standard for HF amateur. See also: SO-239, BNC, SMA. Antennas Vol 5 §8.
PL tone — Motorola’s branding for CTCSS. See also: CTCSS.
POTA (Parks On The Air) — Amateur portable operating program — activate a designated park, log contacts, earn awards. Vol 6 §6.1.
Profile.dat — Uniden DMA codeplug file. Lives on the scanner’s SD card. Sentinel and ProScan both edit this file. Vol 10 §4.
Promiscuous mode (DMR) — AnyTone D878UVII feature (“Digital Monitor”) — receive all DMR traffic on a channel regardless of TG / CC / Slot filter. The “tell me everything that’s happening” mode. Vol 5 §3.5.
ProScan — Paid third-party Uniden CPS (Bill Davis, W6BD). ~$50 lifetime. Most full-featured Uniden CPS. Vol 21 §2.
ProVoice — EDACS/Project25-era proprietary voice codec. Decoded on Uniden scanners via paid firmware unlock. Largely obsolete. Vol 14 §3.
PSK31 — Phase-shift-keying 31.25 baud HF digital mode. Predates FT8 / FT4; still in use. Vol 6 §3.6.
Push-to-talk (PTT) — The momentary switch that keys the transmitter. Bluetooth PTT on the AnyTone is the in-vehicle killer feature. Vol 5 §3.8.

Q

QRP — Low-power operation (≤5 W, sometimes ≤10 W). The X6100 native output is QRP-class. Vol 6 §1.
QRPp — Sub-QRP (≤1 W). Niche. Vol 6 §1.
QRO — High-power (opposite of QRP). The XPA125B + X6100 chain runs QRO-class (100 W). Vol 7 §1.
QSL — “I confirm” / “I confirm receipt” — an amateur Q-code. Cards exchanged in confirmation of a two-way QSO. Vol 6 §3.
QSO — Q-code for “communication” / “contact” — an amateur radio contact.
QSY — Q-code for “change frequency” — “let’s move to another frequency / talkgroup.” Vol 20 §6.3.

R

RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) — §97.407 civil-defense-coordinated emergency service. Different from ARES (ARRL volunteer program). Vol 22 §2.6.
radioid.net — Canonical DMR-ID registration service. Where amateur DMR operators register a 7-digit DMR ID bound to their callsign. Vol 20 §4.6.
RadioReference (RR) — North American canonical frequency database — public safety, business, federal, military. ~$30/year Premium subscription. ProScan integrates live; Sentinel does favorites-list import. Vol 10 §4.2, Vol 21 §2.3.
RDS (Radio Data System) — Subcarrier digital data on FM broadcast (station name, song title, traffic). The Tecsun PL-880 decodes RDS. Vol 8 §3.5.
Reflector (DMR) — Conversationally, a talkgroup that gets called “the reflector” — but reflectors are not a protocol-level DMR concept. Carried over from D-STAR / YSF terminology. See also: Talkgroup. Vol 20 §3.3.
Repeater — Infrastructure-grade RF relay — receives on one frequency, retransmits on another. Differs from hotspots in power level (10-100 W vs 10-20 mW) and coverage radius. Vol 20 §5.
Return loss (RL) — Reflection magnitude expressed in dB. RL = 20·log₁₀(1/|Γ|). RL = 14 dB ≈ SWR 1.5; RL = 9.5 dB ≈ SWR 2.0. See also: SWR. Antennas Vol 3 §8.
RF gain — Manual override of the AGC, on receivers that expose it. The X6100 has it; most modern scanners don’t. Vol 6 §3.
Roaming (DMR) — AnyTone feature that auto-switches between configured DMR repeaters based on signal strength. Vol 5 §3.6.
RP-SMA (Reverse Polarity SMA) — Pin-and-socket inverted from standard SMA. Required by FCC type-acceptance for certain Part 15 devices to prevent users swapping in higher-gain antennas. Wi-Fi gear typically uses RP-SMA. Antennas Vol 5 §8.
RT Systems — Paid commercial CPS for Yaesu / Icom HTs. Alternative to CHIRP. Vol 21 §7.5.
RTTY (Radioteletype) — Frequency-shift-keying 45-baud HF digital mode. Legacy but still in use. Vol 22 §2.2.

S

S.A.M.E. (Specific Area Message Encoding) — Digital protocol for selectively alerting weather radios by FIPS county code. NWS broadcasts S.A.M.E. headers on NWR channels; weather radios filter on the FIPS list. Vol 9 §3.1.
S-meter — Signal-strength meter on a receiver. S-units logarithmic (S9 = -73 dBm; each S-unit ~6 dB). Vol 6 §3.
SD card — Secure Digital flash storage. Uniden scanners store their Profile.dat codeplug on the internal SD card; the DIY WPSD HotSpot boots from microSD. Vol 10 §4.3, Vol 19 §4.1.
Sentinel (Uniden) — Free first-party Uniden CPS. Less full-featured than ProScan but does firmware updates (ProScan doesn’t). Vol 21 §3.
Simplex — Single-frequency two-way operation (transmit and receive on the same frequency, time-shared). Opposite of duplex. The default for hotspots that physically can’t do duplex. Vol 19 §3.1.
SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) — IETF protocol for VoIP call setup. The WiPhone speaks SIP. Vol 24 §3.
Site (P25 trunked) — One physical RF site of a multi-site P25 system. The SDS100’s GPS-based site enable/disable selects which sites in a Favorites List are active based on GPS location. Vol 10 §3.7.
SkyBridge Plus — BridgeCom Systems’ commercial DMR hotspot. Pi Zero W + MMDVM hat + OLED in a turnkey case. Vol 18.
Slim Jim — End-fed half-wave VHF antenna with a folded matching section, similar geometry to a J-pole but different feed approach. Antennas Vol 9 §6.
SO-239 — Female chassis-mount mate of the PL-259 connector. Standard on HF rigs. See also: PL-259. Antennas Vol 5 §8.
SOTA (Summits On The Air) — Amateur portable operating program for summits. Sister program to POTA. Vol 6 §6.
SSB (Single Sideband) — Suppressed-carrier amplitude modulation that transmits only one sideband (USB or LSB). The HF voice mode. Vol 6 §3.1.
STUN / TURN / ICE — NAT-traversal protocols for SIP/VoIP. The WiPhone supports them. Vol 24 §3.
SVR — S.A.M.E. event code: Severe Thunderstorm Warning. Vol 25 §2.5.
SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) — Ratio of voltage maxima to voltage minima on a transmission line with a mismatched load. SWR = (1+|Γ|)/(1−|Γ|). SWR 1.5 ≈ RL 14 dB; SWR 2.0 ≈ RL 9.5 dB. See also: Return loss. Antennas Vol 3 §8.

T

Talkgroup (TG) — DMR routing identifier (24-bit numeric). A “virtual room” on the DMR network; subscribers tune in by configuring the TG in their codeplug. See also: Bridging, Static / dynamic. Vol 20 §3.1. Secondary meaning in trunked LMR: similar concept on a P25 / Motorola Type II system — a logical “channel” within the trunked system; subscribers within the talkgroup hear each other.
TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) — Multiplexing scheme where multiple users share a frequency by transmitting in time slots. DMR Tier II is 2-slot TDMA. Vol 5 §3.1.
TGIF — Amateur DMR network founded 2018 by KC1AWV. Lighter than BrandMeister, easier hotspot setup. Vol 20 §2.2.
Tier I / II / III (DMR) — ETSI-defined DMR profiles. Tier I = FDMA simplex (unlicensed-ish). Tier II = TDMA conventional (amateur). Tier III = TDMA trunked (commercial). Vol 5 §3.
TinySA / TinySA Ultra — Pocket spectrum analyzer. Original to 350 MHz; Ultra to 5.3 GHz. Antennas Vol 27 §3.
Time slot (DMR) — One of the two 30 ms slots in DMR Tier II’s TDMA frame. Slot 1 conventionally carries regional/worldwide TGs; Slot 2 conventionally carries local/state TGs. Hotspots are Slot 2 by community convention. Vol 20 §3.4.
TNC (Terminal Node Controller) — Hardware modem that converts between RF tones and digital data for packet-radio modes (APRS, etc.). Yaesu VX-8DR has an internal TNC. Vol 2 §3.
TOR — S.A.M.E. event code: Tornado Warning. Vol 25 §2.5.
TrueIQ — Uniden’s branding for the IQ-baseband decoding architecture in the SDS100 / SDS200. Captures the full IQ stream, demodulates in software, enables deferred firmware-side mode-detect for newer P25 variants without hardware revision. Vol 10 §3.
Trunked / Trunking — Multi-channel radio system where the channel allocation is dynamic per-conversation rather than fixed. A “trunking system” has a control channel directing subscribers to voice channels. P25, Motorola Type II Smartnet, EDACS, LTR are trunking systems. See also: Conventional. Vol 10 §3, Vol 22 §4.2.
Trunk Tracker III — Uniden’s branding for scanners that handle Type II + EDACS + LTR analog trunking. The BC246T is a TT3. Vol 14 §1.
TYT — Quanzhou TYT Electronics — Chinese DMR / dual-band HT manufacturer (MD-380, MD-UV380, MD-2017, etc.). Same chip family as AnyTone in some models. Not in Jeff’s lineup.
Type-acceptance — FCC pre-market certification of a radio for use in a specific service. Each FCC ID is tied to a specific service (Part 90, Part 95, Part 22, etc.). The Baofeng F8HP is Part 90 type-accepted but not Part 95 — the “type-acceptance trap” for amateur radios when used outside amateur bands. Vol 22 §3.2.

U

UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) — Hardware serial-port protocol. USB-UART adapters (PL-2303, CP2102, FTDI) bridge legacy serial-port radio cables to modern USB ports. Vol 3 §4.1.
UHF connector — See: PL-259.
UNUN (UNbalanced-to-UNbalanced) — Impedance transformer that doesn’t change balance state. 9:1 for random-wire feed; 49:1 / 64:1 for end-fed half-wave. Antennas Vol 16.
USB-C — Reversible USB connector standard (since 2014). Migration target for radio programming and charging. Mid-2026 status: not universal across the lineup. Vol 25 §2.9.
Uniden DMA — See: DMA.

V

VFO (Variable Frequency Oscillator) — In modern parlance, the “free-tune” mode of a transceiver — set any frequency directly rather than recalling a memory channel. Distinguished from “memory” mode. Vol 6 §3.4.
VHF / UHF / SHF / EHF — ITU band designators. VHF = 30-300 MHz; UHF = 300-3000 MHz; SHF = 3-30 GHz; EHF = 30-300 GHz. Vol 22 §2.1.
VNA (Vector Network Analyzer) — Bench instrument measuring complex S-parameters. The NanoVNA is the canonical hobbyist VNA. Antennas Vol 24.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) — Voice carried over IP networks via SIP / RTP / SRTP. The WiPhone’s primary purpose. Vol 24 §3.
VTVM (Vacuum Tube VoltMeter) — Pre-FET high-impedance analog voltmeter using a vacuum-tube amplifier stage. The Radio City Products 665 on Jeff’s bench is one. Vol 23 §5.

W

Watch (S.A.M.E.) — Lower-urgency severe weather alert; “conditions favorable.” Compare to Warning (imminent). Vol 9 §3.5.
Warning (S.A.M.E.) — Highest-urgency severe weather alert; “imminent or observed.” Compare to Watch (conditions favorable). Vol 9 §3.5.
W0CHP — Andy Taylor’s callsign; WPSD project lead. See also: WPSD.
WD9EWK — Patrick Stoddard’s callsign; WPSD project contributor. See also: WPSD.
wfView — Open-source CI-V control front-end for Icom HF rigs (cross-platform, GPL). Vol 21 §6.
Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) — The WiPhone (Vol 24) uses Wi-Fi as its bearer; the SkyBridge Plus and DIY WPSD HotSpot use Wi-Fi for LAN onboarding (no RF radio role). Vol 24 §2, Vol 19 §4.2.
WiPhone — Open-source SIP/VoIP-over-Wi-Fi handheld with an LCD display + numeric keypad. Vol 24.
Wires-X — Yaesu’s amateur digital voice network (D-STAR competitor). Limited geographic / hardware reach. Not in Jeff’s primary use. Vol 19 §3.
Wolf River Coil (Silver Bullet) — Compact loaded vertical (Buddistick-style) for portable HF. Cross-link to Antennas Vol 9. Used with the X6100 for POTA / portable HF.
WPSD (W0CHP-PiStar-Dash) — Community fork of Pi-Star with active development. Runs on the DIY MMDVM HotSpot. Also a small DMR routing layer of WPSD-specific TGs. Vol 19, Vol 20 §2.3.
WSJT-X — Joe Taylor / K1JT’s software suite for weak-signal HF digital modes (FT8, FT4, JT65, etc.). See also: K1JT. Vol 6 §3.6.
WR120 — Midland model number for the S.A.M.E.-capable NOAA weather radio. Vol 9.

X

X6100 — Xiegu HF + 6 m portable QRP transceiver. SDR-based, internal battery + ATU, BNC antenna jack. Vol 6.
XPA125B — Xiegu 100 W HF amplifier (1.8-54 MHz). Pairs with the X6100. Vol 7.
X2-TDMA — Predecessor / cousin to DMR; Motorola’s TDMA voice variant. Largely replaced by DMR Tier II + P25 Phase II. Vol 22 §4.

Y

Yaesu VX-8DR — Quad-band amateur HT (6 m / 2 m / 1.25 m RX-only / 70 cm), 5 W, IPX7-rated, internal APRS TNC, optional GPS. Vol 2.
YSF (Yaesu System Fusion) — Yaesu’s digital voice protocol. C4FM modulation, AMBE+2 codec. Cross-mode bridges to DMR via DMRGateway. Vol 19 §3.

Z

ZUM — Brand of MMDVM modem (ZUM Radio / KC4UPR). One of several hat options for DIY MMDVM hotspots. Vol 19 §2.2.
Zone (AnyTone codeplug) — Grouping of up to 250 channels in the D878UVII codeplug. Zones are the unit of “what’s reachable by the A/B VFO knob right now.” Vol 5 §3.9.

4. Canonical anchor index {#canonical-anchor-index}

Frozen H2-level anchors across Vols 1-25 — the stable cross-deep-dive link surface. Anchor names follow the auto-generated convention vol{NN}-<heading-slug> (lowercase, hyphenated, leading section numbers stripped). The shared HTML builder generates ~634 anchors total across the consolidated Scanners_and_Radios_Complete.html; the ~180 listed here are the canonical link targets — the ones a sibling deep dive in ../Hack Tools/ or an external reference is likely to reach for. Other anchors exist and are stable; they’re just too granular to enumerate.

Grouped by cluster — HT cluster, scanner cluster, hotspot cluster, cross-cutting cluster, test equipment + WiPhone, this closeout.

4.1 Vol 1 — Overview

Anchor	Topic
`vol01-the-lineup-at-a-glance`	The 25-volume lineup table
`vol01-the-decision-graph-i-want-to-do-x-which-radio`	Use-case decision graph
`vol01-the-license-envelope`	License envelope at-a-glance
`vol01-categorization-radios-scanners-hotspots`	Three-category split
`vol01-the-per-radio-volume-template`	Standard 8-section template
`vol01-programming-software-landscape-preview`	CPS landscape preview
`vol01-posture-mapping`	Per-posture (EDC / mobile / base) device map
`vol01-dmr-network-architecture-preview`	DMR network preview
`vol01-antenna-pairing-reference-preview`	Per-radio antenna preview
`vol01-cheatsheet-and-closeout-preview`	Vol 25 preview

4.2 HT cluster (Vols 2-9 — owned radios)

Vol 2 — Yaesu VX-8DR:

Anchor	Topic
`vol02-about-this-volume`	About / context
`vol02-hardware-tour`	Controls + ports + battery
`vol02-operating-modes`	FM voice + APRS + cross-band
`vol02-programming-workflow`	CHIRP workflow
`vol02-codeplug-backups`	Per-radio codeplug backups
`vol02-field-use`	Antenna pairing + posture
`vol02-tips-and-tricks`	Hidden menus + tricks
`vol02-resources`	Manuals + links

Vol 3 — Baofeng F8HP:

Anchor	Topic
`vol03-hardware-tour`	Controls + ports
`vol03-tx-power-per-band`	TX power by band
`vol03-operating-modes`	FM voice + memory + VFO
`vol03-programming-workflow`	CHIRP + cable + codeplug structure
`vol03-the-software-chirp-is-the-answer`	Why CHIRP is canonical
`vol03-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol03-field-use`	Mobile + posture + antenna upgrades
`vol03-tips-and-tricks`	Hidden menus + service menu
`vol03-tx-outside-ham-bands-dont`	Part 95 type-acceptance trap

Vol 4 — Baofeng UV-B5:

Anchor	Topic
`vol04-hardware-tour`	Controls + ports
`vol04-operating-modes`	FM voice + memory
`vol04-programming-workflow`	CHIRP workflow
`vol04-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol04-field-use`	Posture + antenna upgrades
`vol04-tips-and-tricks`	Hidden menus

Vol 5 — AnyTone D878UVII PLUS:

Anchor	Topic
`vol05-hardware-tour`	Controls + ports + battery
`vol05-operating-modes`	DMR + analog + cross-mode
`vol05-dmr-tier-ii-tdma-two-timeslots-the-primary-mode`	DMR Tier II
`vol05-promiscuous-mode-digital-monitor-the-recon-killer-feature`	Promiscuous mode
`vol05-roaming-auto-switch-to-the-strongest-repeater`	Roaming
`vol05-aprs-analog-afsk-at-1200-baud-or-dmr-data`	APRS over DMR
`vol05-bluetooth-audio-ptt-the-mobile-killer-feature`	Bluetooth PTT
`vol05-channelzonetalkgroup-capacities`	Codeplug capacities
`vol05-programming-workflow`	AnyTone CPS workflow
`vol05-the-codeplug-object-model`	Codeplug object model
`vol05-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol05-field-use`	Antenna pairing + hotspot pairing
`vol05-tips-and-tricks`	Hot keys + custom boot pic
`vol05-custom-boot-pic-the-n0swn-callsign-workflow`	Custom boot pic workflow

Vol 6 — Xiegu X6100:

Anchor	Topic
`vol06-hardware-tour`	Controls + display + ATU + battery
`vol06-internal-automatic-antenna-tuner`	Internal ATU
`vol06-operating-modes`	HF + 6 m bands + modes
`vol06-the-dsp-and-filter-chain`	DSP chain
`vol06-programming-workflow`	Firmware + CAT
`vol06-cat-control-for-digital-modes`	CAT for FT8 / digital
`vol06-cat-command-set`	CAT command set
`vol06-codeplug-backups`	What to back up
`vol06-field-use`	Portable HF posture + antenna
`vol06-antenna-pairing-the-big-two-patterns`	Antenna patterns
`vol06-tips-and-tricks`	ATU efficiency + battery management

Vol 7 — Xiegu XPA125B:

Anchor	Topic
`vol07-hardware-tour`	Front panel + ATU + cooling
`vol07-rf-performance-envelope`	100 W output envelope
`vol07-drive-interface`	X6100 → amp drive path
`vol07-operating-modes`	SSB + CW + AM + FM + digital
`vol07-programming-workflow`	DIP switches + menu items
`vol07-codeplug-backups`	Config backups
`vol07-field-use`	Antenna pairing + posture
`vol07-tips-and-tricks`	ALC + power + fan

Vol 8 — Tecsun PL-880:

Anchor	Topic
`vol08-hardware-tour`	Controls + display + telescoping whip
`vol08-operating-modes`	LW / MW / SW / SSB / FM / air
`vol08-programming-workflow`	Memory presets
`vol08-field-use`	Antenna pairing + travel kit
`vol08-tips-and-tricks`	Hidden feature menu + firmware version
`vol08-enter-the-hidden-feature-menu`	Hidden menu entry sequence

Vol 9 — Midland WR120:

Anchor	Topic
`vol09-hardware-tour`	NWR channels + power + antenna
`vol09-operating-modes`	S.A.M.E. + all-hazards + manual
`vol09-s.a.m.e.-mode-primary`	S.A.M.E. mode
`vol09-event-filter-the-cross-mode-overlay`	Event filter
`vol09-programming-workflow`	Panel-only config
`vol09-codeplug-backups`	Paper-based backup
`vol09-field-use`	Placement + antenna upgrades
`vol09-tips-and-tricks`	FIPS lookup + multi-county + battery rotation

4.3 Scanner cluster (Vols 10-17 — Uniden lineup)

Vol 10 — Uniden SDS100:

Anchor	Topic
`vol10-hardware-tour`	Controls + connectors + GPS + display
`vol10-operating-modes`	RF coverage + modulation + favorites
`vol10-favorites-lists-the-new-scan-list-architecture`	Favorites architecture
`vol10-modulation-support`	P25 / DMR / NXDN support
`vol10-lsm-and-the-simulcast-story`	LSM + simulcast
`vol10-the-legal-envelope-scanner-edition`	RX-only legal envelope
`vol10-gps-based-site-enabledisable`	GPS site selection
`vol10-discovery-and-close-call-modes`	Discovery + Close Call
`vol10-programming-workflow`	ProScan vs Sentinel
`vol10-radioreference-the-database`	RadioReference integration
`vol10-codeplug-structure-on-the-sd-card`	SD-card structure
`vol10-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol10-field-use`	Posture + antenna + battery

Vol 11 — Uniden SDS200:

Anchor	Topic
`vol11-hardware-tour`	Controls + connectors (BNC + USB)
`vol11-operating-modes`	Base/mobile-flavored mode coverage
`vol11-programming-workflow`	ProScan + Sentinel (web-server head)
`vol11-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol11-field-use`	Base posture + discone pairing
`vol11-tips-and-tricks`	Remote web-server + recording

Vol 12 — Uniden BCD536HP:

Anchor	Topic
`vol12-hardware-tour`	Mid base/mobile controls
`vol12-operating-modes`	Modulation + favorites + P25 Phase I/II
`vol12-programming-workflow`	Sentinel + ProScan
`vol12-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol12-field-use`	Posture + antenna
`vol12-tips-and-tricks`	Tuning + display modes

Vol 13 — Uniden BCD396XT:

Anchor	Topic
`vol13-hardware-tour`	Mid HT controls + BP2000
`vol13-operating-modes`	Trunk Tracker IV
`vol13-programming-workflow`	FreeScan + ProScan
`vol13-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol13-field-use`	Portable backup posture
`vol13-tips-and-tricks`	18650 retrofit + scan-list tuning

Vol 14 — Uniden BC246T:

Anchor	Topic
`vol14-hardware-tour`	Trunk Tracker III legacy
`vol14-operating-modes`	Type II + EDACS + LTR analog
`vol14-programming-workflow`	FreeScan + RS-232
`vol14-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol14-field-use`	Archival posture
`vol14-tips-and-tricks`	RS-232 PC connection tricks

Vol 15 — Uniden BC350A:

Anchor	Topic
`vol15-hardware-tour`	Legacy desktop analog
`vol15-operating-modes`	Analog FM 30-512 MHz
`vol15-programming-workflow`	Panel-only
`vol15-codeplug-backups`	Paper-based
`vol15-field-use`	Desktop archival

Vol 16 — Uniden BC355N:

Anchor	Topic
`vol16-hardware-tour`	Compact mobile NASCAR-style
`vol16-operating-modes`	Analog FM 25-960 MHz
`vol16-programming-workflow`	Panel + USB mass storage
`vol16-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol16-field-use`	Vehicle backup posture

Vol 17 — Uniden Homepatrol:

Anchor	Topic
`vol17-hardware-tour`	HP-1 vs HP-2 (legacy zip-code)
`vol17-operating-modes`	Zip-code-programmable digital scanning
`vol17-programming-workflow`	Sentinel (HP-2)
`vol17-codeplug-backups`	Backup discipline
`vol17-field-use`	Archival posture

4.4 Hotspot cluster (Vols 18-19)

Vol 18 — SkyBridge Plus:

Anchor	Topic
`vol18-hardware-tour`	BridgeCom commercial DMR hotspot
`vol18-operating-modes`	DMR + cross-mode (D-Star / YSF)
`vol18-dmr-the-primary-mode-tier-i-and-tier-ii`	DMR primary mode
`vol18-cross-mode-dmr-to-ysf-dmr-to-d-star-via-dmrgateway`	Cross-mode bridging
`vol18-hotspot-configuration-workflow`	First-config workflow
`vol18-onboarding-the-wi-fi-captive-portal-trick`	Wi-Fi onboarding
`vol18-firmware-updates`	BridgeCom support portal cadence
`vol18-network-config-backups`	Config backup discipline
`vol18-network-use`	TG choice + antenna placement
`vol18-tips-and-tricks`	Frequency coordination + Wi-Fi gotchas

Vol 19 — DIY WPSD HotSpot:

Anchor	Topic
`vol19-hardware-tour`	Pi + MMDVM hat + Nextion
`vol19-raspberry-pi-compute-host`	Pi 4B (suspected)
`vol19-mmdvm-hat-radio-subsystem`	Duplex MMDVM hat
`vol19-nextion-display-operator-hmi`	Nextion HMI
`vol19-operating-modes`	DMR / D-Star / YSF / NXDN / P25 / M17
`vol19-duplex-vs-simplex-the-load-bearing-difference`	Duplex vs simplex
`vol19-hotspot-configuration-workflow`	First-config workflow
`vol19-step-1-flash-wpsd-to-the-sd-card`	Step 1 — flash image
`vol19-step-3-wpsd-dashboard-onboarding`	Step 3 — dashboard onboarding
`vol19-step-4-nextion-display-configuration`	Step 4 — Nextion config
`vol19-network-config-backups`	Config backup discipline
`vol19-what-to-not-publish`	Don’t-publish list
`vol19-network-use`	TG routing + antenna
`vol19-tips-and-tricks`	Pi-Star → WPSD migration + screen-burn
`vol19-the-pi-star-wpsd-migration-was-painless`	Migration story

4.5 Cross-cutting cluster (Vols 20-22)

Vol 20 — DMR Network Architecture:

Anchor	Topic
`vol20-the-three-big-dmr-networks`	Three networks overview
`vol20-brandmeister-bm-the-de-facto-standard`	BrandMeister
`vol20-tgif-network-community-scale-easier-hotspot-setup`	TGIF
`vol20-w0chp-pistar-dash-wpsd-fork-dashboard-and-a-routing-layer`	WPSD
`vol20-comparison-at-a-glance`	Three-network comparison
`vol20-talkgroups-reflectors-and-routing`	TG / reflector / routing
`vol20-the-talkgroup-object`	TG object model
`vol20-static-vs-dynamic-talkgroups`	Static vs dynamic
`vol20-slots-dmr-tier-ii-is-two-slot-tdma`	Slots / TDMA
`vol20-color-codes`	Color codes
`vol20-the-routing-path-end-to-end`	End-to-end routing
`vol20-codeplug-design-for-dmr`	DMR codeplug design
`vol20-the-object-hierarchy`	Codeplug object hierarchy
`vol20-the-starter-codeplug-then-customize-workflow`	Starter codeplug workflow
`vol20-the-test-transmission-tg-9990-parrot`	TG 9990 parrot test
`vol20-hotspot-vs-repeater`	Hotspot vs repeater
`vol20-the-2026-reality-most-amateurs-use-hotspots`	2026 hotspot dominance
`vol20-network-etiquette-and-posture`	Etiquette + posture
`vol20-identify-properly-part-97.119`	§97.119 identification
`vol20-encryption-dont`	Encryption posture
`vol20-common-gotchas`	Gotcha catalog
`vol20-color-code-mismatch`	CC mismatch troubleshoot
`vol20-wrong-slot`	Slot troubleshoot
`vol20-hotspot-frequency-conflict-with-local-repeater`	Frequency coordination

Vol 21 — Programming Software Landscape:

Anchor	Topic
`vol21-proscan-uniden-cps`	ProScan
`vol21-the-web-server-remote-control`	ProScan web-server head
`vol21-radioreference-subscription-integration`	RadioReference integration
`vol21-sentinel-uniden-cps`	Sentinel
`vol21-the-profile.dat-workflow`	Profile.dat workflow
`vol21-discovery-mode-deep-dive`	Discovery mode
`vol21-the-sentinel-vs.-proscan-decision`	Sentinel vs ProScan
`vol21-freescan`	FreeScan
`vol21-anytone-cps`	AnyTone CPS
`vol21-the-codeplug-schema-why-dmr-is-hard`	DMR codeplug schema
`vol21-the-proprietary-programming-cable`	AnyTone cable
`vol21-wfview`	wfView
`vol21-chirp`	CHIRP
`vol21-the-driver-per-radio-architecture`	CHIRP driver-per-radio
`vol21-codeplug-versioning`	Versioning discipline
`vol21-always-back-up-before-you-edit`	Always-back-up rule
`vol21-the-filename-convention`	Filename convention
`vol21-the-i-bricked-my-radio-recovery-path`	I-bricked-my-radio recovery

Vol 22 — Frequency Planning & License Envelope:

Anchor	Topic
`vol22-part-97-amateur`	Part 97 amateur
`vol22-the-band-table-extra-privileges-by-allocation`	Band table
`vol22-the-mode-sub-band-structure`	Mode sub-bands
`vol22-identification-97.119`	§97.119 identification
`vol22-prohibited-modes-and-content-97.113`	§97.113 prohibitions
`vol22-emergency-operations-97.401-407`	Emergency operations
`vol22-the-benchs-tx-capable-radios-and-what-they-cover`	Per-radio TX capability map
`vol22-part-95`	Part 95 (GMRS/FRS/MURS/CB)
`vol22-the-five-part-95-sub-services`	Part 95 sub-services
`vol22-the-type-acceptance-trap`	Type-acceptance trap
`vol22-gmrs-specifics-the-most-interesting-part-95-sub-service`	GMRS specifics
`vol22-part-90-lmr`	Part 90 LMR
`vol22-the-trunked-system-architecture-overview`	Trunked LMR overview
`vol22-encrypted-part-90-traffic-the-ecpa-boundary`	ECPA boundary
`vol22-part-22-cellular`	Part 22 cellular
`vol22-the-1993-cellular-blockout`	1993 cellular blockout
`vol22-the-ecpa-boundary-receiving-versus-intercepting`	ECPA receive-vs-intercept
`vol22-part-87-aero`	Part 87 aero
`vol22-part-80-marine`	Part 80 marine + NOAA WX
`vol22-noaa-weather-radio-nwr`	NWR coverage
`vol22-receive-only-etiquette`	Receive-only etiquette
`vol22-monitoring-vs-interception-the-legal-distinction`	Monitoring vs intercepting
`vol22-license-envelope-summary`	License envelope summary table

4.6 Test equipment + WiPhone (Vols 23-24)

Vol 23 — Test Equipment:

Anchor	Topic
`vol23-gigatronics-signal-generators`	Gigatronics 6060A/6062A
`vol23-spec-sheet-the-numbers-that-matter-for-radio-work`	Spec sheet
`vol23-front-panel-gpib-control-architecture`	GPIB control
`vol23-receiver-alignment-use-case-the-canonical-application`	Receiver alignment use case
`vol23-mfj-419-cw-elmer`	MFJ-419 CW Elmer
`vol23-the-farnsworth-method-and-why-its-the-right-default`	Farnsworth method
`vol23-usb-text-mode-the-killer-feature-for-serious-practice`	USB text mode
`vol23-mfj-422d-keyer-paddle`	MFJ-422D keyer
`vol23-iambic-keyer-paddle-integration`	Iambic integration
`vol23-plugging-into-hf-rig-which-x6100-jack-what-cable`	X6100 jack + cable
`vol23-radio-city-products-665-vtvm`	RCP-665 VTVM
`vol23-why-vtvm-matters-high-z-input-impedance-in-a-dmm-era`	Why VTVM matters
`vol23-functional-spec`	RCP-665 functional spec
`vol23-bench-discipline`	Bench discipline notes

Vol 24 — WiPhone:

Anchor	Topic
`vol24-hardware-tour`	WiPhone hardware
`vol24-sip-voip-configuration`	SIP/VoIP config
`vol24-daughter-board-design`	Daughter-board (mod kit)
`vol24-battery-charging`	Battery + charging
`vol24-firmware-updates`	Firmware updates
`vol24-use-case-fit`	Use-case fit

4.7 This closeout (Vol 25)

Anchor	Topic
`vol25-about-this-volume`	About this volume
`vol25-cheatsheets`	Cheatsheets section
`vol25-lineup-at-a-glance`	Lineup-at-a-glance card
`vol25-dmr-talkgroup-quick-reference`	DMR talkgroup quick-ref
`vol25-codeplug-edit-workflow`	Codeplug-edit workflow
`vol25-frequency-by-service-lookup`	Frequency-by-service lookup
`vol25-same-event-codes`	S.A.M.E. event codes
`vol25-ctcss-dcs-tones`	CTCSS / DCS tone tables
`vol25-hotspot-quick-start`	Hotspot quick-start
`vol25-trunking-identification`	Trunking identification flowchart
`vol25-cable-connector-reference`	Cable + connector cross-reference
`vol25-pre-flight-checklist`	Pre-flight checklist
`vol25-a-z-glossary`	A-Z glossary
`vol25-canonical-anchor-index`	Canonical anchor index (this section)
`vol25-how-to-navigate`	How to navigate the series
`vol25-resources`	Resources

5. How to navigate this series {#how-to-navigate}

A decision-tree for a reader new to the 25-volume series. Each entry maps a use case to a starting point.

“I want to monitor local public-safety / PD / FD / EMS” → Start with Vol 12 (BCD536HP) — Jeff’s primary daily-driver scanner — and Vol 22 §4 (Part 90 LMR) for the regulatory framing. If you’re mobile, Vol 16 (BC355N) is the vehicle backup. If you want flagship-quality (TrueIQ baseband, RadioReference live integration, simulcast LSM), Vol 11 (SDS200) is the base unit and Vol 10 (SDS100) is the handheld version of the same architecture. The trunking-identification flowchart at §2.8 above helps when you’re tuning across an unknown control channel and need to figure out what kind of system you’re hearing.

“I want to operate amateur DMR” → Three vols carry the load. Vol 5 (AnyTone D878UVII) is the radio side — the codeplug architecture, the channel/zone/talkgroup model, the AnyTone CPS workflow. Vol 20 (DMR Network Architecture) is the network side — BrandMeister + TGIF + WPSD, talkgroup routing, slots, color codes, etiquette. Then pick a hotspot: Vol 19 (DIY WPSD HotSpot) for the configurable Pi-based build (Jeff’s primary) or Vol 18 (SkyBridge Plus) for the turnkey commercial appliance. The DMR talkgroup quick-reference card at §2.2 above is the laminate-ready cheatsheet once you have the conceptual model.

“I want HF SSB voice (DX, contests, ragchew)” → Vol 6 (Xiegu X6100) is the rig — the SDR architecture, the internal ATU, the portable posture for POTA/SOTA. Vol 7 (Xiegu XPA125B) is the 100 W HF amplifier when the X6100’s QRP output isn’t enough. The antenna pairing is in Antennas Vol 29 (Use-case Matrix) and Antennas Vol 6 (Single-band Dipoles) (the canonical 40-meter dipole build). The license-side framing for what bands and modes are authorized lives in Vol 22 §2 (Part 97 amateur).

“I want amateur VHF/UHF FM voice” → Three radios, picked by posture. Vol 5 (AnyTone D878UVII) for the best receive audio + DMR capability. Vol 2 (Yaesu VX-8DR) for the most rugged HT (IPX7-rated, quad-band, APRS-capable, GPS-optional — the “go-bag radio”). Vol 3 (Baofeng F8HP) for the cheap-but-functional second/third HT (the F8HP is the 8 W variant of the UV-5R family). Vol 4 (Baofeng UV-B5) is the legacy second-tier Baofeng.

“I want APRS (position beacons, messaging)” → Vol 2 (Yaesu VX-8DR) — the internal AFSK TNC + optional GPS module is the only APRS-native HT in the lineup. Cross-link to the APRS-over-DMR option in Vol 5 §3.7 (TG 5057 BrandMeister gateway).

“I want shortwave listening (SWL — broadcast + utility)” → Vol 8 (Tecsun PL-880) is the dedicated portable. Vol 6 (X6100) is the SDR-flexibility alternative if you want spectrum + waterfall display and don’t mind running off a benchtop.

“I want NOAA weather alerts” → Vol 9 (Midland WR120). S.A.M.E.-coded county-selective alerting; the S.A.M.E. event code reference at §2.5 above is the laminate card. Cross-link to Vol 22 §7 (Part 80 marine + NOAA WX).

“I’m new to the bench and want the one-page summary” → §2.1 above is the lineup-at-a-glance card; print it. Vol 1 (Overview) is the long-form orientation. The pre-flight checklist at §2.10 above is the before-you-key reminder.

“I’m reading a sibling deep dive in ../Hack Tools/ and it cross-links here” — the anchor it links to lives in §4 above. All anchors are frozen — they don’t change when the source markdown is edited (the builder regenerates them stably from the H2 headings). Use the consolidated HTML at 03-outputs/Scanners_and_Radios_Complete.html for in-browser anchor navigation; use the per-volume markdown sources in 02-inputs/volume_sources/ for inline editing.

“I’m setting up the bench from scratch and want the most common gotchas” — read these three sections, in order:

Vol 21 §8 (Codeplug versioning) — the discipline that prevents the most common single-failure mode (bricked codeplug after firmware update).
Vol 20 §7 (Common gotchas) — the DMR-specific 8-row gotcha catalog.
Vol 22 §3.2 (Type-acceptance trap) — why a Baofeng F8HP can electrically TX into GMRS but isn’t legal to do so.

6. Resources {#resources}

Project-internal references:

Project CLAUDE.md: ../../CLAUDE.md (voice, naming, build workflow, project layout)
Project design spec: ../../docs/superpowers/specs/2026-05-24-scanners-and-radios-design.md
Consolidated HTML output: ../../03-outputs/Scanners_and_Radios_Complete.html
Shared HTML builder: ../../../Hack Tools/_shared/build/build_single_html.py
Shared deep-dive protocol: ../../../Hack Tools/_shared/deep_dive_protocol.md
MY_GEAR inventory: ../../../Hack Tools/MY_GEAR/inventory.yaml

Sibling Hack Tools cross-references:

Antennas closeout (pattern reference): ../../../Hack Tools/Antennas/02-inputs/volume_sources/vol33.md
Antennas Vol 29 (Use-case Matrix — per-radio antenna picks): ../../../Hack Tools/Antennas/02-inputs/volume_sources/vol29.md
Antennas Vol 31 (Regulatory & RF Safety — MPE / OET-65 / Part 15): ../../../Hack Tools/Antennas/02-inputs/volume_sources/vol31.md
Hacker Tradecraft closeout (glossary depth pattern): ../../../Hack Tools/Hacker Tradecraft/02-inputs/volume_sources/vol21.md
Hack Tools top-level CLAUDE.md: ../../../Hack Tools/CLAUDE.md

External regulatory references:

FCC eCFR (current text of all Parts): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47
FCC Part 97 (Amateur Radio Service): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-97
FCC Part 95 (Personal Radio Services): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95
FCC Part 90 (Private Land Mobile): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-90
FCC Part 22 (Public Mobile Services): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-22
FCC Part 87 (Aviation Services): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-87
FCC Part 80 (Maritime Services): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-80
FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS — license lookup): https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchLicense.jsp
FCC OET Bulletin 65 (RF safety / MPE compliance): https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Documents/bulletins/oet65/oet65.pdf
18 USC §2511 (ECPA — interception of communications): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2511

Amateur radio organizations + databases:

ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay League): https://www.arrl.org
ARRL US Amateur Bands chart (laminate-for-shack): https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Hambands_color.pdf
ARRL Third-party traffic agreements (per-country): https://www.arrl.org/third-party-operating-agreements
NCVEC (license exam coordinators): https://www.ncvec.org/
RadioReference (frequency database): https://www.radioreference.com
RepeaterBook (amateur repeater database): https://www.repeaterbook.com
radioid.net (DMR ID registration + database): https://www.radioid.net

DMR networks + tooling:

BrandMeister (dashboard, Self-Care, API): https://brandmeister.network
TGIF Network (dashboard, talkgroup request form): https://tgif.network
W0CHP / WPSD project: https://w0chp.radio
WPSD downloads + community: https://wpsd.radio
DMR Brandmeister Wiki (TG numbering plan + master list): https://wiki.brandmeister.network

Scanner + programming community:

ProScan (Bill Davis, W6BD): https://www.proscan.org
Uniden Sentinel + firmware: https://www.uniden.com
CHIRP (open-source CPS): https://chirpmyradio.com
FreeScan (ARC/Butel — older Uniden support): http://www.butel.nl/freescan

Bench instrumentation references:

Gigatronics legacy support archive (6060A/6062A docs): TBD — Gigatronics was acquired in 2017 by Spirent; legacy docs scattered across user archives + the AN-NL bulletin board
MFJ Enterprises (closed mid-2024; parts archive at): TBD — DX Engineering and Ham Radio Outlet partial inventories of MFJ parts remain
The vintage VTVM community (RCP-665 era): https://www.qsl.net/k7smk/vtvm.htm

Local Michigan / SE Michigan resources:

Michigan Area Repeater Council (MARC — 2 m / 70 cm / 1.25 m / 33 cm frequency coordination): https://www.michiganbeerstein.org/marc/
Wayne County RACES (local emergency-management coordination): TBD — Jeff to verify enrollment + URL
NWR Detroit/Pontiac WX1 162.550 (Jeff’s primary NWR channel): NWR Detroit/Pontiac KZZ-46 covers SE Michigan

The MyWebsite consumer surface (future):

Fubsy Polymath website (planned “radios” subdomain): https://fubsypoly.com
The Hack Tools “hacking” subdomain (sibling at the same site): https://fubsypoly.com/hacking (planned)
The “radios” subdomain will ingest this project’s vol{N}.md source files via a sync script paralleling MyWebssite/packages/content-utils/src/sync-hacking.ts. The frozen vol{NN}-<slug> anchors in §4 above are the canonical link targets that the ingested markdown will preserve.

This closeout’s pattern references:

Antennas Vol 33 — same author, same voice, 33-volume closeout for the Antennas sub-project: ../../../Hack Tools/Antennas/02-inputs/volume_sources/vol33.md
Hacker Tradecraft Vol 21 — denser glossary pattern, larger anchor-index: ../../../Hack Tools/Hacker Tradecraft/02-inputs/volume_sources/vol21.md

Cheatsheet + Glossary + Canonical Anchor Index

Contents