Programming the BAOFENG AR-5RM with CHIRP on Ubuntu Linux

FIELD NOTE
Type: Configuration
Related Project: Ham Radio
System Status: Operational backup
Date / Time: Documentation finalized July 15, 2026; Arizona time; working CHIRP build dated April 10, 2026
Location / Environment: Ham Shack; Ubuntu 26.04 LTS primary workstation
Equipment / Software: BAOFENG AR-5RM handheld; two-pin USB programming cable; Ubuntu 26.04 LTS; CHIRP 20260410 Python 3 wheel
Outcome: CHIRP downloaded the AR-5RM configuration, preserved a working radio image, accepted edited memory data, and uploaded the revised configuration back to the radio.
Last Verified: July 15, 2026

Summary

I programmed the BAOFENG AR-5RM from Ubuntu 26.04 LTS using CHIRP and a USB programming cable. The reliable workflow was to install the known-working CHIRP 20260410 wheel, download the existing radio image first, save that image as a baseline, make controlled changes, and upload the edited image back to the same radio.

The AR-5RM is not one of the station’s primary radios. It is retained as a backup handheld and as a possible family emergency radio when its use is legally permitted. This note covers only the Linux programming workflow and basic radio setup; frequency selection, repeater research, channel naming, and memory organization belong in a separate Field Note.

Download from the radio before editing anything. The radio image is the recovery baseline; a CSV file is not a substitute for the first successful clone.

Objective

Establish a repeatable Linux-native method for programming the AR-5RM on the primary Ubuntu workstation in the Ham Shack. Success meant Ubuntu detected the cable, CHIRP selected the correct radio driver, the existing configuration could be saved, and an edited image could be returned to the radio without losing communication.

Role in the Ham Shack

Primary role: Backup analog VHF/UHF handheld.
Secondary role: Family emergency communications when use is legally permitted.
Programming platform: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS in the Ham Shack.
Programming method: CHIRP clone image over a two-pin USB serial cable.
Not covered here: The final frequency list, memory order, and channel naming plan.

Tested Baseline

Component	Working value
Radio	BAOFENG AR-5RM
Operating system	Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
Application	CHIRP 20260410
Package	`chirp-20260410-py3-none-any.whl`
Distributed archive	`chirp-20260410-py3-none-any.zip`
Programming interface	USB serial cable with the two-pin radio connector
CHIRP vendor selection	Baofeng
CHIRP model selection	5RM
Transfer method	Clone-mode download, edit, and upload

The CHIRP supported-radio list maps the Baofeng AR-5RM to the Baofeng 5RM driver. The two-pin connector is shared by many radios, but the programming protocol is not.

Part 1: Install the Known-Working CHIRP Build

The exact wheel used for this radio is preserved on Fallback Engineering as a ZIP archive:

CHIRP 20260410 Python 3 wheel archive

1. Install Ubuntu dependencies

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-wxgtk4.0 pipx unzip

2. Extract the wheel

Run the command from the directory containing the downloaded archive:

unzip chirp-20260410-py3-none-any.zip

The extracted file should be:

chirp-20260410-py3-none-any.whl

3. Install CHIRP with pipx

pipx install --system-site-packages ./chirp-20260410-py3-none-any.whl

The --system-site-packages flag allows the isolated CHIRP environment to use Ubuntu’s packaged wxPython libraries. Do not install CHIRP into the system Python with sudo pip.

4. Launch CHIRP

~/.local/bin/chirp

CHIRP may offer to create a desktop entry on the first launch. Accepting it adds the program to Ubuntu’s application menu.

Part 2: Connect the Radio

Turn the AR-5RM off.
Seat both programming plugs fully in the radio’s accessory jacks.
Connect the USB end of the cable to the Ubuntu workstation.
Turn the radio on.
Do not press PTT or operate the radio while a clone transfer is running.

Check for the serial device after connecting the cable:

ls /dev/ttyUSB* /dev/ttyACM* 2>/dev/null

The working cable will normally appear as a device such as /dev/ttyUSB0. The exact device number may change when other USB serial hardware is attached.

Serial-port permissions

If CHIRP reports an access-denied or permission error, use the group that owns the actual serial device:

sudo usermod -a -G $(stat -c %G /dev/ttyUSB0) "$USER"

Replace the device path when the cable is not assigned to /dev/ttyUSB0. Log out and back in after changing group membership, then verify it:

groups "$USER"

Part 3: Download the Radio Image

Open Radio → Download From Radio.
Select the detected serial port.
Select Vendor: Baofeng.
Select Model: 5RM.
Start the download and leave the radio and cable alone until cloning completes.
Save the untouched image immediately.

Use a filename that identifies the radio, purpose, and date. For example:

AR-5RM-baseline-YYYY-MM-DD.img

That first image is the rollback point. Keep it unchanged.

Part 4: Review Basic Radio Setup

CHIRP exposes memory channels and radio-wide settings. The original work concentrated on the memory workflow and did not preserve every value from the Settings tab, so the safest default is to retain the downloaded values unless a setting has a defined operational purpose.

Setting area	What to verify
Squelch	Use a deliberate value that does not unnecessarily hide weak signals.
Transmit time-out timer	Use a reasonable limit to stop an accidental stuck transmission.
Battery saver	Confirm it matches normal handheld use.
VOX	Leave disabled unless hands-free transmission is deliberately required.
Dual watch / TDR	Confirm whether both displayed frequencies should be monitored.
Scan resume	Verify what happens after the radio receives a signal while scanning.
Display A and B	Select channel name, frequency, or channel number according to the operating workflow.
Voice prompts and key beep	Set them for the room, vehicle, or field environment.
Roger beep and alarm functions	Confirm they are not enabled unintentionally.
Power-on message	Use a useful station identifier when supported, or preserve the existing value.

Part 5: Edit Without Losing the Baseline

Use Save As to create a working copy of the downloaded image.
Edit the working copy, not the untouched baseline.
Keep each channel’s receive frequency, duplex direction, offset, tone mode, tone value, bandwidth, power, name, and scan behavior together as one record.
Save the working image before uploading it.
Use CSV only as a portable memory-channel interchange format.

A CSV file cannot replace the radio-specific clone image. Open or download an AR-5RM image first, then import or paste channel data into that image.

Part 6: Upload and Verify

Confirm the edited AR-5RM image is the active CHIRP tab.
Confirm the cable is still firmly seated.
Open Radio → Upload To Radio.
Select the same serial port used for the download.
Start the upload and do not touch the radio until the transfer completes.
Power-cycle the radio after CHIRP finishes.
Check several edited memories, names, tone settings, and transmit behavior.
Keep the final image as the recovery copy for that configuration.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Check
No serial port appears	Reconnect the cable, try another USB port, and inspect the available serial devices.
Permission denied	Add the user to the group that owns the actual serial device, then log out and back in.
Radio does not respond	Confirm the radio is powered on and both plugs are fully seated.
Clone starts and fails	Do not move the cable; power-cycle the radio and retry.
Wrong or unsupported model	Use Baofeng → 5RM for the AR-5RM.
CSV opens but will not upload	Import it into a downloaded AR-5RM image first.
Radio behaves unexpectedly after upload	Compare the edited image with the untouched baseline and restore the known-working image when necessary.

Observations and Results

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS handled the programming cable as a standard USB serial device.
CHIRP 20260410 provided a working Linux-native editor for the AR-5RM.
The supported model selection was Baofeng 5RM.
The successful process depended on downloading from the radio before importing memory data.
The native CHIRP image preserved radio-specific settings that a generic CSV does not contain.
The edited memory image uploaded successfully to the radio.

What Failed or Remains Uncertain

The programming cable brand and USB-to-serial chipset were not recorded.
The original work did not preserve a complete before-and-after list of radio-wide settings.
This note does not validate any specific frequency, repeater, tone, or legal transmit authorization.

Conclusion

The BAOFENG AR-5RM can be programmed cleanly from the Ham Shack’s Ubuntu 26.04 LTS workstation using CHIRP 20260410 and a USB serial cable. The durable workflow is straightforward: install the preserved wheel with pipx, select Baofeng 5RM, download first, preserve the baseline image, edit a copy, upload it, and verify the result on the radio.

The software is not the dangerous part. The dangerous part is making bulk changes without a recovery image and then pretending the factory reset button is a backup strategy.

Next Actions

Create a separate Field Note for the AR-5RM channel plan, memory organization, and naming conventions.
Create a separate reference for selecting and verifying repeaters, simplex channels, receive-only services, and regional travel frequencies.
Record the cable chipset and the complete Settings-tab baseline during the next full reprogramming session.