RadioFoundry

Moving from Stock DM-32UV Firmware

This chapter is for a Baofeng DM-32UV running Baofeng's stock firmware. One program, dm32_migrate.py, does the whole move over the programming cable:

  1. It reads your codeplug from the radio: channels, zones, contacts, RX group lists, your DMR ID.
  2. It flashes RadioFoundry through the radio's own bootloader (update mode).
  3. It writes the codeplug back, plus the DMR ID (callsign) database.

The web installer and the Codeplug Editor do the same in two steps (Installing). Use this program to do all of it in one run. What has been checked on the radio is in the Radio reference, and the bring-up checklist lists what is open. Keep Baofeng's firmware file (DM32.01.01.049.bin), so you can go back to stock.

RadioFoundry never touches the bootloader, so update mode always works. It never touches the data flash below 7 MB either. The stock codeplug, the factory calibration and the stock contact database live there. Going back to stock gives you your old codeplug as it was.

What you need

Item Notes
Python 3.8 or newer macOS, Linux and Windows. Tested on files only
qdmr 0.15 or newer Brings the dmrconf command that reads the stock radio and converts the codeplug. macOS: brew install qdmr. Linux: your distribution's qdmr package. Windows: the installer from dm3mat.darc.de/qdmr
pip install pyserial For the cable
The RadioFoundry image rfoundry_dm32_codec.bin with the codec merged in, from the tester kit or your own build (bring-up checklist, step 0). An image without the codec works with --codec-from DM32.01.01.049.bin
The programming cable The DM-32's USB-serial cable (CH340, FTDI or CP210x). The radio has no USB of its own: the stock CPS, the bootloader and RadioFoundry all use this cable

A tester kit (dm32_migrate.py package) is one folder with the scripts, their helpers, the image, a README.txt and a requirements.txt.

Run it

Look at every step first. This reads only files and touches nothing:

python3 dm32_migrate.py all --image rfoundry_dm32_codec.bin --dry-run

Then run it for real. With one USB-serial cable plugged in, the program finds it. Otherwise add --port /dev/ttyUSB0 (Linux), --port /dev/cu.usbserial-XXXX (macOS) or --port COM5 (Windows):

python3 dm32_migrate.py all --image rfoundry_dm32_codec.bin

The program asks before each step that needs you at the radio:

Step You do The program does
0. Check nothing Checks dmrconf, pyserial, the cable and the image. If something is missing, it stops before it touches the radio
1. Backup Switch the radio on normally, cable in Reads the codeplug (backup-stock.dfu, backup-stock.yaml). Converts it for RadioFoundry and shows what fits and what doesn't (conversion-report.txt)
2. Flash Radio off. Hold PTT and SK1 (the side key just below PTT), switch on. The green LED lights Asks once more, then writes RadioFoundry. The radio erases its old firmware first, which takes up to 15 s
3. Settings area Wait for the RadioFoundry Home screen Checks the radio runs RadioFoundry. If stock data sits where RadioFoundry keeps its settings, it asks, saves that area to a file, and gives it to RadioFoundry
3b. Data flash backup nothing Reads the stock codeplug and calibration area (800 KB, about 2 minutes) into the work directory. --flash-backup full saves all 16 MB (about 30 minutes), none skips it
4. Codeplug nothing Saves what was in RadioFoundry's codeplug area, writes the codeplug, waits for the restart, reads it back and compares
5. ID database nothing Writes the DMR ID database. A large one takes many minutes over the cable

It keeps everything in ~/RadioFoundry-DM32-migration/<date-time>/ and never deletes those files. If a step fails, it stops and says why. When the failure comes after the flash, it prints the command that continues:

python3 dm32_migrate.py restore --workdir ~/RadioFoundry-DM32-migration/20261011-101500

Your codeplug from a file

--from takes a codeplug saved with qdmr from the stock radio. It can be a .dfu (dmrconf read --radio dm32uv) or a .yaml. dm32_migrate.py import --from FILE only converts and checks, with no radio needed. Files from Baofeng's own CPS aren't supported here. Read the radio with qdmr and save the codeplug from there.

What fits

RadioFoundry holds 1024 channels, 68 zones of 80 channels, 1024 contacts and 76 RX group lists, with names of up to 16 characters. The stock radio holds more. If yours has more, the program lists what would be left out (the last ones). It asks before it flashes. To choose yourself, open backup-stock.yaml in qdmr and delete what you don't need. Save it, and run again with --from on the saved file.

The program also tidies the RX group lists: lists that hold only the channel's own talkgroup go (RadioFoundry always hears the talkgroup a channel talks to), as do empty, duplicate and unused ones. Every channel keeps its talkgroup. --no-cleanup keeps the lists as they are.

conversion-report.txt lists everything that changes: counts before and after, names that get shortened, channels outside 136-174 and 400-480 MHz, and the parts of the codeplug RadioFoundry doesn't use. These parts aren't carried over: the stock menu, key and display settings, scan lists, roaming, GPS and APRS settings, encryption keys and the stock contact database. RadioFoundry uses the parts of the codeplug listed in Programming the radio.

The DMR ID database

By default, dmrconf downloads the public DMR user database and picks the IDs nearest yours (internet needed). The radio holds about 300,000 records. When the list is longer, the tool keeps the ones nearest your ID. --users FILE takes radioid.net's user.csv instead. Options: --db-limit N, --id-prefix, --no-db.

Flashing only

serial_loader.py flashes any image without touching the codeplug:

python3 serial_loader.py --model dm32 rfoundry_dm32_codec.bin   # a raw image (a _BFUV32.bin file needs no --model)
python3 serial_loader.py --list-ports                       # the cables it sees

Going back to stock

Baofeng's firmware file goes through the same bootloader:

python3 serial_loader.py --stock DM32.01.01.049.bin

The stock codeplug was never overwritten, so the radio comes back with it. If it doesn't, write backup-stock.dfu with qdmr (dmrconf write --radio dm32uv). RadioFoundry's own data stays at 7 MB and up. The stock firmware may later reuse that space.

Limits and notes

  • If the radio doesn't start after a flash, remove and refit the battery. Update mode still works.
  • The program never changes the radio's calibration.
  • Linux: add yourself to the dialout group for the cable.
  • Windows: install the cable's driver (CH340 or FTDI) first. Untested.

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