1

TIDRADIO TD-H3 User Manual

for nicFW V2 custom firmware
Currently Written for nicFW V2.52.11X
Use Programmer V2.52.07
(rev 3, updated April 3, 2025)
by Dustin Hawkes

3
nicFW V2 is a custom firmware written by Marcus Dudley for the TIDRADIO TD-H3. This manual is
an effort to create a single point of reference for configuring and using the TIDRADIO TD-H3 running

-H
nicFW V2.51.11 custom firmware. It is composed of information gathered from the facebook groups
nicFW Support and nicFW Development as well as some YouTube videos.

TD
nicFW may damage your radio!!! Use at your own risk!

Along with nicFW V2, Marcus has also created a Windows based software called ‘nicFW
Programmer’ that is used for ‘Tuning’ the radio’s power output, setting a ‘Band Plan,’ configuring radio
settings, saving channels (memory banks) for the 198 available slots on the radio, managing channel
groups, setting ‘Scan Presets’, and customizing the radio display and button layout with what is called
r
‘Skinning’, among a few other things.
fo

Disclaimer: Much of the content in this document has been obtained from the above mentioned
Facebook groups from various posts and comments. A majority of the information has come from
Marcus’ posts and comments, but some information has been taken from the posts and comments of
W

others. Many explanations in this document have been reworded by me, but some direct quotes
have been preserved and attributed to the author. Forgive me if I have missed attributing you for your
comments.
cF
ni
 2

3
-H
TD
r
fo
W
cF
ni

Left and Right LED Indicators

The Left LED indicates squelch is open, and the Right LED means a signal is present.
During scanning, the Left LED blinks when the end of the scan range is reached and
the scan starts over. The Right LED still indicates a signal is present when scanning.
 3

Getting Started:
1.​ Join the facebook groups nicFW Support and nicFW Development if they still exist. Marcus
has removed all firmware and software from these groups and has moved to Patreon. Read
all ‘Featured’ posts in the Facebook groups and watch the related videos first before
proceeding. nicFW Support group Featured posts​

2.​ Buy yourself a TIDRADIO TD-H3. Learn how to use it effectively long before you unlock it and
attempt to use nicFW V2 firmware! You need some skills first! This firmware is not designed

3
for beginners and requires extra setup steps to calibrate after installing.​

-H
3.​ Stock Firmware / Software - https://walkietalkiesoftware.com/portal/index/software.html​
You’ll need to click ‘Login’ at the top right followed by ‘Register’ to create an account before
you can download the OEM TIDRADIO software and firmware for your new radio. After you
register and login with your new account, go back to the link provided here and click the blue

TD
‘Download’ button to download the latest software and firmware from TIDRADIO. Make sure
to click on the radio marked as ‘TD-H3 HAM’, ‘TD-H3 GMRS’, or ‘TD-H3 Unlocked’ that is
associated with the radio you are using.​

Within the downloaded .zip you will find three softwares to install. One is the programming
software, the second is for flashing the firmware (both stock and custom), and third is a
r
TXPower Tune software. If you are planning on using the stock firmware or restoring to stock,
you’ll first want to use these software to collect a stock configuration file and stock power tune
fo
file to be able to restore to the radio after flashing the stock firmware again. These two files
are your stock CodePlug. Put them in a safe place. Watch this video that is based on nicFW
V1, but is still applicable for nicFW V2.​

4.​ Returning your radio to stock firmware or to recover from a bricked/locked radio if the hardware
W

itself hasn’t died is pretty easy. Follow the steps in the videos linked below. You can do a
basic wipe of the EEPROM in the nicFW Programmer now by right-clicking the ‘Write’ button at
the bottom. Do a full wipe with the EEPROM_WIPE.bin file if you plan to revert to using the
cF

stock firmware. Following that, restore your backup of the stock CodePlug.​
https://www.facebook.com/100004985290539/videos/2253878838326249/​
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7iZR8NDtcU​
​
ni

5.​ Download the V2.52.11x firmware with the associated V2.52.07 programmer if you can find it.
I’m not following Marcus on Patreon, so I won’t keep this manual updated.​

6.​ “When you first flash nicFW, it is crucial to initialize your radio correctly to avoid
unexpected behavior.
Locate the ‘default25.nfw’ file in the nicFW Programmer ZIP.
Use the nicFW Programmer to upload this to your radio..
 4
This step configures essential defaults, including power calibration and the band plan. Once
done, you can proceed with the Band Plan Editor and Channel Editor as well as the rest of the
settings in the programmer..
​
Windows Users (Using the nicFW Programmer):
When you launch the programmer, the "default25.nfw" file loads automatically. Your first action
should be to burn this default state to the radio.” -Marcus Dudely​

7.​ Once you have backed up your stock CodePlug, learned how to flash the nicFW firmware with

3
the stock firmware flashing software and have calibrated your radios power output as
described in these videos (Power tuning video 1 and video 2), one of the first things you’ll want

-H
to do is calibrate or tune your radios frequency TX/RX using Menu 34 on the radio called
‘XTAL 671.’ Here’s some videos on how to do it: ​
Freq Calibration video 1 Freq Calibration video 2 Freq Calibration video 3​
​

TD
Written instructions from Marcus on XTAL 671 are provided below in reference to Menu 34. If
not calibrated properly, some things like CTCSS tones and DCS codes will not open a
repeater, so don’t skip this step

8.​ nicFW is NOT compatible with CHIRP or ODMASTER for programming. It may never be.
Bluetooth on this custom firmware does little more than allow you to interface with a ‘Remote’
r
function and programming in the nicFW Programmer.
fo
W

​
​
​
cF

VFO/Channel/Group Modes
ni

The radio display presents two frequency configuration areas if set to Dual or Hybrid PTT Mode
(Menu 22). The top one is called VFO-A and the bottom one is called VFO-B. Single PTT Mode
(Menu 22) only shows whichever VFO is actively selected. You select which VFO is active by using
the button. VFO-A and VFO-B can independently be in one of three main modes.​
1. VFO (Frequency) Mode 2. Channel (memory bank) Mode 3. Group Mode. These three
modes will be referenced many times through this manual. To switch between these modes,
repeatedly press .
 5

Terminology
TX​ ​ - Transmit
RX​ ​ - Receive
VFO​ ​ - Variable Frequency Oscillator
LP ​ ​ - Long Press (of a button)
SLP​ ​ - Shifted Long Press (of a button)

3
FM​ ​ - Frequency Modulation
AM ​ ​ - Amplitude Modulation

-H
USB ​ ​ - Upper Side Band
SIMPLEX ​ - Single receive/transmit frequency
DUPLEX​ - Separate receive/transmit frequencies, usually used by repeaters
CTCSS ​ - Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System

TD
DCS​ ​ - Digital-Code Squelch
DTMF​​ - Dual-tone multi-frequency signaling

r
fo
W
cF
ni
 6

Menu Options for nicFW V2 on the TD-H3 Radio

3
-H
Menu 00 (Squelch)
Range (0-9)

TD
Default Value (2)

Signal (Carrier) Squelch is used as a gate to suppress unwanted signals by shutting off the
audio amplifier until a strong enough signal is received on the tuned frequency of the VFO.
Setting Menu 00 to a lower value such as 2 will open the gate for weaker signals. Setting it
higher to values such as 5-9 will only allow very strong signals to open the Signal Squelch
r
gate. A value of 0 will open the gate continuously. Alternatively, when set between values 2-9,
you can LP the lower black Flashlight/Monitor button on the left side of the radio to temporarily
fo
open the Signal Squelch. This action will also temporarily open the Noise Gate (Menu 33)
which is described later in this document.

“Squelch level 1 is a ‘noise only’ setting and can be unpredictable.” Marcus Dudley​
W

Menu 01 (Sq Noise Lev)

Range (15-55)
cF

Default Value (47)

Squelch Noise Level “adjusts the noise threshold for the squelch… you can adjust this to
loosen or tighten the squelch noise trigger. Lower values will be tighter and higher values will
ni

be looser. Be conservative with how much you adjust it.” “The noise ceiling is 55, so if you set
noise level to 55 you get no noise trigger, or one that triggers if a flea sneezes close by.”
-Marcus Dudley
 7
Menu 02 (Step)
Range (0.01-500 kHz)
Default Value (unsure, 12.5 recommended)

Step Size is the amount the carrier frequency configured in the VFO will change, either up or
down, when using / on the keypad. This is also the value that the frequency will shift
up in steps as the radio scans in VFO mode or during a Scan Preset selection unless a
different Step size is configured as part of the Scan Preset. Scan Presets can be configured in

3
the nicFW Programmer in the Scan Preset tab. Scan Presets will change the Step size and
will remain changed in the radio settings when you exit scanning.​

-H
Menu 03 (Bandwidth)
Range (Narrow, Wide)

TD
Default Value (Narrow)

Bandwidth is the size of the frequency bandwidth used when transmitting on a carrier or
center frequency.
Wideband: Typically 25 kHz channel spacing with a transmitted signal usually around 16-20
kHz to avoid adjacent channel interference.
r
Narrowband: Uses 12.5 kHz channel spacing with a transmitted signal generally around 8-11
kHz to avoid adjacent channel interference.
fo

Menu 04 (TX Power)

Range (off (0) or 1-255)
W

Default Value (off)

Transmit Power is set to a value between 0 and 255. However, the relative output power in
cF

Watts from the radio will depend on the Tx Power calibration you configured in the Tuning tab
of the nicFW Programmer. e.g Theoretically, if the programmer was configured to transmit a
peak level of 5 Watts for VHF and the corresponding VHF Peak Power setting was set to 200
in the Tuning tab, the radio Menu 04 value will ramp up the Watts from 0-5W as you change
ni

the radio setting from 1-200. Anything from 200-255 will output 5 Watts. However, actual
power output likely still won’t match what is displayed on the screen accurately. To get a more
precise representation, you’ll need to use a power meter to verify what your radio outputs at
each TX Power setting. “The final transistor is rated @ 6.5W VHF & 5.5W UHF. I would
suggest limiting operation to these power levels or lower in order to prevent damage.” - James
Moran ​
​
Power tuning video 1 and video 2. If you're looking to increase your signal range, focusing on
antenna quality with a good SWR, good gain, along with height, and positioning will usually
yield far better results than a small power boost.​
 8
Menu 05 (Modulation)
Range (FM, AM, USB, Auto)
Default Value (Auto?)

Modulation determines how the radio interprets the signal received by using FM (Frequency
Modulation), AM (Amplitude Modulation), or USB (Upper Side Band). With the radio unlocked
for full frequency use and when nicFW is loaded, a frequency range can be entered into the
VFO from 18-1300MHz. It would be unwise to attempt to transmit outside of the standard

3
HAM and GMRS ranges for VHF and UHF as the radio hardware is not designed for use
outside of these ranges and you will be emitting spurious transmissions at best. Most use

-H
cases will be with FM. AM is primarily for use in the Aviation Band and cannot be used for
transmitting. You also cannot transmit using USB. ‘Auto’ will default to the modulation value
configured in your Band Plan using the nicFW Programmer for each frequency range.​
​

TD
Menu 06 (Busy Lock)
Range (Off, On)
Default Value (Off)

Busy Lockout is a setting that, when turned on, will prevent the radio from transmitting on the
r
configured frequency when a signal is currently detected. This feature only works when using
a simplex frequency and will not actually save a value of ‘On’ if you have a separate transmit
fo
frequency configured, such as in the case of a repeater.

Menu 07 (TX CTCSS)

W

Range (Off, various preset subaudible tones in Hz)

Default Value (Off)

Transmit CTCSS (Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System), sometimes referred to as a

cF

PL (Private Line) tone, is the subaudible tone frequency transmitted along with the audio
transmission. A receiving radio or repeater can be configured to recognize this transmitted
tone which will inhibit the receiving radio from opening the Tone Squelch if the correct CTCSS
is not received along with the audio transmission. This prevents the transmission from being
ni

played through the audio amplifier or repeated on the TX frequency of a repeater. It is used to
eliminate unwanted transmission from being heard, but cannot be used for privacy as the
transmission is still heard by any radio not using Tone Squelch.​
​
Note: Menu 34 (XTAL 671) must be used to tune the radios TX and RX frequencies. If this is
not done and if the radio is off by more than 2kHz in either direction, CTCSS will likely not
function as intended. These radios are not properly aligned by default with nicFW installed.
 9
Menu 08 (TX DCS)
Range (Off, various preset DCS codes)
Default Value (Off)

TX DCS (Digital-Code Squelch) is similar in function and purpose to TX CTCSS, however

instead of using subaudible tones, DCS uses digital codes as the name implies. There are far
more DCS codes than CTCSS tones, however most repeaters still use CTCSS tones rather
than DCS codes. Inverted ‘I’ codes are remapped ‘N’ codes. You can select an ‘I’ code in

3
nicFW by pressing while the code is selected in the menu to flip it to ‘I’.

-H
Note: Menu 34 (XTAL 671) must be used to tune the radios TX and RX frequencies. If this is
not done and if the radio is off by more than 300Hz in either direction, DCS will likely not
function as intended. These radios are not properly aligned by default.
​

TD
Menu 09 (RX CTCSS)
Range (Off, various preset subaudible tones in Hz)
Default Value (Off)

RX CTCSS is only used on a receiving radio under two conditions. One, you intend to receive
r
transmissions from another radio or repeater that is transmitting the same CTCSS tone. Two,
you intend to eliminate signals on the same carrier frequency that are not using the same
fo
CTCSS tone. See TX CTCSS (Menu 07) for more details.

Note: Menu 34 (XTAL 671) must be used to tune the radios TX and RX frequencies. If this is
not done and if the radio is off by more than 2kHz in either direction, CTCSS will likely not
W

function as intended. These radios are not properly aligned by default.

Menu 10 (RX DCS)

cF

Range (Off, various preset DCS codes)

Default Value (Off)

RX DCS is only used on a receiving radio under two conditions. One, you intend to receive
ni

transmissions from another radio or repeater that is transmitting the same DCS code. Two,
you intend to eliminate signals on the same carrier frequency that are not using the same DCS
code. See TX DCS (Menu 08) for more details.

Note: Menu 34 (XTAL 671) must be used to tune the radios TX and RX frequencies. If this is
not done and if the radio is off by more than 300Hz in either direction, DCS will likely not
function as intended. These radios are not properly aligned by default.​
 10

Menu 11 (Add Group)

Range (Cancel, A-O)
Default Value (Cancel)

Add Group is only for Channel or Group mode (not VFO) and is for adding Group Letter
assignments, one at a time, to a currently selected channel (memory bank). nicFW V2 allows
for each of the 198 available channels (memory banks) to be part of [up to] 4 channel groups.

3
The radio is cycled from VFO mode to Channel mode to Group mode by repeatedly pressing
. There are 15 possible groups, each of which is assigned a Group Letter of ‘A-O’. The

-H
nicFW Programmer can be used to assign labels to each of these 15 groups if desired. Each
channel may be part of no group, one group, two groups, three groups, or four groups.

TD
Menu 12 (Remove Group)
Range (Cancel, A-O)
Default Value (Cancel)

Remove Group is used to remove a Group Letter from the current channel when in either
Channel mode or Group mode (not VFO). See Add Group (Menu 11) above for further details.
r
​
fo
Menu 13 (PTT ID)
Range (Off, BoT, EoT, Both)
Default Value (Off ?)
W

PTT ID is used by setting the last DTMF preset (slot 19) in the nicFW Programmer. This is
used to send the ID at the BoT (Beginning of Transmission), EoT (End of Transmission), or
both (BoT and EoT). “PTT ID at EoT can be used as a de facto roger beep.” -Marcus Dudely
​
cF

Menu 14 (VFO Scan Range)

Range (.01 to 600 MHz)
ni

Default Value (10 MHz)​

VFO Scan Range is used to set how many MHz the radio will scan above the starting
frequency set in VFO (frequency) Mode before it starts over at the starting frequency.
 11
Menu 15 (Scan Persist)
Range (0.0 - 20)
Default Value (0)​

Scan Persist determines the hold time (in seconds) during a scan after a signal is lost before
resuming the scan.

3
Menu 16 (Scan Resume)
Range (Off, 1-250)

-H
Default Value (0 Off)​

Scan Resume determines the hold time (in seconds) that a scan will stay stopped on an active
signal before resuming to scan even if the signal is not lost first.

TD
Menu 17 (Scan Ultra)
Range (Off, 1-20)
Default Value (0 Off)​
r
Scan Ultra (UltraScan) “is a signal rejection algorithm. The BK4819 requires around 15 ms
after switching to a new frequency to "lock" to it. This means any signal reading you take
fo
before this time is not going to be a true reading. BUT the early reading you do get back is
enough to make an early determination of whether it is worth bothering to wait for the rest of
the time. The Ultrascan setting sets how high this "early" reading needs to be in order to not
skip the frequency and do a full reading on it, i.e. waiting the full amount of time.
W

A lower value will match more signals that do not qualify, thus slowing it down, a higher value
will match less thus speeding it up, but at the cost of potentially missing some. The correct
balance is achieved by watching the right (V1) or left (V2) green LED blinking. You want to try
to find a level where the flash rate is inconsistent, then knock it up 1 at a time until it flashes
cF

mostly quickly.” -Marcus Dudley VFO Mode only.

Menu 18 (Scan Update)

ni

Range (Off, 1-50)

Default Value (0 Off)​

Scan Update is simply a visual display reference to cycling through frequencies during a scan
by visually refreshing the frequencies being scanned. Fastest scans are achieved with this
value set to 0 and not refreshing on screen. Setting to 1 will refresh the displayed frequency
most often, but also slows down scans the most.
 12
Menu 19 (TX Deviation)
Range (0-99)
Default Value (64)

Transmit Frequency Deviation is where “the carrier is modulated by slightly adjusting the
frequency above and below the principle [carrier frequency], the extent of how far the
frequency moves from the principle [carrier frequency] is the deviation. The TX Deviation
setting controls the extent of this. 64 is the value used by the stock firmware. 70 is probably

3
about as high as [one] should go as going. Too high and you'll deviate into adjacent frequency
slots (over deviate).” -Marcus Dudley

-H
Menu 20 (TX Timeout)
Range (Off, 1-250 sec)

TD
Default Value (Off)

Transmit Timeout is used to prevent continuous transmission or keying the mic. This sets the
number of seconds that the radio will actively transmit by pressing the PTT button before it
stops transmitting. A value of 120 [seconds] would allow for up to 2 minutes of transmission
before needing to re-key the mic with the PTT button.
r
fo
Menu 21 (TX Mod Meter)
Range (Off, On)
Default Value (Off)

TX Modulation Meter, when enabled, displays an audio frequency (AF) modulation meter
W

below the RSSI bar during transmission. This allows the user to see a visual representation of
the audio level being transmitted.
cF

Menu 22 (PTT Mode)

Range (Dual, Single, Hybrid)
Default Value (Dual)
ni

PTT Mode configures both the screen layout as well as which way the upper and lower PTT
buttons on the left side of the radio work.

In Dual mode , both VFO-A and VFO-B are displayed on the screen at the same time with
VFO-A being on top and VFO-B being on the bottom of the screen. In Dual Mode, the upper
PTT button switches to and transmits on VFO-A, while the lower PTT button switches to and
transmits on VFO-B.
 13

In Single mode , the screen displays only the active VFO, either A or B. Either PTT button
will only transmit on the active VFO displayed. Use to switch which VFO is active.

In Hybrid mode , the screen displays both VFO’s like Dual mode does, but both PTT
buttons will only transmit on the currently active VFO.

3
Note: a speaker-mic plugged into the K1 Port (Kenwood style jack) will act as if in Hybrid
mode. It transmits on whichever VFO is currently active unless you use VFO DW Lock (Menu

-H
32).

Menu 23 (Mic Gain)

TD
Range (0-31)
Default Value (25)

Mic Gain allows the user to adjust the mic gain value up or down from the default of 25. This
is used to fine tune the quality and loudness of the audio sent during a transmission to improve
audio on the receiving radio.
r
fo
Menu 24 (DTMF Volume)
Range (0-127)
Default Value (32)

DTMF Volume is used to set the volume at which the DTMF (Dual-tone multi-frequency
W

signaling) transmits. If the receiving radio or repeater is not properly interpreting DTMF tones,
you may want to try adjusting this value.
cF

Menu 25 (DTMF Speed)

Range (0-20)
Default Value (0)
ni

DTMF Speed changes the speed at which DTMF tones are sent through the radio when
preconfigured to send multiple tones automatically. These present DTMF entries are
configured with the nicFW Programmer.
 14
Menu 26 (Repeater Tone)
Range (100-4000 Hz)
Default Value (1750)

Repeater Tone is the frequency for a tone some repeaters require to be received as a burst to
open the repeater. This tone can be sent at the beginning of a transmission. If your repeater
requires it, press the PTT button to start transmitting and then press the Flashlight/Monitor
button on the side of the radio to send the tone burst. This is not commonly used.

3
​

-H
Menu 27 (VOX)
Range (Off, 1-15)
Default Value (0 Off)

TD
Voice Operated Transmit (VOX) can be set to a sensitivity level of 1-15 which will change
how easily audio input into the mic will activate the transmitter.​

Menu 28 (VOX Tail)

Range (0.5-5)
r
Default Value (2.0)
fo
VOX Tail is the amount of time in seconds that VOX will remain transmitting after audio input
into the mic is no longer received above the level set in VOX (Menu 27) before it stops
transmitting.
W

Menu 29 (Tone Monitor)

Range (Off, On, Clone)
Default Value (Off)
cF

Tone Monitor is a function of the firmware that, when set to ‘On,’ allows the radio to monitor a
signal on a selected frequency and to detect either a transmitted CTCSS tone or a DCS code
and displays it on the screen for reference. This is useful for discovering the tone or code
ni

required to open tone squelch of the radio that is transmitting. You would then be able to
manually enter the same value in either the TX CTCSS or TX DCS menu options of the radio.
You can also use the clone option to save the detected tone to the currently selected VFO
automatically. This does NOT work to clone in channel or group mode. ​
​
Note: sometimes the tone monitor gets the tone or code wrong, particularly if XTAL 671 (Menu
34) is not calibrated. If clone is enabled, the wrong tone or code may get saved as the TX
CTCSS or TX DCS value.
 15

Menu 30 (Dual Watch)

Range (Off, On)
Default Value (Off)

Dual Watch, when enabled, will monitor VFO-A and VFO-B at the same time for an incoming
signal. If a signal is strong enough to open squelch in either VFO-A or VFO-B, the radio
pauses on the VFO with the active signal. Once the signal is lost, the radio will again monitor
for another signal on both VFOs. If a signal is heard on one VFO first and a second signal is

3
received on the second VFO after, only the first signal will be heard until it concludes. There is
only a single receiver in this radio. LP to enable/disable DualWatch.

-H
Note: Unlike most radios, by default, the VFO you select to be active will not remain the active
VFO if a signal is heard on the other VFO. eg. If VFO-A is active with Dual Watch on and a
signal is received on VFO-B, VFO-B becomes the active VFO for menu settings or your next

TD
transmission if PTT Mode (Menu 22) is set to Single or Hybrid or if you use a speaker-mic PTT
(Push to Talk) button that only transmits on the currently active VFO similar to Hybrid mode.
To overcome this, you can now lock to VFO-A or VFO-B for transmission when Dual Watch is
enabled by enabling the VFO DW Lock feature (Menu 32). You must be using Single or Hybrid
PTT mode (Menu 22). LP to switch to the shifted LP bank as indicated by the flag
r
and then SLP to enable VFO DW Lock (Menu 32). The flag will change to either an
‘A’ or a ‘B’ to indicate which VFO is locked for transmitting. Use to switch between active
fo
VFOs. VFO DW Lock (Menu 32) will remain ‘On’ (with no flag shown) if you disable Dual
Watch and will be used the next time Dual Watch is enabled.

If you transmit by pressing the PTT button while using Dual Watch, the radio will hold on to that
W

VFO for 1 second by default to wait for responding traffic before proceeding to monitor with
Dual Watch on both VFOs again. See DualWatch Delay (Menu 31) to adjust this delay value.
cF

Menu 31 (DualWatch Delay)

Range (1-30 Sec)
Default Value (1)
ni

Dual Watch Delay is used to create a short delay between 1 and 30 seconds after you use the
PTT button to TX before Dual Watch actively begins scanning both VFO’s for an active signal
to monitor. This can help manage a two way conversation while running Dual Watch without
having to disable it.
 16
Menu 32 (VFO DW Lock)
Range (Off, On)
Default Value (Off)

You can lock to VFO-A or VFO-B for transmission when Dual Watch is enabled. You must be
using Single or Hybrid PTT mode (Menu 22). The Dual Watch flag will change to either an
‘A’ or a ‘B’ to indicate which VFO is locked for transmitting. You can use to switch

3
between which VFO is the active transmit VFO while Dual Watch is enabled. VFO DW Lock
will remain on (with no flag shown) even if you disable Dual Watch and will be used the next

-H
time Dual Watch is enabled. LP to switch to the LP shifted bank and then SLP to
enable VFO DW Lock.

TD
Menu 33 (Noise Gate)
Range (Off, On)
Default Value (0 Off)​

Noise Gate is similar to the Signal Squelch Gate (Menu 01), but instead of opening/closing
squelch based on signal strength, when enabled, it opens when the noise level drops below a
r
set threshold, indicating the presence of a modulated signal.​
​
fo
“Noise Gate and Sq Noise Lev (Menu 01) do have similarities but are distinct. Sq Noise Lev
(Menu 01) controls the noise level required to trigger the squelch response specifically, and is
adjustable to make the squelch response tighter or looser. Noise Gate simply mutes the audio
at the EXTREME end of the noise level.” - Marcus Dudely
W

Menu 34 (XTAL 671)

Range (-128 - +127)
cF

Default Value (0, recommend 34 as a starting point for most radios)

“XTAL 671 represents the amount of frequency adjustment that should be applied to a
frequency of 671.08864 MHz. Now I know that sounds kind of arbitrary, but there's reason
ni

behind that value. It makes the math involved for the firmware to compute the required
adjustment at any frequency far easier and efficient. We're talking about 32 bit division and
multiplication, which for an 8bit MCU is a pretty heavy operation. By choosing a reference
frequency of 671.08864 it allows me to replace the division operations with bit shift operations
which are far more efficient.
(to see why, try converting 67,108,864 to binary)
-
So here's how it works. You need to perform a regular frequency calibration operation as
described in the two videos I have previously released. [See Getting Started step 8 above] It
 17
doesn't matter what frequency you perform this calibration on, but the higher the better. You
will end up with an offset value such as 23 or -17 or whatever. Typically it'll be a two digit
value. Then you need to do a bit of math…

(offset / freqMHz) * 671.08864

This will give you the value that needs to go into 'XTAL 671'. Let's do a few examples.

Example 1:
Calibration Frequency: 445.5 MHz

3
Calibration Offset: 23
23 / 445.5 = 0.0516273849607183

-H
* 671.08864 = 34.64655156004489
Thus the value you set in 'XTAL 671' is 35

Example 2:

TD
Calibration Frequency: 551.25 MHz
Calibration Offset: -16
-16 / 551.25 = -0.0290249433106576
* 671.08864 = -19.4783097324263
Thus the value you set in 'XTAL 671' is -19
r
Example 3: (stock firmware default tuning)
Calibration Frequency: 400 MHz
fo
Calibration Offset: 20
20 / 400 = 0.05
0.05 * 671.08864 = 33.554432
W

So to set nicFW to the same tuning as most factory H3's you would set 'XTAL 671' to 34. This
will be fine for the majority of users as most radios seem to be in this area. So you only need to
worry about calibrating if a value of 34 here isn't cutting the cloth.
An alternative method would be to adjust 'XTAL 671' during the USB calibration method, until
cF

you find the null point.” -Marcus Dudley

Here’s some videos on how to do it: ​

Freq Calibration video 1 Freq Calibration video 2​
ni

Menu 35 (RX VHF->UHF)

Range (200-400)
Default Value (280.0)​
​
Receive VHF->UHF is the frequency threshold determining the appropriate selection of the
receive front end filter lineup between VHF and UHF. You likely won’t want to adjust this.
 18
Menu 36 (TX VHF->UHF)
Range (200-400)
Default Value (280.0)​
​
Transmit VHF->UHF is the frequency threshold determining the appropriate selection of the
transmit front end filter lineup between VHF and UHF. You likely won’t want to adjust this.

3
Menu 37 (Batt Style)
Range (Off, Icon, Percent, Volts)

-H
Default Value (Icon)​

Battery Style changes the display option for the battery status. It can be off, set to a battery
icon, an estimated remaining battery value in percent, or the current battery voltage.

TD
Menu 38 (LCD Brightness)
Range (0-35)
Default Value (28)​
r
LCD Brightness adjusts the full brightness value of the display active. 35 is the brightest
value. 0 will not fully disable the display, but will be very dim.
fo

Menu 39 (Dim Brightness)

Range (Off, 1-14)
W

Default Value (0 Off)​

Dim Brightness is the value of how bright the display will be after no input is received by the
radio from the user and no signal opens squelch for a certain LCD Timeout (Menu 40) value.
cF

Heartbeat (Menu 41) may be used if Dim Brightness is set to 0 to allow the user to be alerted
that the radio is still on by flashing the keypad backlight periodically.
ni

Menu 40 (LCD Timeout)

Range (Off, 1-250)
Default Value (0 Off)

LCD Timeout determines how long the display stays on (in seconds) after there is no user
input to the radio and no signal breaks squelch. This timeout does not disable the display if
you are in the menu screen of the radio, so remember to exit the menu. If set to a low value,
you may need to press a couple of times to get the menu to open.
 19

Menu 41 (Heartbeat)
Range (Off, 1-30)
Default Value (0 Off)​

Heartbeat (formerly Breathe) is how frequently in seconds that the keypad backlight LED will
blink to remind the user that the radio is still on in case the display has turned off.

3
Menu 42 (LCD Gamma)

-H
Range (0-3)
Default Value (0)​

LCD Gamma adjusts the gamma value of the LCD display. Adjust to your visual preference.

TD
Impact may be different depending on the color scheme used in the Skinning process in the
nicFW Programmer.

Menu 43 (S-Bar Style)

Range (Segment, Stepped, Solid)
r
Default Value (Segment)
fo
Signal Meter - Bar Style is used to change the way the signal meter is displayed. Try all three
and see which one you like the look of best.
W

Menu 44 (SBar AlwaysOn)

Range (Off, On)
Default Value (Off)
cF

Signal Meter Bar AlwaysOn is used to keep the signal meter bar on the screen, even when
not currently receiving an active signal.
ni

Menu 45 (Power Save)

Range (Off, 1-20)
Default Value (0 Off)​

Power Save will “put the radio to sleep for a period of time in 10ths of a second units. It turns
the radio chip off, the audio amplifier is turned off, bluetooth turned off, [and] filters are
disengaged. So a value of 10 means a sleep period of 1 second. After that the radio wakes up,
checks for signals etc.. then it goes back to sleep. The larger this value, the more power
 20
saving you get, but the less responsive the radio becomes to detecting signals etc.. This only
occurs when the LCD turns off.” -Marcus Dudley Make sure to turn this off when using the
nicFW Programmer or you will likely run into connection issues.

Menu 46 (Sub Tone Dev)

Range (0-127)
Default Value (74)​

3
Sub Tone Deviation is used to adjust the deviation amount of the transmitted Sub Tone from

-H
the carrier frequency. Although a subaudible tone, it is similar in nature to adjusting the
volume of the subtone being transmitted.

Menu 47 (Sq Tail Elim)

TD
Range (Off, RX, TX, Both)
Default Value (Off)​

Squelch Tail Elimination is used to eliminate the open squelch noise (static) that is heard
after a transmission. This has the potential to cut off part of the audio transmission if the TX
and RX radios are not configured with the corresponding values. If audio is being cut off,
r
consider turning off this setting.
fo

Menu 48 (RF Gain)

Range (AGC, 1-42)
Default Value (AGC - Automatic Gain Control)​
W

Radio Frequency Gain can be used to manually adjust the Radio Frequency Gain rather than
allowing the radio to do it automatically. This may help if strong signals are jamming the
cF

receiver open. You can try lowering the RF Gain to get better control.
ni

Menu 49 (Key Tones)

Range (Off, On, Differential, Voice)
Default Value (0 Off)​

Key Tones either enable audible tones or a voice when available to indicate inputs by the user
on the keypad and in the menu.
 21

Menu 50 (ASL Support)

Range (Off, COS, USB, I-COS)
Default Value (Off)

AllStar Linking is used for connecting to AllStar nodes and repeaters.​

“AllStarLink Node in Serial Mode

When the Menu "ASL Support" is set to USB, this is designed to operate a node via serial

3
commands. It still requires audio to be connected to the node in the normal way but eliminates
the need for a special interface.

-H
Note: This is not supported over bluetooth, only wired serial, Bluetooth is far too unreliable. It is
also recommended that the USB-C is used for this rather than the K1 Port as serial data on the
K1 Port gets corrupted by audio.

TD
Squelch (COS)
In this mode, when the squelch opens on the radio, a byte (0x11) is sent over the serial link,
the node should consider this a COS signal. When squelch closes a byte (0x10) is sent, the
node should consider this a loss of COS signal.

PTT
r
In order for the node to engage PTT it should send the following sequence of bytes over serial.
fo
0x4c, 0x4d, 0x90
To release PTT the node should send this sequence.
0x4c, 0x4d, 0xff

General ASL Node Configuration suggestion

W

Configure BOTH VFOs exactly the same way.

You should have only one programmed channel which is a member of group A. Configure this
channel the same as the VFOs.
cF

Operate in Single PTT mode.

VFO/Channel/Group mode shouldn't matter as everything should be configured exactly the
same way, but I would recommend channel mode.”
-​ Marcus Dudely
ni

Menu 51 (Wireless Copy)

Range (Cancel, Receive, Send)
Default Value (Cancel)

Wireless Copy is used for wirelessly cloning one nicFW V2 radio to another nicFW v2 radio.
Values like TX Power Calibration and XTAL 671 tuning may not be copied as these are unique
for each radio based on its hardware. These should be set on each radio first. However, verify
 22
that XTAL 671 hasn’t been overwritten on the receiving radio.​
​
To use Wireless Copy, set the receiving radio to ‘Receive’ and press . The screen will
change to a cloning screen with three zeros. Set the sending radio to ‘Send’ and press
which will also show a screen with three zeros. Now, on the receiving radio, press the
once more to start receiving. The three zeros turn green indicating they are waiting for data.
Press on the sending radio and the zeros will turn green and start counting up. The

3
receiving radio counter should also start increasing. Both radios should output no sound
during the transfer. Once finished, the receiving radio should reset and the settings should be

-H
copied. You can exit the sending screen of the sending radio if needed with . Here is a
video using the V1 firmware to clone the radios.​
​
“Wireless Clone Information

TD
1. One-Way Transmission for Speed and Mass Copying
The settings-copy feature is a one-way transmission, meaning one radio sends the
data, and the other(s) only receive. This makes it faster than the stock (default) method,
which might have error correction or two-way handshaking. However, because it’s
one-way, any errors in transmission have to be handled manually, meaning if something
is copied incorrectly, you might have to redo it or check settings manually.
r
2. Transmitter Power (TX Power) Considerations
fo
The user sets the transmitting radio to TX Power 2 (lowest active power level). TX
Power 1 is a special setting that doesn’t fully activate the transmitter's power amplifier
(TX finals). This makes it work like a radio with a broken transmitter. Since the
transmission method uses FSK (Frequency Shift Keying, a digital modulation
technique), too low a power level (TX Power 1) makes the signal unreliable.
W

On the other hand, too much power (high TX power settings) can cause
over-modulation, leading to distorted signals that the receiving radio(s) might not
decode correctly.
cF

3. Frequency Tuning and TX Deviation

TX Deviation refers to how much the frequency shifts during transmission. If it’s not set
correctly, the receiving radio might not properly interpret the data.
ni

Frequency tuning affects whether the radios are properly aligned in frequency. If they’re
slightly off, the data might not be received correctly.
A quick way to check if the frequencies are aligned well is by using DCS tones
(sub-audible tones used for squelching). If one radio can reliably open the squelch on
another using DCS, then they are likely tuned close enough for reliable data transfer.

4. Keypad Lag and Synchronization Issues

The keypad on both radios lag because the system is designed for precise timing during
transmission.
 23
The radio doesn’t check (poll) the keypad input constantly because doing so would
interfere with the synchronized data transmission.
Instead, it only checks the keypad once per frame of data being sent. A hysteresis
system (a delay that prevents rapid changes from registering) is in place to prevent
desynchronization. That’s why the keypad feels slow to respond.

Handling Errors in Over-the-Air Copy

Since this is a one-way transfer with no automatic error correction, errors must be handled
manually. Two main types of errors can occur:

3
1. Checksum Error (Receiver Number Turns Red)
A checksum is a simple error-detection mechanism that ensures data is received

-H
correctly.
If the receiver’s number turns red, it means the data did not match what was expected.
Fix: Stop the transmitting radio, then adjust (roll back) the transmitter’s counter to match
the number displayed on the receiver. This allows the process to continue from the last

TD
correctly received step.

2. Desynchronization (Receiver Stays Green but Numbers Stop Counting)

If the receiver stays green but the numbers stop changing, the radios have lost sync.
This means the receiver is still listening, but it's no longer correctly receiving new data
from the transmitter.
r
Fix: Stop both radios, then roll both back to the number before the one shown on the
receiver. This ensures they resume from a point where they were last correctly
fo
synchronized.

3. Keypad Lag and Stopping the Transfer

The keypad becomes laggy during copying because frequent polling of button presses
W

could interfere with the synchronized data transmission.

To stop the process after an error, you may need to hold down the V/M button until the
radio registers the input.
This lag occurs because the radio only checks the keypad at specific intervals to
cF

maintain synchronization.”
-​ Marcus Dudley
ni

Menu 52 (Disable FMT)

Range (No, Yes)
Default Value (No)

Disable Broadcast FM Tuner is used to disable the tuner that allows the playback of
broadcast FM radio, usually between 88 and 108 MHz. LP on the keypad to start FMT.
 24
Note: you also need to make sure that you have this frequency range included in your Band
Plan configured from the nicFW Programmer and that the modulation is set to FM Tuner or you
will not be able to listen to broadcast FM radio even if Menu 52 is set to ‘No’.

Menu 53 (PIN)
Range (1000-9999)
Default Value (9999 or 1234)

3
PIN is used in conjunction with the PIN Action (Menu 54). When pin action is set to anything

-H
other than ‘Off’, the PIN value set in Menu 53 will be required to unlock the radio keypad for
changing settings or frequencies.

Note: If you forget your PIN value, you may need to flash back to stock following instructions
listed in the Getting Started section number 5.

Menu 54 (PIN Action)

Range (Off, On, Power On)
Default Value (Off) TD
r
PIN Action, when enabled, requires the PIN set in Menu 54 to be required to unlock the
fo
keypad after it has been manually locked by a LP of or upon every time the radio powers
on in a locked state.
W

Menu 55 (AF Filters)

Range (0-8)
Default Value (0)
cF

Audio Frequency Filters can be used to disable certain audio frequency filters for testing
purposes. 0-7 affect RX while 8 affects RX and TX.​
0 All Default
ni

1 Band Pass Only

2 De-Emphasis + High Pass
3 High Pass Only
4 De-Emphasis + Low Pass
5 Low Pass Only
6 De-Emphasis Only
7 No RX Filter​
8 Disables all AF filters for RX/TX
 25
Menu 56 (IF (kHz))
Range (8.46, 7.25, 6.35, 5.64, 5.08, 4.62, 4.23)
Default Value (8.46)

IF (kHz) “It’s to do with manipulating the center frequency, which means altering the Q factor ;
which equals slightly more or less bandwidth depending on lowering or raising the Q value.
Looks like here it’s to eliminate possibly close side band interference or slightly improve the
gain of a signal?”

3
-Andrew Davies

-H
“Andrew seems to have nailed it. The concept with this is to try to give options to reduce
receive deafening caused by strong transmissions close to the received frequency at the
expense of receive quality. RF Gain can be used for the same purpose as well.” -Marcus
Dudley

TD
Menu 57 (Bluetooth)
Range (Off, On)
Default Value (On)
r
Bluetooth can be enabled or disabled from this menu option instead of by SLP .
fo

Menu 58 (Tx Current)

Range (Off, On)
Default Value (Off)
W

TX Current, when on, will replay the estimated power output in watts on the radio screen to
the estimated power output during TX.
cF

Menu 59-62 (AGC Table 0-3)

Range (1-42)
ni

Default Value (59:24, 60:32, 61:37, 62:40)

Automatic Gain Control Table values should be set as follows

●​ For maximum gain on weak signals, set Menu 62 → 42
●​ To attenuate strong signals, lower the values in Menus 59-61 (keeping Menu 62 at
40-42) while ensuring they remain in ascending order.
 26
Menu 63 (RFI Comp)
Range (Off, 1-30)
Default Value (Off)

Radio Frequency Interference Compensation prevents the signal meter from being redrawn
when the incoming signal doesn’t significantly change. This helps reduce display-generated
RFI when updating the signal meter.
A value of 5 in Menu 63 is usually sufficient, but feel free to tweak it for your specific use case.

3
-H
TD
Menu Options - Quick Reference
# Label Values Default Notes

00 Squelch 0-9 2 Squelch threshold level setting

01 Sq Noise Lev 15-55 47 Squelch noise level setting

Tuning step interval when in VFO mode. Typical values for Europe are
r
02 Step 10 Hz – 500 kHz 12.5 kHz 12.5kHz & 25kHz

03 Bandwidth Narrow, Wide Narrow FM TX deviation and RX discriminator bandwidth

fo
Transmit power levels. Examples : 60=2.0W, 120=4W, 150-152=5W
04 TX Power Off (0),1 – 255 Off displayed values.

05 Modulation FM, AM, USB, Auto Auto TX/RX carrier modulation / demodulation mode

06 Busy Lock Off, On Off Busy channel lockout (TX Inhibit)

07 TX CTCSS Off, or values in Hz Off UP/DN for fixed look-up table values, or any value at 0.1 Hz resolution
W

08 TX DCS Off, or DCS code values Off Digital Coded Squelch TX encoder value

09 RX CTCSS Off, or values in Hz Off UP/DN for fixed look-up table values, or any value at 0.1 Hz resolution

10 RX DCS Off, or DCS code values Off Digital Coded Squelch RX decoder value
cF

Add current channel to a Group. A-O (15 values) 4 Groups max. N/A in
11 Add Group Cancel, A – O Cancel VFO mode.
Remove current channel from a Group. A-O (15 values) 4 Groups max.
12 Remove Group Cancel, A – O Cancel N/A in VFO mode.
PTT operation. External mic always functions in hybrid mode, regardless
ni

13 PTT Mode Single, Dual, Hybrid Dual of the setting

VFO Scan
14 Range 10 kHz – 600 MHz 10 MHz Range of upward scan in VFO mode (MHz)

15 Scan Persist 0.0 – 20.0 0 Scan hold time after carrier hs dropped (seconds)

16 Scan Resume Off (0), 1 – 250 Off Scan dwell time before resume (seconds). Countdown on screen

17 UltraScan Off (0), 1 – 20 Off Ultra fast scan

Displays current channel / frequency under scrutiny during a scan
18 Scan Update Off (0), 1 – 50 Off routine. 1=fastest update

19 TX Deviation 0 – 99 64 FM TX deviation width

20 TX Timeout Off (0), 1 – 250 Off TX time out timer (TOT) in seconds
 27
21 TX Mod Meter Off, On Off When On, an AF modulation meter appears beneath the RSSI during TX
PTT operation. External mic always functions in hybrid mode, regardless
22 PTT Mode Single, Dual, Hybrid Dual of the setting

23 Mic Gain 0 – 31 25 Microphone gain. 0.5dB steps

24 DTMF Volume 0 – 127 32 DTMF sidetone volume. Value 0 does not fully mute

25 DTMF Speed 0 – 20 0 DTMF sending speed

Frequency of repeater access tone burst when pressing [LAMP / Monitor]
26 Repeater Tone 100 – 4000 Hz 1750 key during TX.

27 VOX Off, 1 – 15 Off Voice operated TX (VOX) sound level trigger threshold

3
28 VOX Tail 0.1 – 5s 2 Voice operated TX (VOX) dwell time in seconds

29 Tone Monitor Off, On, Clone Off Decodes CTCSS / DCS and displays value on screen

-H
30 Dual Watch Off, On Off Dual Watch mode. On state is annotated by the ‘AB’ flag on the screen

31 DualWatch Delay 1 – 30 1 Delays restarting Dual Watch after PTT is used to TX

VFO DualWatch Locks transmitt VFO to A or B when DW is on and PTT mode is Hybrid or
32 Lock Off, On Off Singl

TD
33 Noise Gate Off, On Off Noise Gate

34 XTAL 671 -128 – +127 0 Frequency Δ - Recommended set to +34 for most radios.
Frequency threshold determining the appropriate selection of RX front
35 RX VHF→UHF 280.0 MHz 280 end filter lineup
Frequency threshold determining the appropriate selection of TX output
36 TX VHF→UHF 280.0 MHz 280 filter lineup

37 Batt Style Off, Icon, Pecent, Volts Icon On-screen battery level indication style
r
38 LCD Brightness 0 – 35 28 Default brightness of LCD screen
LCD brigtness level after LCD Timeout. Equivalent values to LCD
fo
39 Dim Brightness Off (0), 1 – 14 Off Brightness. 0=backlight off

40 LCD Timeout Off (0), 1 – 250 Off LCD screen timeout in seconds since last activiy
Keypad LEDs will blink at interval set in seconds when in power saving
41 Heartbeat Off (0), 1 – 30 Off mode

42 LCD Gamma 0–3 0 LCD screen gamma

W

43 S-Bar Style Segment, Stepped, Solid Segment RSSI on-screen display style

44 SBar AlwaysOn Off, On Off Keeps Singal Meter always on

45 Power Save Off (0), 1 – 20 Off Power save mode depth

cF

Sub Tone
46 Deviation 1-127 74 Adjusts deviation of Sub Tone (similar to Volume)

47 Sq Tail Elim Off, RX,TX, Both Off Squelch tail elimination (STE)

48 RF Gain AGC, 1 – 42 AGC Automatic Gain control (AGC) , or manual RF gain setting

49 Key Tones On, Off, Differental, Voice Off Keypad confirmation tones or voice prompts where available
ni

50 ASL Support Off, COS, USB, I-COS Off AllStar Linking

51 Wireless Copy Cancel, Receive, Send Cancel Wireless Copy

Disables switching to broadcast bandwidth when in the FM broadcast
52 Disable FMT No, Yes No band

53 PIN 1000 – 9999 9999 PIN (security passcode)

54 PIN Action Off, On, Power On Off PIN (security passcode) action

55 AF Filters 0–8 0 Disable Audio Frequency Filters

4.23, 4.62, 5.08, 5.64, 6.35,
56 IF (kHz) 7.25, 8.46 kHz 8.46 Intermediate Frequency Value (RX)
 28
57 Bluetooth Off, on On Menu option to enable/disable bluetooth.
When transmitting, instead of showing power meter, it will show an
58 TX Current Off, On Off estimate of amps drawn

59 AGC Table 1 1-42 24 To attenuate strong signals,

60 AGC Table 2 1-42 32 lower the values in Menus 59-61

(keeping Menu 62 at 40-42) while ensuring they remain in ascending
61 AGC Table 3 1-42 37 order.

62 AGC Table 4 1-42 40 For maximum gain on weak signals, set Menu 62 → 42
Reduces the frequency of redrawing the signal meter. Value of 5

3
63 RFI Comp Off, 1-30 Off recommended.

-H
TD
r
fo
W

Long Press (LP) Button Actions

cF

A second bank of long press (LP) functions is implemented as a Shift Long Press (SLP) bank
that’s activated by LP . These LP and SLP can be re-assigned in the nicFW Programmer
ni

by right clicking the assignment and selecting a new option from the pop-up menu. When the
SLP back is active, you will see displayed on screen where the key-lock symbol is
usually displayed.

“IMPORTANT: If re-arranging the long press function, make sure ‘Keypad Lock’ is assigned to
the same key in [LP] (both banks) or you will lock yourself out of the radio when locking it.”
-Marcus Dudely
 29
​
​

Default LP assignments (without Skinning)

Bold shows LP default values that are different in the Shifted Bank:​

Flag when shifted

3
​
Long Press (LP) ​ Shifted Long Press (SLP)

-H
●​ LP_LP-SHIFT SWITCH LP BANK ●​ SLP_LP-SHIFT
●​ LP_EDIT-FREQ_ENTERGRP ●​ SLP_DUALWATCH_VFOLOCK
●​ LP_EDIT-CH-NAME ●​ SLP_BLUETOOTH

TD
●​ LP_DTMF-INPUT​ ●​ SLP_SCOPE
●​ LP_SCAN​ ●​ SLP_SCAN
●​ LP_SCAN-PRESET_VFO​ ●​ SLP_SCAN-PRESET_VFO
●​ LP_LCD-INVERT_CHANNEL​ ●​ SLP_LCD-INVERT_CHANNEL
●​ LP_FREQ-REVERSE ●​ SLP_FIX-REVERSE
r
●​ LP_RFI-COMP ●​ SLP_RFI-COMP
fo
●​ LP_FREQ-COUNT​ ●​ SLP_DUAL-PTT​
●​ LP_FM-TUNER​ ●​ SLP_SINGLE-PTT​
●​ LP_DUAL-WATCH ●​ SLP_HYBRID-PTT​
W

●​ LP_KEYLOCK -Must Match ●​ SLP_KEYLOCK-Must Match

●​ LP_DTMF-PRESETS ●​ SLP_DTMF-PRESETS
●​ LP_TX-FREQ-ENTER ●​ SLP_TX-FREQ-ENTER
cF
ni
 30

Configurations from the Keypad and other useful info

1- Reading and Writing CodePlug with nicFW Programmer

The nicFW Programmer is used to ‘Read’ settings and stored channel information from the
radio into the Programmer. Adjustments can be made to the current settings and channels in
the Programmer and saved for later restoration of settings to the radio. This file containing
your configurations and channels is considered to be your CodePlug.

3
You also use the nicFW Programmer to ‘Write’ the CodePlug to the radio. A poor quality
USB-C or USB-to-K1 Port cable or connection will lead to issues with reading/writing from or to

-H
the radio and also with flashing new firmware to the radio. Although the programmer is
designed to disable the radio chip during communication with the radio, it is still a good idea to
tune to a frequency not likely to receive a transmission or to remove the antenna of the radio
during these operations. Remember not to transmit without the antenna attached as this may
damage your radio.

TD
2- Good Flash Verification
To verify that the nicFW V2 firmware flashed successfully, open the menu (any menu option)
by pressing and then press the Flashlight/Monitor button once.
A 'CRC' will present itself at the bottom of the menu and then shortly after it will say 'OK' next
r
to it. If the flash was bad, it would say ‘BAD’.
fo
3- Verify which nicFW you are running
To verify which version of nicFW V2 you are running on the radio, open the menu and the
value will be at the bottom of the screen.​

4- Switch active VFO between A and B

W

To quickly switch the active VFO, either key the associated PTT button if in Dual PTT Mode or
quickly press the at any time to switch.
cF

5- Edit Channel Frequency

If you are in Channel mode and want to change the RX frequency of the selected channel, LP
and enter the RX frequency you want followed by or to confirm and save the
ni

value to the channel.

6- Edit Channel name in Channel or Group modes

To edit a channel name, LP and use the ‘1-9’ buttons to cycle through character values.
Press to save the channel name.
 31

7- Edit TX Frequency and using the Orange Exit/Back (V/M) button

can be used to exit most menu and setting screens. If you LP in VFO, Channel, or
Group mode, you can edit the TX frequency. is displayed next to the TX frequency you
are editing. Either type in the frequency using as a decimal point and to complete
the entry, or type in an offset value such as .6 or 5 and use / to make it a +/- value.
Pressing will save the value with an up or down symbol to the left of the TX

3
frequency indicating if it’s positive or negative relative to the RX frequency. If you wish to
remove the TX frequency, press the Flashlight/Monitor button while editing the TX frequency to

-H
clear it.

8- Reverse RX/TX frequencies

LP to reverse the RX/TX frequencies. You need to already have a TX frequency

TD
configured. A letter ‘R’ will be shown on the screen to show the values are reversed. You can
read the radio configuration into the nicFW Programmer and uncheck the reverse box for a
given channel and write it back to the radio to keep the frequencies reversed without the ‘R’ on
the screen any longer or use the shifted SLP function to remove the ‘R’, leaving the TX
and RX frequencies reversed.
r
9- Using Group Mode
fo
When in Group mode, you can cycle from Groups A-O. moves up and moves
down. LP and use buttons ‘1-9’ to select group A-O. Use or to confirm your
selection.
W

10- Changing Channels in Channel Mode or Group Mode

When in Channel Mode, use / to shift up or down channels or type in the 1, 2, or 3
digit channel value followed by . If the channel you enter does not currently have a saved
cF

configuration, the radio will drop to the next lowest saved channel. In Group Mode, you can
similarly type in the 1, 2, or 3 digit channel value followed by , but the radio will not display
any saved channels that are not assigned to the currently active channel group. Entering
ni

before a 2 or 3 digit channel number will not work.

11- Save VFO config to Channel / Deleting a Channel

Find a channel number you plan to save to. While in VFO Mode, set the VFO frequency and
other settings. Enter the 1, 2 or 3 digit channel number you’re saving to and LP to copy
the VFO values to the channel. To delete a channel in VFO Mode, enter the 1, 2, or 3 digit
channel number and LP to delete it. To delete a Channel while in Channel Mode, LP
first.
 32
12- Copy Channel to another Channel
Go to the channel you want to copy to another channel while in Channel mode.
LP and enter the channel number you want to copy to. LP to finish the copy.

13- Dual Watch / VFO DW Lock

LP to quickly enable the Dual Watch function. See the Dual Watch (Menu 30) option
above for further details. You can lock to VFO-A or VFO-B for transmission when Dual Watch

3
is enabled. You must be using Single or Hybrid PTT mode (Menu 22). LP to switch to the
shifted (SLP) bank and then SLP to enable VFO DW Lock (Menu 32). The Dual

-H
Watch flag will change to either an ‘A’ or a ‘B’ to indicate which VFO is locked for transmitting.
You can use to switch between which VFO is the active transmit VFO while Dual Watch is
enabled. VFO DW Lock (Menu 32) will remain on (with no flag shown) even if you disable
Dual Watch and will be used the next time Dual Watch is enabled.

TD
14- Enable Bluetooth
Bluetooth isn’t used for much on nicFW V2. It can be used for the Remote function in the
nicFW Programmer. To enable bluetooth, LP to shift the SLP bank and then SLP .
r
15- Broadcast FM Radio Tuner
As long as you have the 88-108MHz frequencies added to your Band Plan in the nicFW
fo
Programmer with the modulation set to FM Tuner, you can enter a frequency in that range to
enable the FMT(Frequency Modulation Tuner) Broadcast FM radio. You can use channels to
store FMT presets.
W

16- Screen Lock

LP to lock the keypad. PTT buttons still work. LP again to unlock. PIN may be
needed. Default is 9999 or 1234 and could be whatever you set in Menu 53.
cF

17- Enter DTMF tone

LP and use the keypad to enter the DTMF tone values. Press the PTT button to transmit
the DTMF tones. Press to exit early. You can also press and hold the PTT button and
ni

then use the keypad to dial the DTMF tones manually.

18- DTMF Presets

LP to access the DTMF preset values configured with the nicFW Programmer. Use /
to cycle through the saved values or numbers on the keypad if you know which preset
you want and then press the PTT button to transmit the selected DTMF tones. Use
Flashlight/Monitor button or to backspace or exit.
 33
19- Scanning VFO, Channel, or Group modes
LP to start scanning. Press or PTT button to stop scanning. Short press of will
exclude the frequency of the last detected signal from the current scan. Starting a new scan
will restore excluded frequencies. will continue the scan. During a Group Mode scan,
use and to cycle up and down through groups.
The Menu button will still function to open the menu during a scan.
After exiting a scan, the VFO will be on the channel/frequency of the last detected signal. In

3
VFO mode, once you exit a scan, so long as you do not adjust the frequency in any way,
restarting the scan will resume from where you stopped and the start/end frequencies will

-H
remain unchanged. In VFO scanning mode, the scan order can be reversed by pressing the
up and down buttons.

20- Scan Presets

TD
LP in VFO mode to access Scan Presets configured in the nicFW Programmer. You can
select multiple Scan Presets to scan at once by pressing on each Scan Preset. A
Scanning icon will be displayed next to the Scan Preset name when selected to scan a
group of Scan Presets at once. To start Scanning a Scan Preset or selected group of Scan
Presets, press to begin the scan. LP in Channel or Group mode and screen colors
r
will invert instead of opening the Scan Presets menu.
fo
Scanning with a Scan Preset or a group of Scan Presets will change several menu options in
the radio to match what is configured in the Scan Preset. This includes Step Size (Menu 02),
Scan Persist (Menu 15), Scan Resume (Menu 16), Scan Ultra (Menu 17), and possibly
Modulation (Menu 5). These remain set in the menu options to the value used by the last
W

running Scan Preset configuration when the scan was exited.

21- Frequency Counter

cF

In VFO Mode, LP to start the Frequency Counter. This is similar to a scan and will lock to
a frequency from a strong signal and start receiving the signal. This can be used to also find
your XTAL 671 value and it will also show the CTCSS tone or DCS code on this screen if you
have Tone Monitor enabled. If Tone Monitor is set to Clone, you can set the active VFO to the
ni

Frequency Counter frequency and decoded CTCSS tone or DCS Code. This VFO can then be
used to save to a channel (memory bank).

22- LCD RFI Compensation Toggle

RX on some frequencies will produce a helicopter rotor type stutter during reception due to the
S-Meter refresh rate on the LCD. LP to change to a second preset S-Meter refresh
value. This will shift the harmonic interference to other frequencies for the time being. When
enabled, a will appear in the same location as the ASL (AllStarLink) usually appears.
 34

23- Using the Spectrum Scope

To access the Scope, you’ll need to shift to the shifted (SLP) bank by a LP of and then a
SLP of .

To use the Spectrum Scope, make sure you’re only in VFO mode (not Channel or Group
Mode). If started while in Single PTT mode (Menu 22), the radio will switch to Dual PTT mode
automatically. The scope uses the inactive VFO space to display the Scope. TX is disabled

3
while using the Scope. You cannot switch to Single PTT mode while the Scope is in use.​
​

-H
and buttons will Step up and down the RX frequency in the active VFO based on
the Step (Menu 02) value. Using and will Step up or down 10x the Step value.
will center on the strongest signal in the scope.​

TD
​
There are three frequency values listed on screen with the Scope. The two side by side
frequencies are the upper and lower values of the displayed scope. The third frequency is the
strongest signal within the Scope range.

Many menu options will be available during Scope use, but don’t try to Scan, or do other things
r
that likely wouldn’t be compatible with the Scope function. Audio is not heard while using the
Scope. You cannot TX or switch to Single PTT mode with the scope enabled. To exit the
fo
Scope, use .
W
cF
ni

24- NOAA Alert Tone

“To enable NOAA alert tone, you set the RX CTCSS (Menu 09) to a custom value of 105.0
(needs to be keyed in). When set, squelch remains closed until a 1050 Hz tone is heard and
from that point squelch remains open until signal loss or user interaction.” -Marcus Dudely

Testing NOAA - Transmitting a TX CTCSS tone of 105.0 Hz from another radio will not open
the squelch on the receiving nicFW radio configured to RX CTCSS tone 105.0 Hz on a NOAA
 35
broadcast frequency. Instead, you would set the Repeater Tone (Menu 26) to 1050 Hz on the
transmitting radio and while pressing the PTT button to transmit, you press the
Flashlight/Monitor button to transmit the 1050 Hz tone. The RX CTCSS tones is not actually
using 105.0 Hz. It’s a 1050 hz tone, but the RX CTCSS menu options is used to enable this
for NOAA reception.

You can learn more about what NOAA weather RX frequencies to configure here.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOAA_Weather_Radio

3
25- Reset Radio Settings
This is not as complete as wiping the EEPROM with the EEPROM_WIPE.bin file, but may be

-H
useful to solve self induced problems. Hold down the Flashlight/Monitor button while you
power on the radio. This will reset most radio settings. Hopefully you backed up your working
CodePlug with the nicFW Programmer beforehand so you can easily restore it. You can also
right-click the ‘Write’ button in the nicFW Programmer to do the same type of wipe. Flashing

TD
the EEPROM_WIPE.bin file will erase everything and you’ll need to re-install the firmware.
This has helped some clear up issues with the using the USB-C port for Writing configurations
to the radio.

26- Using the Activity Scanner built into the nicFW Programmer
A.​ Connect the radio to the nicFW Programmer with the USB cable.
r
B.​ Define a Scan Preset in the nicFW Programmer and write preset to radio.
fo
C.​ Switch radio to VFO mode.
D.​ Start the activity scanner on the programmer.
E.​ LP on the radio.
F.​ Select a preset and start it scanning by pressing .
W

G.​ While the scan is running press on the radio to switch the scanner into Activity
Mode. While in this mode, the radio will not monitor active signals or open squelch.
The active signals discovered will instead be recorded in the nicFW Programmer and
can be used for saving channels.
cF

27- Skinning with nicFW Programmer

“Skinning isn’t for the faint of heart—it can be a meticulous and challenging process. The
interface, while functional, can feel a bit clunky at times. At its core, a skin is a modification of
ni

the firmware .bin file that adjusts the position and color of display elements. You can move
most of these elements to wherever you want, as well as change their colors. [LP button
functions can also be reconfigured here]

Getting Started with Skinning

Open the programmer and go to the ‘Skinning’ tab.
Click on "Load Firmware" and select a compatible firmware binary.
You’ll now see the default layout. From here, you can:
 36
1.​ Move elements and adjust their colors using the controls on the right side of the
preview. The preview will update as you make changes.
2.​ Import a pre-made skin by clicking the "Import Skin" button and selecting the
appropriate skin CSV file.
3.​ Switch to the Single PTT preview by checking the ‘Single PTT’ box.
4.​ Preview different VFO background colors by checking the RX, TX, and Scan boxes.
5.​ Preview the menu appearance and various editing modes within the menu.

Saving Your Changes

3
Once you’re satisfied with your edits, you can:

-H
●​ Apply the changes to the firmware binary by clicking the "Save Firmware" button. This
will save the modified .bin file, which you can flash to your radio.
●​ Export your skin to a CSV to save your edits and share them with others. It’s also a
good idea to save the skin CSV for quickly applying your custom skin to newer firmware

TD
versions.

Understanding Element Positioning

Most elements have both vertical and horizontal components, but some only have one. For
example, the global flags bar (the one with icons like battery, tone monitor, dual watch, etc.) is
a full-width bar defined by just a vertical position. The individual elements within this bar only
have horizontal values, as their vertical positions are determined by the overall position of the
r
flags bar.
fo
The VFO (Variable Frequency Oscillator) is similarly relative. You set the vertical position for
the 45-pixel tall VFOs, and then you can adjust the elements within the VFO relative to that. In
Single PTT mode, the VFO height increases to 90 pixels, and the elements are spaced
vertically. There are also values specific to Dual/Single PTT modes. The positions of VFO-A
and VFO-B only apply in Dual/Hybrid PTT mode. In Single PTT mode, the VFO’s vertical
W

position is controlled by the “Single VFO Vertical” setting. Likewise, the flags bar has separate
settings for Dual and Single PTT modes.

The Preview Image

cF

The preview image is designed to display elements in the same order as the firmware does on
the radio. This ensures proper overlap handling, as elements drawn later will overwrite earlier
ones. With careful overlap, you can "remove" elements by layering others on top.
ni

Switch Entries
Entries labeled as "SWITCH" represent boolean values, where 0 means OFF, and any
non-zero value means ON. For simplicity, use 1 for ON and 0 for OFF.
Some entries are marked as "MSWITCH", which stands for "Multi-Switch". These have more
than two possible values. For example, the "Inactive VFO Dimming" switch is an MSWITCH
because it offers three options:

●​ 0 = No Dimming
●​ 1 = Dark Background Dimming
 37
●​ 2 = Light Background Dimming

Long Press Functions

These options, found at the end of the Positional Data section, are not part of a skin. However,
they have been included in this tab for convenience, as it simplifies their application to the
firmware binary and allows the use of the existing skin editor functionality. Each option
corresponds to a specific function assigned to a key when long-pressed.
To modify a long-press function, right-click on the desired key and select a function from the
menu that appears.

3
While long-press configurations are written to the firmware binary alongside the skin settings,
they are not included in a skin CSV export. However, you can import and export long-press

-H
data separately using the ‘Import LPs’ and ‘Export LPs’ buttons.”
-​ Marcus Dudely

28- CodePlug separation between Radio Settings and Power Tuning

TD
When using the nicFW Programmer, you might notice that if you have more than one
radio, you can’t just use the same CodePlug for both radios unless their Power Tuning
parameters happen to be the same (you should test with a meter). In this case, it may
be helpful to only include the Radio Settings when you ‘Write’ to the radio or perhaps
just the Power Tuning configuration. To do this, you can right-click the following buttons
in the nicFW Programmer to access additional submenus for their associated actions.​
r
‘Load’ // ‘Read’ // ‘Write’
fo
W
cF
ni
 38

Troubleshooting
USB-C interface not working
If your radio is unable to communicate with your computer with a USB-C cable and the
computer is not detecting a COM port, then your USB-C cable is likely not wired internally for
data and may be a charging only cable. Try another cable. If a COM port is showing, then you
might need to verify that drivers are installed. Get the radio’s internal chipset CH340 driver.

3
If the same USB-C cable previously worked with your radio on a previous version of nicFW
Programmer, first try reconnecting the USB-C, but if that doesn’t work, you might try using the

-H
EEPROM_WIPE.bin file and flashing it to your radio. After wiping, this will require that you
flash the nicFW .bin to your radio and restore your settings. Make sure Power Save (Menu 45)
is off as this is known to prevent communication with nicFW Programmer with USB, K1 Plug,
and Bluetooth.

TD
EPPROM_WIPE.bin - sha256 -
b4f943f78f9ecfd5a9af386671874124820efd411071fc828b682faedad6bda3

If everything else fails, you can always use a K1 Port style USB cable with built in chipset.
r
TD-H3 will not transmit
You may have a bad chip on your board. Have a look at this detailed post. It’s also possible
fo
that you have damaged your radio by transmitting outside the range of frequencies your radio
is designed to TX. You may need a new radio. “The final transistor is rated @ 6.5W VHF &
5.5W UHF. I would suggest limiting operation to these power levels or lower in order to prevent
damage.” - Jame Moran​
W

Screen stays Blank

You may not have had a good firmware flash. You may want to download a fresh copy of the
latest nicFW .bin and try again. You can always try the EEPROM_WIPE.bin listed above.
cF
ni