PocketCHIRP / Bluetooth / TIDRADIO Programmer
Bluetooth Programmer Guide

TIDRADIO Bluetooth programming:
not every dongle is the same.

TIDRADIO Bluetooth programmers can vary by revision. Learn why some are limited to 9600 baud while others support 38400, 57600 or 115200 baud with PocketCHIRP.

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Some are 9,600 only

PocketCHIRP testing has encountered TIDRADIO Bluetooth programmer hardware that behaves as a fixed 9,600-baud bridge. Those units are best matched to radios whose programming protocol also uses 9,600 baud.

Some support higher rates

Other TIDRADIO revisions expose OEM baud-control behavior. PocketCHIRP's implemented rate set includes 9,600, 38,400, 57,600 and 115,200 baud when that control channel is actually available and verifies successfully.

Why TIDRADIO Bluetooth results can vary

“TIDRADIO programmer” is not a guarantee that two dongles are electrically or behaviorally identical. Hardware and firmware revisions can expose different capabilities. PocketCHIRP therefore does not treat every unit as permanently fixed at one speed, and it also does not assume every unit can switch speeds.

When the programmer exposes the appropriate OEM control channel, PocketCHIRP can query or request a supported radio-side baud rate and verify the result. If that capability is absent, or the module fails to confirm the requested rate, the safer conclusion is that the particular programmer or firmware revision may not support that speed.

Bottom line: some TIDRADIO Bluetooth dongles are limited to 9,600 baud, while others can support higher programming speeds. Results vary by dongle revision, firmware and radio.

What higher baud support means

A multi-baud programmer can potentially be used with radio drivers that expect faster clone rates, but only when the programmer can actually switch and verify the required speed. PocketCHIRP's current OEM-controlled set covers 9,600, 38,400, 57,600 and 115,200 baud. That is a programmer capability, not a promise that every radio using one of those rates is automatically compatible.

TIDRADIO programmer vs. radio compatibility

There are two separate questions: does PocketCHIRP understand the radio's programming protocol, and can the selected Bluetooth programmer carry that protocol correctly? Keeping those questions separate helps avoid misleading compatibility claims and makes troubleshooting much easier.

Useful with custom firmware?

Potentially, yes. Custom firmware does not automatically change the physical programming transport, but firmware-specific drivers can change the data layout and behavior PocketCHIRP expects. For example, the verified UV-K5 VUURWERK path includes a Bluetooth programmer transport as well as USB serial. See the custom firmware guide for firmware-specific details.

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