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MAGNUM 257 HP Review

I just bought a Magnum 257HP and the board to do the frequency conversion does not have the jumper, so it is the newer version. However, I am not having any luck getting the expanded frequencies to work. Could someone help me out with this? A picture of the finished layout would work best for me if possible. I looked at CB tricks and I wasn't sure what the final layout should look like based off that.
 
I just bought a Magnum 257HP and the board to do the frequency conversion does not have the jumper, so it is the newer version. However, I am not having any luck getting the expanded frequencies to work. Could someone help me out with this? A picture of the finished layout would work best for me if possible. I looked at CB tricks and I wasn't sure what the final layout should look like based off that.
Do you have this info?:
 

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Yes. But that shows jumping con 1 and having the diode running for the 4th spot down up to con 1. Mine had no jumper on con 1 and the diode was on the first part of con 1 tied into the first part of con 3.
 
When you pull the bottom cover off you will see the conversion board.

The con 1 pins will have a solder bridge. You need to remove that bridge.

To expand the rig fully you place a solder bridge between the pads at con 3.

Instead of removing the little board and turning it upright to change jumpers, you now leave it in and work from the bottom of it.

In the picture, you will have the version on the right.

Instead of removing jumpers and moving them, you are removing solder and adding it elsewhere.
 
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Yes. But that shows jumping con 1 and having the diode running for the 4th spot down up to con 1. Mine had no jumper on con 1 and the diode was on the first part of con 1 tied into the first part of con 3.
Sounds like your radio was forced to 10M? Just rewire the board to conform to the pictorial.
 
The radio comes with con 1 already jumped (soldered). Are you removing the little board and flipping it over?

If so, don't do that. Your working on the bottom of the board now. When you remove the radio's bottom cover and look at the con board you are looking at the bottom of it. If you remove the screw and turn it over, that's the top of the board (where the jumpers used to be).
 
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I just bought a Magnum 257HP and the board to do the frequency conversion does not have the jumper, so it is the newer version. However, I am not having any luck getting the expanded frequencies to work. Could someone help me out with this? A picture of the finished layout would work best for me if possible. I looked at CB tricks and I wasn't sure what the final layout should look like based off that.

Someone needs to make this a sticky.

Take a look at the pics I have attached. This is my 257 HP. Notice the little board inside the radio right behind the mic plug. That's the frequency board. The jumpers on mine were cut.

Now notice the blob of solder on CON 2. That's my work.

When the radio was new, the blob of solder was on CON 1. CON 1 is the 10 meter only mode. CON 2 is 10 the "stealth" mode, in case the FCC man decides to drop by your shack.

Using a desolder tool that you can buy at the Rat Shack, I undid the solder on the board, and resoldered on the current connection. Make sure you use low heat/heat sink as to not destroy the diode. Yes you need to leave the diode on the board.

Then undo the little board from the chassis, press and hold the little black reset button on the opposite side of this board, reinstall the board and reassemble the bottom.

That's it. You're done. Easy as pie. (or piece of cake)

Hope this helps.
 

Attachments

  • Magnum 257 001.jpg
    Magnum 257 001.jpg
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  • Magnum 257 002.jpg
    Magnum 257 002.jpg
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  • Magnum 257 003.jpg
    Magnum 257 003.jpg
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Someone needs to make this a sticky.

Take a look at the pics I have attached. This is my 257 HP. Notice the little board inside the radio right behind the mic plug. That's the frequency board. The jumpers on mine were cut.

Now notice the blob of solder on CON 2. That's my work.

When the radio was new, the blob of solder was on CON 1. CON 1 is the 10 meter only mode. CON 2 is 10 the "stealth" mode, in case the FCC man decides to drop by your shack.

Using a desolder tool that you can buy at the Rat Shack, I undid the solder on the board, and resoldered on the current connection. Make sure you use low heat/heat sink as to not destroy the diode. Yes you need to leave the diode on the board.

Then undo the little board from the chassis, press and hold the little black reset button on the opposite side of this board, reinstall the board and reassemble the bottom.

That's it. You're done. Easy as pie. (or piece of cake)

Hope this helps.
Ah, yes!!! You must reset the µP before it will accept the new program! Very important, or the radio will stay on the old program!

And yes, "Stealth Mode". The OF-S45HP has the same µP. Though we don't have the same government worries up here, I also run mine in stealth mode, only because I use it on both 10M and 11M, and need the "ham" features.
 
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Yes, according to the instructions, CON 2 allows you to work repeaters...if you have them in your area. Only thing is they say the radio only emits an 88.5 PL tone....I would think 10 meter repeaters use more than just 88.5 PL tones....?
 
Yes, according to the instructions, CON 2 allows you to work repeaters...if you have them in your area. Only thing is they say the radio only emits an 88.5 PL tone....I would think 10 meter repeaters use more than just 88.5 PL tones....?
CON 2 allows full ham functionality when in the ham mode, including repeater offsets, splits, and CTCSS tone.

Since this radio is actually a "10M" radio, it retains some of the inexpert thinking of it's designers. 88.5 used to be the standard tone for 10M repeaters about 10 years ago. I guess Magnum's designers either aren't keeping up with current ham protocols, or they simply rely on whatever existing standards are prevalent in the "10M" radio business.
 
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Someone needs to make this a sticky.

Take a look at the pics I have attached. This is my 257 HP. Notice the little board inside the radio right behind the mic plug. That's the frequency board. The jumpers on mine were cut.

Now notice the blob of solder on CON 2. That's my work.

When the radio was new, the blob of solder was on CON 1. CON 1 is the 10 meter only mode. CON 2 is 10 the "stealth" mode, in case the FCC man decides to drop by your shack.

Using a desolder tool that you can buy at the Rat Shack, I undid the solder on the board, and resoldered on the current connection. Make sure you use low heat/heat sink as to not destroy the diode. Yes you need to leave the diode on the board.

Then undo the little board from the chassis, press and hold the little black reset button on the opposite side of this board, reinstall the board and reassemble the bottom.

That's it. You're done. Easy as pie. (or piece of cake)

Hope this helps.

I owe you a beer. I will follow these steps tonight. I never did the reset so that may be all it is
 
CON 2 allows full ham functionality when in the ham mode, including repeater offsets, splits, and CTCSS tone.

Since this radio is actually a "10M" radio, it retains some of the inexpert thinking of it's designers. 88.5 used to be the standard tone for 10M repeaters about 10 years ago. I guess Magnum's designers either aren't keeping up with current ham protocols, or they simply rely on whatever existing standards are prevalent in the "10M" radio business.

If that is in fact true then it would pretty much be useless for working 10 meter repeaters.
 
True.

You'd think the recent export offerings would add some useful HAM features. Might help sell more rigs to a few HAMS that otherwise, shun the typical export rig.

Take the Optima, if it had CW, selectable tones I bet more amateurs would buy them, seeing how they're free from beeps and echo.
 
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I just needed to do the reset. I had it wired up correctly. Thanks again. I like this little radio. It's not perfect by any means but it's effective.
 
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