yep, there is a pretty common issue with the programming cable not seating 
all the way in on the radio end.
Sometimes pulling the usb end of the cable out and plugging it back in will 
remind the computer that it is there and it'll work...I can get mine to work 
with some fiddling, but it's never just plug and play.
Don't forget you have to choose vendor and model as well...and you must use 
the latest daily build from chirp, not the most recent official release.
trust me, programming by hand, though a little bit tedious is by far the 
easier method for the blind user.
by the time you type in all the frequency and tone info into the software, 
you could have had it done on the radio in less time anyway.
I find the same true for the accessible radio programming software as well 
from kenwood and Icom.
don't forget, you must read the radio before writing to it as well if you 
manage to get the fields in the software to work.
This isn't just a matter of someone not knowing their screen reader well 
enough or how to access more difficult apps...the software just plain 
doesn't work with the UV5R.
As Jose has indicated, most of the uv3r software is accessible with a screen 
reader, but that isn't the case with the uv5r model.
I got about as far as he did with the uv3r.

73
Colin, V A6BKX
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Butch Bussen" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2012 5:21 PM
Subject: uv-5r question.


>I got mine today, for the money, so far a cool radio.  Took me a little
> playing, but I got tmy repeater programmed in.  I was going to try and
> play with their software.  I bought the cable (usb) from import
> communications.  I installed the driver, and when I plug it in and look
> under device manager, it says it has it on com 8.  I run the software and
> under communications, set com 8.  When I try and read the radio, I get an
> error.  Is there anything I need to set on the radio?  Are there any
> specific baud rates I should set?
> Thanks.
> 73
> Butch
> WA0VJR
> Node 3148
> Wallace, ks.