--By James Burnett

If you’re new to GMRS radios or just picked up the Bofang GM-15 Pro handheld, this guide will walk you through the basics of programming it. I’ll cover everything from navigating the menu, silencing those annoying beeps, programming custom frequencies, setting up scan lists, accessing NOAA weather channels, and even working with privacy codes for repeaters.

Getting Started: The Keypad Overview

Before we start programming, it’s helpful to understand the layout of your keypad:

Menu Button (upper left corner): Opens the menu and confirms selections.
Up/Down Buttons: Navigate through menu options.
Back Button (upper right): Takes you back to previous screens. Hold for ~4–5 seconds to enter Weather Mode.
Asterisk (*) Key: Locks the keypad when held for a few seconds.
Pound (#) Key: Enables scan mode when held down.

Step 1: Turning Off Beeps and Voice Prompts

By default, the GM-15 Pro beeps and announces menu changes. Here’s how to silence it:

Press Menu.
Use the down arrow to scroll to Menu Option 13 (Voice).
Press Menu, select OFF, then press Menu again to confirm.
Scroll to Menu Option 7 (Beep).
Select OFF and confirm with Menu.
Now your radio is quiet and ready for customization.

Step 2: Programming a Custom Frequency

For this example, we’ll program a local fire and EMS dispatch frequency into channel 55.

Hold the Menu button until the radio switches to Frequency Mode (VFO).
Enter your custom frequency using the keypad.
Press Menu, then scroll to MEM-CH (Memory Channel).
Choose channel 55 (channels 1–54 are reserved).
Press Menu again to save.
Your custom channel is now ready for use.

Step 3: Managing Your Scan List

By default, the GM-15 Pro scans every channel, including DIY channels that may not be useful. To clean up your scan bank:

Select the channel you want to remove from scanning (e.g., DIY 24).
Press Menu, scroll to SCAN-ADD.
Change the setting from ON to OFF.
Repeat for other channels you don’t want included.
Now when you hold the # (Scan) button, the radio will skip the unwanted channels.

Step 4: Accessing NOAA Weather Channels

The GM-15 Pro includes pre-programmed NOAA weather frequencies.

Hold the Back Button for ~4 seconds to enter Weather Mode.
Hold the # (Scan) button to search for the nearest NOAA station.
To exit Weather Mode, hold the Back Button again (make sure you’re on a quiet channel if it won’t exit).

Step 5: Programming Repeaters with Privacy Codes (CTCSS)

If you’re using a repeater, or just want to add CTCSS privacy codes for direct communication:

Go to the desired Repeater Channel (e.g., GMRS 25).
Press Menu, scroll to TX-CTCSS. Select the correct tone (e.g., 123.0 Hz).
Press Menu again to confirm.
Scroll to RX-CTCSS and set the same tone.
Now your radio is properly configured to transmit and receive on that repeater.

Final Thoughts

The Bofang GM-15 Pro is a versatile and affordable GMRS handheld. Once you learn how to navigate the menus, you can:

Program custom frequencies,
Create a clean scan list,
Monitor NOAA weather alerts, and
Set up repeaters with privacy codes.
With a little practice, you’ll be able to customize your GM-15 Pro to fit your local communication needs.

Happy prepping, and stay safe out there!

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