Hacking Retevis B63S aka B3S
It is illegal to use higher power that 0.5W on PMR446 frequencies. Use this only if you want to use the radio on other frequencies you are licensed to use (HAM).
Intro
Here we go again, Retevis has introduced a new clone radio with the addition of a little LCD. Surely they again created a new mess of a save file, so we needed a different approach than B63H or RT622P.
Power settings
Second to last column
0 - high power
1 - low power
Busy lock, scan
Last column
0 - busy off, scan off
4 - busy off, scan on
8 - busy on, scan off
12 - busy on, scan on
Frequency
37 6 96 68 37 6 96 68 124 4 124 4 0 0 1 4
<----RX-----> <----TX----->
44
60
06
25
Translation table
| VALUE IN SAVE FILE | REAL VALUE |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 3 |
| 4 | 4 |
| 5 | 5 |
| 6 | 6 |
| 7 | 7 |
| 8 | 8 |
| 9 | 9 |
| 16 | 10 |
| 17 | 11 |
| 18 | 12 |
| 19 | 13 |
| 20 | 14 |
| 21 | 15 |
| 22 | 16 |
| 23 | 17 |
| 24 | 18 |
| 25 | 19 |
| 32 | 20 |
| 33 | 21 |
| 34 | 22 |
| 35 | 23 |
| 36 | 24 |
| 37 | 25 |
| 38 | 26 |
| 39 | 27 |
| 40 | 28 |
| 41 | 29 |
| 48 | 30 |
| 49 | 31 |
| 50 | 32 |
| 51 | 33 |
| 52 | 34 |
| 53 | 35 |
| 54 | 36 |
| 55 | 37 |
| 56 | 38 |
| 57 | 39 |
| 64 | 40 |
| 65 | 41 |
| 66 | 42 |
| 67 | 43 |
| 68 | 44 |
| 69 | 45 |
| 70 | 46 |
| 71 | 47 |
| 72 | 48 |
| 73 | 49 |
| 80 | 50 |
| 81 | 51 |
| 82 | 52 |
| 83 | 53 |
| 84 | 54 |
| 85 | 55 |
| 86 | 56 |
| 87 | 57 |
| 88 | 58 |
| 89 | 59 |
| 96 | 60 |
| 97 | 61 |
| 98 | 62 |
| 99 | 63 |
| 100 | 64 |
| 101 | 65 |
| 102 | 66 |
| 103 | 67 |
| 104 | 68 |
| 105 | 69 |
| 112 | 70 |
| 113 | 71 |
| 114 | 72 |
| 115 | 73 |
| 116 | 74 |
| 117 | 75 |
| 118 | 76 |
| 119 | 77 |
| 120 | 78 |
| 121 | 79 |
| 128 | 80 |
| 129 | 81 |
| 130 | 82 |
| 131 | 83 |
| 132 | 84 |
| 133 | 85 |
| 134 | 86 |
| 135 | 87 |
| 136 | 88 |
| 137 | 89 |
| 153 | 90 |
| 154 | 91 |
| 155 | 92 |
| 156 | 93 |
| 157 | 94 |
| 158 | 95 |
| 159 | 96 |
| 160 | 97 |
| 161 | 98 |
| 162 | 99 |
Original save file
37 6 96 68 37 6 96 68 124 4 124 4 0 0 1 4
117 24 96 68 117 24 96 68 124 4 124 4 0 0 1 4
37 49 96 68 37 49 96 68 124 4 124 4 0 0 1 4
117 67 96 68 117 67 96 68 124 4 124 4 0 0 1 4
37 86 96 68 37 86 96 68 124 4 124 4 0 0 1 4
117 104 96 68 117 104 96 68 124 4 124 4 0 0 1 4
37 129 96 68 37 129 96 68 124 4 124 4 0 0 1 4
117 147 96 68 117 147 96 68 124 4 124 4 0 0 1 4
37 6 97 68 37 6 97 68 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 4
117 24 97 68 117 24 97 68 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 4
37 49 97 68 37 49 97 68 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 4
117 67 97 68 117 67 97 68 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 4
37 86 97 68 37 86 97 68 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 4
117 104 97 68 117 104 97 68 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 4
37 129 97 68 37 129 97 68 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 4
117 147 97 68 117 147 97 68 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 4
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
... line 175
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
2 0 2 0 2 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
1 1 1 1 1 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
2 2 2 2 2 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
3 3 3 3 3 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
4 4 4 4 4 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
5 5 5 5 5 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
6 6 6 6 6 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
7 7 7 7 7 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
8 8 8 8 8 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
9 9 9 9 9 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
1 2 1 2 1 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
3 4 3 4 3 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
5 6 5 6 5 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
7 8 7 8 7 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
3 0 3 0 3 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
2 2 2 255 255 3 3 3 255 255 1 1 9 255 255 0
5 5 5 255 255 6 6 6 255 255 7 7 7 255 255 1
6 0 6 0 6 7 0 7 0 7 8 0 8 0 8 2
31 3 3 3 11 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 0 0 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
0 37 96 19 0 37 96 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 68
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
70 65 78 71 88 73 65 79 68 79 78 71 0 0 0 0
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
3 0 0 4 0 0 5 0 1 11 0 0 0 0 1 0
3 0 1 0 5 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 2
0 0 0 1 5 0 1 0 1 0 159 0 0 0 128 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 0 255 255 255 255 1 1 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 4 0 0 0 2 5 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 255 255 255 255 1 255 0 0 96 0
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 1 3 7 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 255 255 255 255 0 255 0 0 96 0
32 32 32 70 77 32 32 32 54 53 45 55 53 77 3 239
32 32 32 70 77 32 32 55 54 45 49 48 56 77 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
65 66 67 68 69 70 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255 255
... to line 481 with 482 empty
Undocumented features
This knowledge was shared by a kind internet hacker that wanted to stay anonymous. I do not own this radio, so did not test the following section. Pasted here as received.
Scan Freq
“Scan Freq…” - this mode will detect local transmissions, decode CTCSS/DCS, and write it to a memory channel of your choice. I discovered that this allows you to write to channels 1-32 even though the B3S programming software only displays channels 1-16. I don’t know what the upper/lower bounds are for frequency reception and writing to memory.
- Set radio to channel 1
- Engage key lock by holding menu button
- Turn off radio
- Hold both “channel down” and “menu” buttons while turning on radio. Continue holding until screen shows “Scan Freq…”
- Activate a transmitter near B3S
- Screen will show received frequency and code
- Press menu button
- Use channel up/down keys to select channel 1-32
- Press menu button to save to this channel
FSK Copy
“FSKcopy…” - this mode wirelessly transfers one radio’s programming to others. I have not tested this thoroughly but it basically seems to work.
- On both radios:
- Set radio to channel 2
- Engage key lock by holding menu button
- Turn off radio
- Hold both “channel down” and “menu” buttons while turning on radio. Continue holding until screen shows “FSKcopy…”
Pressing the PTT key on one radio will send its programming to the other. LEDs will flash during transfer.
Unknown function
- Set radio to channel 16
- Engage key lock by holding menu button
- Turn off radio
- Hold both “channel down” and “menu” buttons while turning on radio. Continue holding for a few seconds
- LED light will be steady red for ~15 seconds with squelch closed
- LED light changes to steady green for ~30 seconds with squelch opened
Additional findings by Diego
I haven’t tested it, as I never bought the radio :)
Last column:
68wide, busy off, scan off64wide, busy off, scan on72wide, busy on, scan off76wide, busy on, scan on
Adding ff in the first line in a save file enables editing of PWR and Narrow/Wide options in software.
Opening a codeplug always displays empty channel 1 settings.
Additional findings by Thomas
2026-07-05 - I am happy to include info from another e-mail I got.
To solve the issue with empty channel 1 and broken channel 2, you can just click on the upper left icon for a new page. The correct frequency table is then rebuilt in the software and can easily be written to the radio. Furthermore the scan trick is available again.