Hello there friends! Today, we're going to walk through the process of upgrading and rooting your Talkpod A36 Plus GMRS HAM Radio. This guide is specifically designed for version M12B5, so make sure you're working with the right version before proceeding.

Step 1: Getting Connected

First things first, you're going to need a regular K Head Programming Cable Writing USB Frequency Line to connect your two-way radio to your computer. Make sure the cable is properly attached to both your radio and your computer's USB ports. Once everything is set up, go ahead and launch your system.

Now, you might ask, "What if I can't connect to the USB ports successfully, or don't know how to check my port number?" No worries! If you're using Windows 7, click 'start' in the menu bar, then right click 'properties' in 'computer', and choose 'device manager'. For Windows 10 users, click 'start', then 'settings' to enter "windows settings", and follow this path: 'device' -> 'connected device' -> 'device manager'. You can check your port number in 'port (COM and LPT)'.

If you find no COM port, double-check if the driver of the serial port to USB is installed correctly. If not, install an appropriate driver according to your writing cable type. You can even use a firmware like Snappy Driver Installer that recognizes android automatically and installs it.

Step 2: Engage the TalkpodBootloader

Next, we'll use the TalkpodBootloader. Click the '...' button and select the latest version of firmware pack to open the .kdhx file. Ensure to choose the correct serial port number from the menu. Then, hit the 'automatic upgrade' button. If a message pops up saying the download is finished, congratulations, your radio has been successfully rooted and upgraded!

A little heads up here: If you're using firmware version prior to V1.12, you won't receive the end beep. If you need this, simply import the latest voice pack using the 'Talkpod 导入语音工具.exe'. If your firmware version is after V1.14, you can skip the following steps.

Step 3: Upgrade/Root Installation (Optional)

For this step, choose the correct serial port number again and click 'load voice'. Select the latest version of voice pack and open the file. Then, hit 'import'. Once you see the 'completed' message, you're all done!

Finally, here are some common Q&As that might help you:

Q: "What if the handshake fails?" A: Check if the serial port is correct and if your radio is turned on.

Q: "What if the progress bar doesn't reach 100%?" A: Make sure your battery is charged and the writing cable is properly connected to the radio.

Q: "Why doesn't the end beep work after the firmware version after V1.14 has been rooted?" A: You need to turn on the tail beep cancellation before receiving. If your transmitter doesn't have or run this function, the beep won't work.

And that's it, my friends! Enjoy your upgraded and rooted Talkpod A36 Plus GMRS HAM Radio. Stay tuned for more tech tips and tricks!