diff --git a/chirp/bitwise.py b/chirp/bitwise.py
index 98720a145..b5654b697 100644
--- a/chirp/bitwise.py
+++ b/chirp/bitwise.py
@@ -322,6 +322,19 @@ def __set_value_char(self, value):
         if len(value) != len(self.__items):
             raise ValueError("String expects exactly %i characters, not %i" % (
                              len(self.__items), len(value)))
+        if not isinstance(value, bytes) and hasattr(value, '__str__'):
+            # Special case to allow ASCII strings straight through because
+            # almost anything will support them. If the string is not fully
+            # supported by ASCII, then the driver should have provided a
+            # pre-encoded bytestring.
+            warnings.warn(
+                'String compatibility used - should pass bytes instead',
+                category=DeprecationWarning, stacklevel=4)
+            try:
+                value = str(value).encode('ascii')
+            except UnicodeEncodeError:
+                raise ValueError('Non-ASCII string set on char type: use '
+                                 'pre-encoded bytestring instead')
         for i in range(0, len(self.__items)):
             self.__items[i].set_value(value[i])
 
diff --git a/chirp/drivers/boblov_x3plus.py b/chirp/drivers/boblov_x3plus.py
index 5482a4bc7..62c310590 100644
--- a/chirp/drivers/boblov_x3plus.py
+++ b/chirp/drivers/boblov_x3plus.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ class BoblovX3Plus(chirp_common.CloneModeRadio,
     MODEL = 'X3Plus'
     BAUD_RATE = 9600
     CHANNELS = 16
+    NEEDS_COMPAT_SERIAL = False
 
     MEM_FORMAT = """
     #seekto 0x0010;
@@ -86,12 +87,12 @@ class BoblovX3Plus(chirp_common.CloneModeRadio,
     """
 
     # Radio command data
-    CMD_ACK = '\x06'
-    CMD_IDENTIFY = '\x02'
-    CMD_PROGRAM_ENTER = '.VKOGRAM'
-    CMD_PROGRAM_EXIT = '\x62'  # 'b'
-    CMD_READ = 'R'
-    CMD_WRITE = 'W'
+    CMD_ACK = b'\x06'
+    CMD_IDENTIFY = b'\x02'
+    CMD_PROGRAM_ENTER = b'.VKOGRAM'
+    CMD_PROGRAM_EXIT = b'\x62'  # 'b'
+    CMD_READ = b'R'
+    CMD_WRITE = b'W'
 
     BLOCK_SIZE = 0x08
 
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ def sync_in(self):
 
         self._enter_programming_mode()
 
-        data = ''
+        data = b''
         for addr in range(0, self._memsize, self.BLOCK_SIZE):
             status.cur = addr + self.BLOCK_SIZE
             self.status_fn(status)
@@ -260,14 +261,13 @@ def get_memory(self, number):
         mem.freq = int(rmem.rxfreq) * 10
 
         # A blank (0 MHz) or 0xFFFFFFFF frequency is considered empty
-        if mem.freq == 0 or (
-                rmem.rxfreq.get_raw(asbytes=False) == '\xFF\xFF\xFF\xFF'):
+        if mem.freq == 0 or rmem.rxfreq.get_raw() == b'\xFF\xFF\xFF\xFF':
             LOG.debug('empty channel %d', number)
             mem.freq = 0
             mem.empty = True
             return mem
 
-        if rmem.txfreq.get_raw(asbytes=False) == '\xFF\xFF\xFF\xFF':
+        if rmem.txfreq.get_raw() == b'\xFF\xFF\xFF\xFF':
             mem.duplex = 'off'
             mem.offset = 0
         elif int(rmem.rxfreq) == int(rmem.txfreq):
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ def set_memory(self, memory):
         rmem = self._memobj.memory[memory.number - 1]
 
         if memory.empty:
-            rmem.set_raw('\xFF' * (rmem.size() // 8))
+            rmem.set_raw(b'\xFF' * (rmem.size() // 8))
             return
 
         rmem.rxfreq = memory.freq / 10
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ def set_memory(self, memory):
         set_txtone = True
         if memory.duplex == 'off':
             for i in range(0, 4):
-                rmem.txfreq[i].set_raw('\xFF')
+                rmem.txfreq[i].set_raw(b'\xFF')
                 # If receive only then txtone value should be none
                 self._encode_tone(rmem.txtone, mode='', value=None, pol=None)
                 set_txtone = False
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ def _enter_programming_mode(self):
             self._write(self.CMD_IDENTIFY)
             ident = self._read(8)
 
-            if not ident.startswith('SMP558'):
+            if not ident.startswith(b'SMP558'):
                 LOG.debug(util.hexprint(ident))
                 raise errors.RadioError('Radio returned unknown ID string')
 
diff --git a/chirp/drivers/leixen.py b/chirp/drivers/leixen.py
index 777b2be01..6cf15e71d 100644
--- a/chirp/drivers/leixen.py
+++ b/chirp/drivers/leixen.py
@@ -472,9 +472,9 @@ def _get_tone(self, mem, _mem):
                                        (rx_tmode, rx_tone, rx_pol))
 
     def _is_txinh(self, _mem):
-        raw_tx = ""
+        raw_tx = b""
         for i in range(0, 4):
-            raw_tx += _mem.tx_freq[i].get_raw(asbytes=False)
+            raw_tx += _mem.tx_freq[i].get_raw()
         return raw_tx == b"\xFF\xFF\xFF\xFF"
 
     def _get_memobjs(self, number):
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ def get_memory(self, number):
         mem = chirp_common.Memory()
         mem.number = number
 
-        if _mem.get_raw(asbytes=False)[:4] == "\xFF\xFF\xFF\xFF":
+        if _mem.get_raw()[0:4] == b"\xFF\xFF\xFF\xFF":
             mem.empty = True
             return mem
 
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ def set_memory(self, mem):
         if mem.empty:
             _mem.set_raw(b"\xFF" * 16)
             return
-        elif _mem.get_raw(asbytes=False) == (b"\xFF" * 16):
+        elif _mem.get_raw() == (b"\xFF" * 16):
             _mem.set_raw(b"\xFF" * 8 + b"\xFF\x00\xFF\x00\xFF\xFE\xF0\xFC")
 
         _mem.rx_freq = mem.freq / 10
diff --git a/chirp/drivers/puxing.py b/chirp/drivers/puxing.py
index 3645ad688..4a626f3ee 100644
--- a/chirp/drivers/puxing.py
+++ b/chirp/drivers/puxing.py
@@ -218,12 +218,12 @@ def get_memory(self, number):
 
         def _is_empty():
             for i in range(0, 4):
-                if _mem.rx_freq[i].get_raw(asbytes=False) != "\xFF":
+                if _mem.rx_freq[i].get_raw() != b"\xFF":
                     return False
             return True
 
         def _is_no_tone(field):
-            return field.get_raw(asbytes=False) in ["\x00\x00", "\xFF\xFF"]
+            return field.get_raw() in [b"\x00\x00", b"\xFF\xFF"]
 
         def _get_dtcs(value):
             # Upper nibble 0x80 -> DCS, 0xC0 -> Inv. DCS
@@ -238,12 +238,12 @@ def _do_dtcs(mem, txfield, rxfield):
             if int(txfield) < 8000 or int(rxfield) < 8000:
                 raise Exception("Split tone not supported")
 
-            if txfield[0].get_raw(asbytes=False) == "\xFF":
+            if txfield[0].get_raw() == b"\xFF":
                 tp, tx = "N", None
             else:
                 tp, tx = _get_dtcs(int(txfield))
 
-            if rxfield[0].get_raw(asbytes=False) == "\xFF":
+            if rxfield[0].get_raw() == b"\xFF":
                 rp, rx = "N", None
             else:
                 rp, rx = _get_dtcs(int(rxfield))
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ def set_memory(self, mem):
         _nam = self._memobj.names[mem.number - 1]
 
         if mem.empty:
-            wipe_memory(_mem, "\xFF")
+            wipe_memory(_mem, b"\xFF")
             return
 
         _mem.rx_freq = mem.freq / 10
@@ -316,10 +316,10 @@ def set_memory(self, mem):
         _mem.skip = mem.skip != "S"
         _mem.iswide = mem.mode != "NFM"
 
-        _mem.rx_tone[0].set_raw("\xFF")
-        _mem.rx_tone[1].set_raw("\xFF")
-        _mem.tx_tone[0].set_raw("\xFF")
-        _mem.tx_tone[1].set_raw("\xFF")
+        _mem.rx_tone[0].set_raw(b"\xFF")
+        _mem.rx_tone[1].set_raw(b"\xFF")
+        _mem.tx_tone[0].set_raw(b"\xFF")
+        _mem.tx_tone[1].set_raw(b"\xFF")
 
         if mem.tmode == "DTCS":
             _mem.tx_tone = int("%x" % int("%i" % (mem.dtcs), 16))
@@ -329,9 +329,9 @@ def set_memory(self, mem):
             txm = mem.dtcs_polarity[0] == "N" and 0x80 or 0xC0
             rxm = mem.dtcs_polarity[1] == "N" and 0x80 or 0xC0
             _mem.tx_tone[1].set_raw(
-                chr(ord(_mem.tx_tone[1].get_raw(asbytes=False)) | txm))
+                bytes([_mem.tx_tone[1].get_raw()[0] | txm]))
             _mem.rx_tone[1].set_raw(
-                chr(ord(_mem.rx_tone[1].get_raw(asbytes=False)) | rxm))
+                bytes([_mem.rx_tone[1].get_raw()[0] | rxm]))
 
         elif mem.tmode:
             _mem.tx_tone = int(mem.rtone * 10)
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ def get_memory(self, number):
 
         mem = chirp_common.Memory()
         mem.number = number
-        if _mem.get_raw(asbytes=False)[0:4] == "\xff\xff\xff\xff":
+        if _mem.get_raw()[0:4] == b"\xff\xff\xff\xff":
             mem.empty = True
             return mem
 
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ def set_memory(self, mem):
         _mem = self._memobj.memory[mem.number-1]
 
         if mem.empty:
-            _mem.set_raw("\xff" * 16)
+            _mem.set_raw(b"\xff" * 16)
             return
 
         _mem.freq = mem.freq / 10
diff --git a/chirp/drivers/tk8102.py b/chirp/drivers/tk8102.py
index 888f015ca..b15836838 100644
--- a/chirp/drivers/tk8102.py
+++ b/chirp/drivers/tk8102.py
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ def get_memory(self, number):
         mem = chirp_common.Memory()
         mem.number = number
 
-        if _mem.get_raw(asbytes=False)[:4] == "\xFF\xFF\xFF\xFF":
+        if _mem.get_raw()[0:4] == b"\xFF\xFF\xFF\xFF":
             mem.empty = True
             return mem
 
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ def set_memory(self, mem):
         _mem = self._memobj.memory[mem.number - 1]
 
         if mem.empty:
-            _mem.set_raw("\xFF" * 16)
+            _mem.set_raw(b"\xFF" * 16)
             return
 
         _mem.unknown3[0] = 0x07
@@ -490,7 +490,8 @@ def set_settings(self, settings):
                 setting = element.get_name()
 
             if "line" in setting:
-                value = str(element.value).ljust(32, "\xFF")
+                value = bytes(str(element.value).encode('ascii'))
+                value = value.ljust(32, b"\xFF")
             elif 'key' in setting:
                 value = int(element.value) + 4
             else:
diff --git a/chirp/drivers/vx2.py b/chirp/drivers/vx2.py
index 41ee3f4a9..62f765054 100644
--- a/chirp/drivers/vx2.py
+++ b/chirp/drivers/vx2.py
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ def get_memory_mappings(self, memory):
 
 
 def _wipe_memory(mem):
-    mem.set_raw("\x00" * (mem.size() // 8))
+    mem.set_raw(b"\x00" * (mem.size() // 8))
 
 
 @directory.register
diff --git a/chirp/drivers/vx3.py b/chirp/drivers/vx3.py
index 6cff08381..1951163db 100644
--- a/chirp/drivers/vx3.py
+++ b/chirp/drivers/vx3.py
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ def get_memory_mappings(self, memory):
 
 
 def _wipe_memory(mem):
-    mem.set_raw("\x00" * (mem.size() // 8))
+    mem.set_raw(b"\x00" * (mem.size() // 8))
     # the following settings are set to match the defaults
     # on the radio, some of these fields are unknown
     mem.name = [0xFF for _i in range(0, 6)]
diff --git a/chirp/drivers/vx7.py b/chirp/drivers/vx7.py
index 01b854343..ebe827354 100644
--- a/chirp/drivers/vx7.py
+++ b/chirp/drivers/vx7.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ def get_memory_mappings(self, memory):
 
 
 def _wipe_memory(mem):
-    mem.set_raw("\x00" * (mem.size() // 8))
+    mem.set_raw(b"\x00" * (mem.size() // 8))
     mem.unknown1 = 0x05
     mem.ones = 0x03
 
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ def get_memory(self, number):
             mem.power = levels[0]
 
         for i in _mem.name:
-            if i == "\xFF":
+            if i == 0xFF:
                 break
             mem.name += CHARSET[i]
         mem.name = mem.name.rstrip()
diff --git a/chirp/drivers/vx8.py b/chirp/drivers/vx8.py
index 91608472c..ee93fbffe 100644
--- a/chirp/drivers/vx8.py
+++ b/chirp/drivers/vx8.py
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ def get_memory_mappings(self, memory):
 
 
 def _wipe_memory(mem):
-    mem.set_raw("\x00" * (mem.size() // 8))
+    mem.set_raw(b"\x00" * (mem.size() // 8))
 
 
 @directory.register
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ def _checksums(self):
 
     @staticmethod
     def _add_ff_pad(val, length):
-        return val.ljust(length, "\xFF")[:length]
+        return val.ljust(length, b"\xFF")[:length]
 
     @classmethod
     def _strip_ff_pads(cls, messages):
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ def set_memory(self, mem):
             _mem.power = 0
 
         label = "".join([chr(CHARSET.index(x)) for x in mem.name.rstrip()])
-        _mem.label = self._add_ff_pad(label, 16)
+        _mem.label = self._add_ff_pad(label.encode('ascii'), 16)
         # We only speak English here in chirpville
         _mem.charsetbits[0] = 0x00
         _mem.charsetbits[1] = 0x00
@@ -1338,7 +1338,7 @@ def _apply_callsign(cls, callsign, obj, default_ssid=None):
                 ssid = int(ssid) % 16
             except ValueError:
                 ssid = default_ssid
-        setattr(obj, "callsign", cls._add_ff_pad(callsign, 6))
+        setattr(obj, "callsign", cls._add_ff_pad(callsign.encode('ascii'), 6))
         if ssid is not None:
             setattr(obj, "ssid", ssid)
 
@@ -1380,8 +1380,8 @@ def apply_digi_path(self, setting, obj):
     def apply_ff_padded_string(cls, setting, obj):
         # FF pad.
         val = setting.value.get_value()
-        max_len = getattr(obj, "padded_string").size() / 8
-        val = str(val).rstrip()
+        max_len = getattr(obj, "padded_string").size() // 8
+        val = str(val).rstrip().encode('ascii')
         setattr(obj, "padded_string", cls._add_ff_pad(val, max_len))
 
     @classmethod
@@ -1440,12 +1440,9 @@ def set_settings(self, settings):
     def apply_ff_padded_yaesu(cls, setting, obj):
         # FF pad yaesus custom string format.
         rawval = setting.value.get_value()
-        max_len = getattr(obj, "padded_yaesu").size() / 8
-        rawval = str(rawval).rstrip()
-        val = [CHARSET.index(x) for x in rawval]
-        for x in range(len(val), max_len):
-            val.append(0xFF)
-        obj.padded_yaesu = val
+        max_len = getattr(obj, "padded_yaesu").size() // 8
+        rawval = str(rawval).rstrip().translate(CHARSET).encode('ascii')
+        obj.padded_yaesu = list(rawval.ljust(max_len, b'\xFF')[0:max_len])
 
     def apply_volume(cls, setting, vfo):
         val = setting.value.get_value()
diff --git a/tests/Python3_Driver_Testing.md b/tests/Python3_Driver_Testing.md
index 6e79c32d5..d7562d08f 100644
--- a/tests/Python3_Driver_Testing.md
+++ b/tests/Python3_Driver_Testing.md
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
 | <a name="Baojie_BJ-318"></a> Baojie_BJ-318 | [@KC9HI](https://github.com/KC9HI) | 2-Jan-2023 | Yes | 0.10% |
 | <a name="Baojie_BJ-9900"></a> Baojie_BJ-9900 |  |  |  | 0.02% |
 | <a name="Baojie_BJ-UV55"></a> Baojie_BJ-UV55 |  |  | Yes | 0.03% |
-| <a name="Boblov_X3Plus"></a> Boblov_X3Plus |  |  |  | 0.02% |
+| <a name="Boblov_X3Plus"></a> Boblov_X3Plus |  |  | Yes | 0.02% |
 | <a name="CRT_Micron_UV"></a> CRT_Micron_UV | [Implied by Retevis_RT95](#user-content-Retevis_RT95) | 13-Nov-2022 | Yes | 0.08% |
 | <a name="CRT_Micron_UV_V2"></a> CRT_Micron_UV_V2 | [Implied by Retevis_RT95](#user-content-Retevis_RT95) | 13-Nov-2022 | Yes | 0.10% |
 | <a name="Cignus_XTR-5"></a> Cignus_XTR-5 | [Implied by Radioddity_GS-5B](#user-content-Radioddity_GS-5B) | 17-Mar-2023 | Yes |  |
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@
 
 **Tested:** 87% (369/53) (93% of usage stats)
 
-**Byte clean:** 90% (382/40)
+**Byte clean:** 90% (383/39)
 
 ## Meaning of this testing