Prime Day: Baofeng Tech: BF-F8HP - $44.95

Baofeng Tech has a Prime Day Deal on the BF-F8HP HT - only $44.95. (Normally, it is $62.89.)

Baofeng Tech BF-F8HP Deal: $45

2:55 until 8:55 PM EST:
BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174MHz VHF & 400-520MHz UHF) Includes Full Kit with Large Battery - normally $63, now $45.

Baofeng Tech Black Friday Deals

Three deals - one mobile and two HTs. The deals are available all day at their site or during lightning deals on Amazon.

2:55 until 8:55 PM EST:
BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174MHz VHF & 400-520MHz UHF) Includes Full Kit with Large Battery - normally $63, now $45.

5:20 until 11:20 PM EST:
BTECH MINI UV-2501+220 (Gen. 3) 25 Watt Tri-band Base, Mobile Radio: 136-174mhz (VHF), 210-230mhz (1.25M), 400-520mhz (UHF) Amateur (Ham) - normally $129, now $99.

6:40 PM EST until 12:40 AM EST:
BaoFeng UV-82HP (RED) High Power Dual Band Radio: 136-174mhz (VHF) 400-520mhz (UHF) Amateur (Ham) Portable Two-Way - normally $63, now $45.

Baofeng Tech Amazon Prime Day Deal: BF-F8HP - Second Try

This Baofeng Tech Amazon Prime Day Deal is now live - hopefully for real this time:

BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174MHz VHF, 400-520MHz UHF) Includes Full Kit with Large Battery

If you don't have Amazon Prime, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial if want to take advantage of the deals from Baofeng Tech.

Baofeng Tech Amazon Prime Day Deal: BF-F8HP

--- Update --- so Amazon changed the times. I scheduled this post based on the original times. I'll update as I get better info on the actual time of the deals. Sorry for any confusion. --- Update ---

--- Update 2 --- Looks like this will go live at 8:00 PM EDT --- Update 2 ---

This Baofeng Tech Amazon Prime Day Deal is now live:

BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174MHz VHF, 400-520MHz UHF) Includes Full Kit with Large Battery

If you don't have Amazon Prime, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial if want to take advantage of the deals from Baofeng Tech.

Baofeng Tech Reminders

One last reminder about the Baofeng Tech BF-F8HP/UV-82HP Promo and the UV-2501+220 Giveaway.

Baofeng Tech BF-F8HP and UV-82HP Promo

Baofeng Tech alerted me to a promo for BF-F8HP and UV-82HP that was posted on the Miklor site:

"Until the end of March 2016, by entering the promo code 82HPF8HP at Amazon checkout, the price of the Baofeng 82HP and F8HP will be reduced to $50."

BF-F8HP

UV-82HP

Baofeng BF-F8HP: Amazon Prime Day Deal Alert

$50 gets you the Baofeng BF-F8HP!

Baofeng BF-F8HP: Battery Testing

So Hank did an experiment using various batteries and a BF-F8HP:

"AA Battery Monitoring-Only Duration Test 

Conditions: 

Radio: Baofeng BF-F8HP with original factory settings except for 10 second LCD display backlight on-time (Menu 6) to induce heavier battery drain. 

Battery Adapter: Baofeng (Baofeng Tech) BL-5 AA Battery Adapter (and “place holder” battery as needed).

Environment: Indoor environment with stable 72° temperature and typical indoor relative humidity values. 

Tasking: Radio continuously monitored local fire band frequency with an average of 3 to 4 calls per hour at 3/4 full volume. 

Test #1
Energizer brand “Advanced Lithium” batteries (5 batteries + “fake” jumper)
Started on 4/10 at 11:50 AM
Ended on 4/14 at 6:35 AM
Duration: 3 days, 19 hours, 25 minutes (91.4 hours)

Test #2
Kodak brand “Max” alkaline batteries (5 batteries + “fake” jumper)
Started on 4/14 at 7:15 AM
Ended on 4/16 at 6:17 AM
Duration: 1 day, 23 hours, 2 minutes (47 hours) 

Test #3
Baofeng OEM BL-5 Extended Capacity 2100 mAh Li-ion battery
Note: Battery was cycled with four previous charge/discharge cycles to maximize charge capacity.
Started on 4/19 at 10:00 AM
Ended on 4/21 at 7:57 PM
Duration: 2 days, 9 hours, 57 minutes (58.9 hours) 

Test #4
Panasonic brand “eneloop” Ni-MH rechargeable batteries (6 batteries)
Started on 4/26 at 11:47 PM
Ended on 4/29 at 12:40 PM
Duration: 2 days, 12 hours, 53 minutes (60.9 hours)"

Baofeng Squelch Fix

You may have seen it elsewhere, but CHIRP now has ability to modify the squelch levels for some Baofeng radios. I'm really excited to test this with the BF-F8HP that BaofengTech has provided.

Here is the overview from Miklor of the squelch settings:

UV5R / UV82 / F8HP series CHIRP Daily Build 20150111 or newer   Modifying settings will change the way your radio performs. Change them at your own risk. This is not compatible with UVB5/B6 or BF888S models due to differences in firmware.

The factory squelch settings on these models has long been known to have little or no impact on the actual squelch level. The smallest noise burst would easily pop open the squelch. Until now, it was one of those  little 'quirks' you just needed to tolerate.   But no longer...  Through the efforts of Jim KC9HI and the CHIRP development team, this has become a thing of the past.  A new 'Service Settings' tab has been added to CHIRP which allows you to alter the factory level settings, so a weak signal can open level 1, and only a monster signal can open level 9. At this time we are not aware of any measurements made with actual test equipment that is designed to measure actual squelch sensitivity, but on the air testing confirms that it definitely works. Compatibility There are too many Baofeng/Pofung models, variants, and firmware versions to be certain which radios are compatible and which ones aren't. Testing that has been done indicates the following:   The CHIRP Service Settings will adjust the levels on: -  UV82 series radios (82C / 82X) -  F8HP series radios -  UV5R series radios with firmware BFB291 and later. PowerOn while holding '3' button displays firmware on UV5R. The Fix The lowest factory levels were 14 > 22, and the highest were 40 > 48. Using the settings below spreads the range from 24 > 64 in increments of 5. This is a good starting point, but can fine tune these  to any value or increment desired from 1 to 64. You also have the ability to change the VHF and UHF values independently. After changing the level values, test the different levels to determine which is the best for your type use.

You can see the defaults I just pulled from the BF-F8HP.

"Friends of Miklor" Discount at BaofengTech

Original here:

"BaofengTech.com is running a Friends of Miklor promotion as a way of saying thank you for the assistance that the Miklor website and everyone has given helping new owners of the Baofeng BF-F8HP, UV82, etc.

Starting at 10PM EST (7PM CST) this evening, Jan 26, by entering entering promo code Starting at 10PM EST (7PM CST) this evening, Jan 26, by entering entering promo code  miklor10 the price of the Baofeng F8HP will be reduced by $10.

This is the 1, 4, 8W handheld with High Capacity battery. (30% larger than the standard battery) They will be running this promo for 1 week. They will be limiting the promo to One per Customer." 

Link to BF-F8HP on Amazon.

BaofengTech: BF-F8HP and UV-82C

So I am a bad, bad blogger... the very kind folks at BaofengTech sent me a BF-F8HP and two UV-82 models (including one in camo) radios to test. That was before Christmas. I did an unboxing post, but have only used the radios sparingly.

I don't have a bench (much less all the technical knowledge) like Hans, but I did want to do some subjective testing: How do they sound? Can I tell any difference with the extra power? How's battery life? What's my impression of the selectivity? Etc.

So this is post is my kick in the rear end to get going on this again. In addition to any information you might get from my posts, there is another reason to encourage me to get to work... BaofengTech has been generous enough to allow me to give the radios away when I finish my testing. (And yes, I'm sneaking this juicy bit here at the end of the post to see if anyone is paying attention.) Details coming as I do the testing!

Squelch Threshold Adjustments

Jim (KC9HI) writes on the Baofeng UV-5R Yahoo Group about making squelch threshold adjustments through a software change to the image file:

"This capability isn't available in CHIRP (yet).

I am working on it and wouldn't mind a few testers. 

The oldest radios must get the settings from firmware and can't be adjusted. My UV-5R with BFB231 firmware can't be adjusted. 

I first tried this out on a UV-82L with success. Then later on a GT-3. Earlier this week, I got to try it on my own UV-82 and BF-F8HP radios. The difference is amazing. I don't know why Baofeng ships these radios with the squelch so "broken"."

 And continues:

"Here is your .img file back with the updated squelch settings. Make sure you have a backup image before you get started. I now have a backup here. ;-) 

I believe that you will now find that Squelch 9 can really squelch out stronger stations and you will have to reduce squelch to 6 or maybe 5 for normal operation.

If you like these settings, don't upload any other image file into your radio or they will be reset to the values in that image file. If you don't like these settings, or that don't appear to do anything, then just upload your original image file and everything will be as is was before."

I'll be following this to see how it develops.

Baofeng BF-F8HP:Unboxing

Here are a few obligatory unboxing pictures of the BF-F8HP (along with a few of the UV-82C in the group shots) from BaofengTech.

I've fired up CHIRP and have a few repeaters setup. So far, so good!

Reads "Baofeng"

Reads "U - V Antenna"

Baofeng BF-F8HP and UV-82C: Via BaofengTech

I posted about the Cyber Monday deals at BaofengTech, but I have more good news from them. Christmas has come early as I received a BF-F8HP (15% off today!) and a UV-82C from BaofengTech over the week-end. I've not even opened the boxes yet, but this is good news for me and for you, so stay tuned!

Baofeng UV-5R: Bugs

If you are having problems with your UV-5R where the receiver is muted, check out Miklor and the BuyTwoWayRadios pages for some common problems and fixes.

From the Miklor page, the affected radios are:

Some newer radios with N5R-20 and N5R-30 firmware.
This is a current firmware that will ship with ALL UV5R series radios. This includes all UV5R, RA, GT-3, BFF8, F8HP, etc.

Baofeng BF-F8HP: High Power

So a there is a new kid on the block... the Baofeng BF-F8HP.

From the Baofeng Tech website:

• It has 3 Power Levels (1, 4, 8 watt) 
• A new 76 Page In-Depth User's Guide 
• It includes the High Gain V-85 Antenna to Optimize Performance 
• It is the only second generation BaoFeng with the Tri-Color Display 
• Full Accessory Compatibility with ALL UV-5R accessories 

Miklor has a review. He says it has the same chip as the GT-3. He also has output power measurements and they look good.

You can order one at Amazon for about $63.