Showing posts sorted by relevance for query baofeng. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query baofeng. Sort by date Show all posts

Friday, May 6, 2011

Baofeng UV-3R: The Company

Finding Baofeng's website was a little harder than a typical Google search. It helps if you know the actual name of the company: Fujian Nan'an Baofeng Electronics Co., Ltd.



Here you can find the Baofeng UV-3R product page.

And here is the basic information about the company.
Fujian Nan'an Baofeng Electronics Co., Ltd. specializes in the research, manufacturing, and marketing of communication products. Founded in 1993, we now have over 300 employees and operate two manufacturing plants.

Baofeng is committed to offering efficient service and products of reliable quality and ultimate performance. Having positioned Baofeng as one of the leading wireless solution providers, current product lines include long-range cordless phones and transceivers.

We insist on developing our company by advancing technologies. Our R&D team has greatly contributed to the success of our products. Under efficient management and strict quality control, we regularly introduce new items to meet the demands of the rapidly changing market.
I have a friend in China and I've asked him if he can find out anything about Baofeng other than the information posted on the web. It's a small country. He probably knows the Baofeng CEO.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Baofeng GT-3: Best of Comments

Pulling some good info out the comments left on various posts...

Michael:
I have had my GT3 for 3 weeks now. I'm very pleased with it, The new hardware inside is different. It seems a bit quieter and more stable, than other models I have purchased from Baofeng, and the audio volume is comparable to the UV-82. The software features are similar to previous Baofeng radios. It is easy to manually program. There is no "free" Baofeng software for this GT-3 model yet. Chirp does not have it yet either. I chose RT Systems programming software, which make it very easy to program. I have used it on a local repeater systems here. And changing repeaters is a simple process. The screen has a black background, and is very easy to program by computer. Transmitting is clear, and other contacts have said the audio is crisp, and quite running at 5 watts. I have used the radio for simplex operation, and clarity of voice on flat open terrain is exceptional for 2 - 4 miles. Repeater operation is solid also. I also like the Baofeng UV82. In addition I have a ICOM ID 51 D-Star radio, but find myself on the Baofeng's most of the time for general use. Also because I cannot use a earmic on the ICOM radio without an adapter. Overall I'm very pleased with this Baofeng GT-3. Top items that make this radio very worth while:
1. Light weight, (Due to the closed cell plastic)
2. Compact size (Even the rubber antenna is small, but does not compromise on gain).
3. Improved hardware exceeds previous models.
4. Unique look compared to other Baofeng radios.
5, Better hardware and performance for 2014.
The Chinese seem to be listening to their american customer pool.

Mike (website):
Brick i just got mine today, Cant go wrong with it. 
Pros:
The squelch works now.
Audio sounds much tighter now on the RX at any volume
The radio is more sensitive (at least to me it is)
I can see the screen in very low light when the backlight is not on
The feel of the radio is nice.
The light is much brighter 
Cons:
The stock antenna is still junk.
I don't like the rubber around the main knob
Hopefully the silk screening on the keypad does not wear off like the other models do.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Baofeng DM-5R: Radioddity Responds to Questions

Radioddity posts a response to some of the questions about the DM-5R and it's DMR capabilities:
Rumor 1: The BaoFeng DM-5R is not compatible with MOTOTRBO TIER 2.
FALSE. While the BaoFeng DM-5R comes out of the box only supporting Tier 1, it can be easily upgraded to support Tier 2 online. The upgrade will be available at Radioddity.com as well as BaoFeng’s official website (under construction). This upgrade costs less than $10.

Rumor 2: The BaoFeng DM-5R is a dPMR, not a DMR.
FALSE. The standards for a DMR are as follows:
TS 102 361-1: Air interface protocol
TS 102 361-2: Voice and generic services and facilities
TS 102 361-3: Data protocol
TS 102 361-4: Trunking protocol
The DM-5R meets each of the ETSI Standards listed above. A true DMR, not a dPMR.

Rumor 3: The BaoFeng DM-5R is not FCC or IC certified.
FALSE. The BaoFeng DM-5R has met FCC and IC standards in its testing. The documents may not be visible online, as it takes about 4 weeks for the documents to be available.
They still don't give specifics on how to get Tier II - only mentioning the $10 upgrade.

Thursday, December 31, 2015

2015 Brickolore Top 10 Links

Looking at my Google Analytics data, the top 10 visited links in 2015 were:

10. QYT KT8900: Software
Both this post and number four on the list suggest a real desire for a good quality, but inexpensive mobile. They made the list despite only getting posted in May of 2015.
9. Baofeng UV-5R: Schematics
The UV-5R remains popular and hams like to tinker/fix things.
8. Brick O'Lore: Ham Radio Page
I'm surprised that this got so many hits as I don't maintain it - looks like I should do some updates.
7. Baofeng UV-5R: Software v2
Again, software posts seem to be popular. And everyone that got a UV-5R wanted to check out the the new version of the software.
6. Brick O'Lore: The Radios Page
I'm glad this gets some hits as I try to keep it updated as a quick reference - I would like to expand it by keeping track of lowest prices and other miscellaneous data.
5. Baofeng UV-B5: Best Kept Secret
The UV-B5 still seems to be a sleeper.
4. QYT KT8900: Dual Band Mobile
I think the Baofeng Tech UV-5001 and Baofeng Tech UV-2501 mobile radios would have been more popular posts than the KT8900 - except they weren't released until November.
3. Brick O'Lore: Baofeng (UV-3R) Page
The little clone of the Yaesu VX-3R, the UV-3R, really got folks interested in the Chinese radios. I can't believe it still gets so many hits.
2. Baofeng UV-5R: Extreme Receive Modification
And hams would love to get something for nothing!
1. Brick O'Lore (main web page)
This tells me that lots of people visit my blog the old fashioned way - by going straight to the root domain.
Here's to an interesting 2016. May it be everyone's best year yet!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Baofeng UV-B5: Best Kept Secret


[ Don't have a UV-B5 yet? Get one here. ]

Ben (PA2OLD) called me out for being so slow to post about the Baofeng UV-B5. Hans posted some general information about it when he discovered the UV-B5 and UV-B6. (Yes, back in November - just wait, it gets worse.)




On the surface, it is your typical dual band 5W Chinese HT: 136 - 174 MHz and 400 - 470 MHz along with 65 - 108 MHz FM receive. Here are the links to the radios on the Baofeng site: UV-B5 and UV-B6. Of note is the lack of the customary flashlight (for the UV-B5) and, perhaps more importantly, 2.5Khz steps. You can get one at the 409Shop for $53 (USD) along with many of the usual accessories (USB programming cable, serial programming cable, extra batteries or chargers) - no colors or AA/AAA battery packs yet. Give them time and I am sure they will show up. As you will find, the UV-B5 does not share the same form as the UV-5R, so you won't be able to share batteries or chargers. However, the programming cable from your UV-5R should work.

No surprise.. a Yahoo Group has been started for the UV-B5.

Hans, in his full review, says:
"For now this is the HT to compare others with – the receiver is at least as good as the Wouxun KG-UVD1P and outperforms the Quansheng TG-UV2. Overloading is not impossible, but far from easy – almost unreal for an HT this price."
"The Baofeng UV-B5 is close to perfect. The only two niggles are the 5-character limit for alphanumeric descriptions and the belt clip screws which are too short. For the rest: best value for money to date. Needless to say, I’m keeping this one."
Hans also points out that you can save a few dollars if you don't want the pretty box by ordering from AliExpress. I'm guessing price was not the biggest factor when Hans did his "Best/Worst of 2012" and ranked the Wouxun KG-UVD1P ahead of the Baofeng UV-B5. If price had been weighted heavily it looks like the UV-B5 might have been the winner.

Lastly, after living with the radio for a while he found some problems with the FM tuning and memories. He also reports the battery life, while not horrible, isn't great.

And Ben got his hands on one. He's got a summary page here with lots of pictures. He comments:
"The radio works excellent and the modulation is also good, not like some UV-5R types.I also think that the battery is more than enough capacity.
This Baofeng UV B5 cost at the 409shop only 53 Dollar, which is in Euros (with the exchange rate of January 2013) € 41.75 including shipping."
Bob (K0NR) really likes it as well:
"My overall assessment is that Baofeng has cleaned up the issues with the UV-5R (and don’t forget, I really like that radio!). The UV-B5 is a sweet little radio that will make a splash when it hits the US market."
Given my tardiness, the price, and the glowing reviews from the big name ham radio bloggers above, I'm surprised these things aren't the talk of the internet. The Yahoo group is of a modest size and Google searches don't reveal much beyond the links above. (I found one other review, but there wasn't much meat to it.) Here is the best video I found. (Best meaning the better of two.)



So for now, I'm calling the UV-B5 the best kept secret in the world of Chinese radios!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Import Communications: Exclusive and New Baofeng Versions

I had not previously posted anything about the Baofeng F-11 from Import Communications. It is a custom version of the UV-5R specially made for Import Communications with an exclusive firmware (USA349). Some have been critical of the F-11 for being slightly more expensive and having no real difference from the UV-5R (see this thread). I've not got one in my hands, so I can't say it is any better, but I would also remind them that part of the price is the service you get with it. (For example, I have seen where Ed is updating the firmware on the Anytone AT-5888UV radios he sold.)

In any case, the reason for my post is that Ed says he is about to have a 2M/220 version of the F-11:
"I will have a 2m/220 version of my Baofeng F-11 in a couple weeks."
I know that will make some people very happy.

He goes on to say that he will have a new Baofeng HT to compete with Wouxun and TYT:
"I will also have a new dual band HT from Baofeng using the more expensive chip, which can provide more user features than the present Baofeng radios. This will put the radio more in line with the Wouxun and TYT models."
Did I mention it sounds like it will be a fun summer for radios?

Monday, July 11, 2016

Baofeng Tech Amazon Prime Deals - The Schedule

Tomorrow is Amazon Prime Day - it is a little bit like a Black Friday sale, but only for Amazon Prime subscribers. If you aren't an Amazon Prime subscriber, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial if want to take advantage of the deals from Baofeng Tech.

Here is what you should know:

1. These deals will appear throughout the day.
2. You won't see the special price until the deal starts.
3. The deals last for a few hours but could end earlier as quantities are limited.
4. These will be the lowest prices Baofeng Tech has offered on these items.
5. Discounts are at least 25% off the current price.


5:30 AM EDT
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
 7:05 AM EDT
BaoFeng UV-82HP (RED) High Power Dual Band Radio: 136-174mhz (VHF) 400-520mhz (UHF) Amateur (Ham) Portable Two-Way - this link is to the red one, but other colors are available.
9:50 AM EDT
Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female
Nagoya NA-24J 16.2-Inch Ultra Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female 
Nagoya RB-35 5/8 NMO Mount Magnet
9:35 PM EDT
PC03 FTDI USB Programming Cable for BaoFeng, Kenwood, Wouxun, AnyTone

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Anytone AT3318UV-E: Mini-review

A mini-review from Mike on the Anytone AT3318UV (A,B,C,D &E) Yahoo Group:
"I talked a friend into buying two of these tri-band handhelds because of the advertised FHSS (frequency hopping spread spectrum) feature, which turned out to be more of a random frequency trunking feature and probably a misunderstanding of the FHSS term by the Chinese manufacturer.

The radios were purchased from the exclusive US importer "Import Communications", who notified all buyers about the mistake with the FHSS option and offered a refund if so desired. 
So here I sat with my friends two otherwise good looking and great sounding 2m, 220MHZ and 440MHz plus part 90 certified handhelds as he mulled over keeping or returning the radios. After reading up on the manual, perusing the extensive programming software and living with these handhelds for a week I decided I can't live without it and and purchased one from my buddy who originally bought the pair.

These radios cover 136 to 174, 220 to 225 and 400 to 520MHz transmit and receive plus .52 to 30MHz AM HF (10KHz steps), 64 to 108MHz WBFM, 118 to 136MHz AM and 225 to about 260MHz FM receive only. The radio works surprisingly well in the AM broadcast and HF SW bands with an appropriate antenna and I did not detect any overload problems feeding it with a large G5RV type HF antenna.

The radios have a very extensive but fairly easy to navigate menu system unlike any Baofeng or Wouxun I have used and I love the various banks I can assign to memory channels to scan only specific banks if I want or I can scan the entire memory. There is also a quick talk around feature for your programmed repeater frequencies and all sorts of other nifty features that I don't see on other Chinese brands.

When using the AM/FM broadcast or SW feature, if you receive a call on whatever two way frequency is being monitored the broadcast band will temporarily mute during the call then pop back in about 5 seconds later. You can listen to music or local news and not miss a radio call. 
The receiver performance is also much better than Baofeng and Wouxun radios I've tested. I live in a very RF rich environment and was recently comparing a Baofeng UV-5R, a Wouxun UV8 plus a Yaesu VX-8R and FT-60 at a local hilltop about a half mile from a major repeater site with lots of RFI.

While listening to some simplex activity on 146.52 I noticed both Yaesu radios were hearing lots of things the Baofeng was not. Some of the signals that were almost full quieting on both Yaesu radios just did not exist on the Baofeng UV-5R. I was also playing with the cross band repeat on the new Wouxun KG-UV8D at the same location and noticed it was not repeating things that I could hear clearly on the input frequency on the Yaesu radios. 
I repeated the same tests with the new Anytone AT-3318UV-E and its on par with the Yaesu radios and could hear every weak signal the Yaesu's could in the heavy RF environment. The Anytone also cross band repeated weak signals very well under the same conditions.

I'm not knocking the inexpensive Baofeng radios, for the price they great little radios and they measure very sensitive on a service monitor. But put them in a busy RF environment and their shortcomings will show up. The Wouxun KG-UV8D is also a really nice radio and quite a leap from the first Wouxuns I played with. But the AT-3318UV-E performance is is better and you get 220MHz tx/rx and a lot more features for just a little more money.

Playing with the AT-3318UV-E menus its also apparent that Anytone engineers are familiar with how American commercial and amateur users interface with two way radio equipment. Other Chinese brands have odd and useless features and will not do many things that radio users are demanding. 
The transmit and receive audio is extremely good and better than most handhelds I own including many Motorola, Yaesu, Icom and the like. The receive audio is almost Hi-Fi and people who I know personally come out of the speaker sounding much more like themselves than any other handheld radio I have used in recent times. I also gets great unsolicited transmit audio reports.

The 3318UV-E is also more compact than a Wouxun KG-UV3 type or KG-UV8D, which I had just purchased and sold after playing with the Anytone. So far battery life is very good from the stock 1800mah pack and I can't say enough good things about this very modestly priced handheld, its just a winner all around, despite the misunderstood FHSS feature.

I think the closest competitor to the AT-3318UV-E model is probably the Kenwood TF6a, which runs about $190 more and is not FCC Part 90 compliant, although its HF receive is SSB capable. The TH6a is also a design from 10+ years ago.

So there is my story about a pair of radios purchased for a specific feature and when that feature did not pan out the radios turned out to be so good I couldn't send them back.

Mike"

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Baofeng UV-3R: Local Knowledge

My company has a manufacturing facility in China. I sent a message to the IT guy there and asked him if he knew anything about ham radio in general and Baofeng in particular. His response is below.
"I knew HAM from internet, and I use public-type walkie-talkie for spring outing sometime , but they don’t need license (so its power is lower to 0.5W).

In China, there is one official organization which is the radio association to manage China Radio users. Its website is: http://www.carms.org.cn/ (no English page on it now),

Wouxon and BaoFeng are two of popular brands in China Radio market. I saw HAM BBS has some articles to show its pictures and operations. I check Vero website, it seems Vero focus on foreign market (some of products is its logon, but produced by other OEMS(like BaoFeng did)). These radios equipments are easier to buy in electronic market (but once its power output is over 0.5.it needs license, it is illegal if use it without license, but no one will want to find you or publish you even though you use over 0.5 equipments except you activities are illegal to government).

And I remember that it is possible HAM users can connect even though they are away thousands of miles via relay station? Did you try this?

I check www.taobao.com (China B2C/C2C site), BaoFeng UV-3R, price range is from 200RMB ~ 300RMB, fyi"
I'm guessing that he uses GMRS-like radios when he is out hiking. For these low power radios, it doesn't sound like the rules are strictly enforced. Of course, strictly enforced may have a whole different meaning in China. Google says that the Chinese Radio Sports Association handles the licensing for amateur radio. So, I think he got the link wrong, but I can't confirm. I keep getting a website is forbidden error message. I wonder if you have to be in China to see that page. Strange.

He is familiar with Wouxun and Baofeng since they make other radios for the consumer market.

Lastly, he sees prices from $31 USD to $46 USD for the UV-3R which, on the high end, is what we can pay for them on ebay today (excluding shipping).

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Baofeng UV-5R: Specs and Pictures

First, I would like thank Chris (NH7QH) at Hawaii Radio Sales for sending me the heads up about the UV-5R. Be sure to support Chris by visiting his website for your Baofeng and other radio needs. (And no, Chris is not paying me to say this.) He's at IWCE now and I hope he comes up with some new toys for us there.

I found out about the UV-5R being "in the wild" while I was at the UT basketball game last night. As I mentioned, PA2OLD sent me this link first. I was very excited to get confirmation that UV-5R was available so soon. No KG-UV920R here. Unfortunately, trying to decipher a Chinese web site on an Android Phone while at a college basketball game with congestion on the mobile network is not fun.

Not too long after that, someone posted anonymously in the comments with the link to the 409Shop listing for UV-5R. And then in quick succession, Nate sent me the link and Carol from the 409Shop responded to an e-mail to inform me that it was available. I felt like Will Bailey in this episode of the West Wing.

On top of all of this, Knology was having major problems in my area, so I had no cable internet at my house. I used the mobile hot spot on my Android phone, but the 3G was painful. It was all I could do to get this simple post up last night.

So here is my more formal post about the UV-5R. I looked on the Baofeng website, but did not see the radio listed yet, so here are the specs from the 409Shop page.


BAOFENG UV-5R 4W
136-174/400-480Mhz

BAOFENG UV-5R The transcevier is a micro-miniature multiband FM transceiver with extensive receive frequency coverage,providing local-area two-way amateur communications along with unmatched monitoring capability

VHF/ UHF  DUAL-BAND TWO WAY RADIO

Frequency Range: 136-174 / 400-480MHz
Dual-Band Display, Dual Freq. Display, Dual-Standby
Output Power: 4 /1Watts
128 Channels
50 CTCSS and 104 CDCSS
Built-in VOX Function
1750Hz Brust Tone
FM Radio (65.0MHz-108.0MHz)
LED Flashlight
Large LCD Display
Hight /Low RF Power Switchable
25KHz/12.5KHz Switchable
Emergency Alert
Low Battery Alert
Battery Saver
Time-out Timer
Keypad Lock
Monitor Channel
Channel Step: 2.5/5/6.25/10/12.5/25KHz
Roger Set


■  Dual band, dual display, dual standby
■  A/B band independent operation
■  128 groups channels storage
■  Shortcut menu operation mode
■  VFO & Memory channels scan
■  Emergency Alarm
■  Tri-color background light selectable
■  0~9 grades VOX selectable
■  PTT & ANI ID
■  FM radio and 25 stations storage
■  Voice companding
■  CTCSS/DCS coder & tone searching
■  PC programmable
■  Wide/Narrow Band(25kHz/12.5kHz)
■  Transmitter time-out timer(TOT)
■  High/Low TX power selectable
■  Busy channel lock-out(BCLO)

Specifications:

General
Frequency Range 65-108MHz(FM Receive only)
        136-174MHZ and 400-480HZ (TX/RX)        
Channel No. 128
Frequency Stability ±2.5ppm
Antenna High gain DualBand Antenna
Antenna SMA - Female
Antenna Impedance 50Ω
Operating Voltage DC 7.4V
Mode of operation Simple or semi-duplex
Dimension(W x H x D)100 x 52 x 32 mm
Weight 250g (including battery, antenna)
Transmitter
Output power 4W / 1W (Max 5W)
Modulation Mode 16kΦF3E / 11kΦF3E
Maximum deviation <5kHz(Wide) / <2.5kHz(Narrow)
Spurious Radiation <7μW
Adjacent Ch. power  ≤-65dB(Wide) / ≤-60dB(Narrow)
Pre-emphasis characteristics 6dB
Current ≤1.6A(5W)
CTCSS/DCS deviation 0.5±0.1kHz(Wide) / 0.3±0.1kHz(Narrow)
Intermediation sensitivity 8-12mv
Intermediation distortion <10%
Earpiece / mic type   Kenwood Plug type






The package contents are listed as:

1 x UV-5R (VHF136-174Mhz UHF 400-480Mhz)

1 x 7.4V 1800mah Li-ion Battery Pack
1 x Antenna 400-480Mhz
1 x Belt Clip
1 x ENG Manual
1 x Desktop Charger ( 100V ~ 240V )+(2pin USA or 3pin UK or 2pin EURO or 2pin Australia)
1 x PTT Earpiece for free


The 409Shop has the UV-5R for $56 USD. Hopefully the description is correct (High gain dual-band antenna) and the package contents (Antenna 400-480MHz) is incorrect. Baofeng should have learned that lesson with the UV-3R when it provided the two band specific antennas originally.

Nate hopes, based on the description, that we can get U/U and V/V. I can't wait for somone to get their hands on one.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Baofeng BF-F9

Nate noticed that the 409Shop has a Baofeng BF-F9 for sale. Nothing in the specs jumped out at me, but it was a quick look. I don't see it listed on the Baofeng site.



BAOFENG BF-F9 136-174/400-480Mhz RADIO
BAOFENG BF-F9 The transceiver is a micro-miniature multiband
FM transceiver with extensive receive frequency coverage,
providing local-area two-way amateur communications along with unmatched monitoring capability
VHF/ UHF DUAL-BAND TWO WAY RADIO
  • Frequency Range: 136-174 / 400-480MHz
  • Dual-Band Display, Dual Freq. Display, Dual-Standby
  • Output Power: 4 /1Watts
  • 128 Channels
    50 CTCSS and 104 CDCSS
  • Built-in VOX Function
  • 1750Hz Brust Tone
  • FM Radio (65.0MHz-108.0MHz)
  • LED Flashlight
  • Large LCD Display
  • High/Low RF Power Switchable
  • 25KHz/12.5KHz Switchable
  • Emergency Alert
  • Low Battery Alert
  • Battery Saver
  • Time-out Timer
  • Keypad Lock
  • Monitor Channel
  • Channel Step: 2.5/5/6.25/10/12.5/25KHz
  • ROGER SET
BAOFENG BF-F9 Compare Products
 
■ A/B band independent operation
■ 128 groups channels storage
■ Shortcut menu operation mode
■ VFO & Memory channels scan
■ Emergency Alarm
■ Tri-color background light selectable
■ 0~9 grades VOX selectable
■ PTT & ANI ID
■ FM radio
■ Voice companding
■ 50 CTCSS/104 DCS
■ PC programmable
■ Wide/Narrow Band(25kHz/12.5kHz)
■ Transmitter time-out timer(TOT)
■ High/Low TX power selectable
■ Busy channel lock-out(BCLO)
 
Specifications:
Item number
BF-F9
General
Frequency Range
65-108MHz(FM Receive only)
136-174MHZ and 400-480HZ (TX/RX)
Channel No.
128
Frequency Stability
±2.5ppm
Antenna
High gain DualBand antenna
Antenna Impedance
50Ω
Operating Voltage
DC 7.4V
Mode of operation
Simple or semi-duplex
DimensionW x H x D
100 x 52 x 32 mm
Weight
250gincluding battery, antenna
Transmitter
Output power
4W / 1W (Max 5W)
Modulation Mode
16kΦF3E / 11kΦF3E
Maximum deviation
5kHz(Wide) / 2.5kHz(Narrow)
Spurious Radiation
7μW
Adjacent Ch. power
≤-65dB(Wide) / ≤-60dB(Narrow)
Pre-emphasis characteristics
6dB
Current
1.6A(5W)
CTCSS/DCS deviation
0.5±0.1kHz(Wide) / 0.3±0.1kHz(Narrow)
Intermediation sensitivity
8-12mv
Intermediation distortion
10%
 
Earpiece / mic type : Kenwood Plug type
Antenna : SMA -Female



Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Baofeng UV-3R: Guest Post/Review at AmateurRadio.com

Matt, over at AmateurRadio.com, asked me to do a guest post at his site. The following UV-3R review first appeared there on September 2, 2011. AmateurRadio.com has been a great resource for me - leading me to the likes of Julian and others - check it out.

Baofeng UV-3R Review

Following the success of the Wouxun radios, we have a new Chinese handheld transceiver that has many hams excited – the Baofeng UV-3R. The UV-3R is a dual band (UHF/VHF) 2W “micro” transceiver manufactured by Vero Global Telecom and sold by Baofeng. While the Baofeng brand is the most popular, the radio is also sold as the Comtex UV-3R, the Magiksu UV-3R, and the Zastone ZT-UV3R. (Baofeng also sells the UV-100 and UV-200 models that share common internals with the UV-3R, but have some cosmetic differences. Also, on ebay.com you can find speaker mics for these models that are unavailable for the UV-3R.) One reason the UV-3R is so popular is its relatively low price – less than $50 via ebay and slightly more from the US suppliers. At this price and small form factor, it makes a great back-up radio to keep in a truck glove box or a laptop bag.

Cosmetically, the UV-3R is very similar to the Yaesu VX-3R.   
The dimensions are the same, but the UV-3R is missing a few buttons on the front panel and the functions of the duplicate buttons are not the same as the VX-3R.  The UV-3R, in the fine tradition of Chinese radios, adds an LED flashlight. The radio also is available in red, yellow, blue, and camouflage in addition to the standard black. When holding both the Yaesu and Baofeng in my hand, it is easy to see and feel the superior quality of the Japanese radio.
A quick review of the technical specifications reveals that this radio is dramatically different from the VX-3R. The UV-3R is a 2M/440 MHz transceiver and FM broadcast receiver. An abbreviated list of its features/functions/specs is below. (A full list can be found here.) The radio is built by levering the power of the RDA1846 by RDA Microelectronics. This single transceiver chip provides most of the radio functionality - essentially making it a SDR.


Functions and Features
- 50 CTCSS, 104 CDCSS
- Time-out Timer (Off/30/60/90/120/150/180 secs)
- Shift Frequency
- VOX (Off/1-9 Levels)
- Call Tone (1750 KHz)
- Squelch Set (1-9 Levels)
- Electronic Volume Adjusting (8 Levels)
- Keypad Lock - Backlight (On/Off/Key)
- Tail Tone Elimination
- Battery Save
- Restore to Factory Default
- PC Programming
- FM Radio Channel Storage


Technical Specification - General
Frequency Range | 136-174/400-470 MHz
Channel Capacity | 99
Channel Spacing | 5/6.25/12.5/25 KHz
Operated Voltage | 3.8V
Standard Battery | 1500 mAh
Battery Life | 10 hours
Dimensions | 1.9" x 3.2" X .9" (Approximate)
Weight | 140g

Technical Specification - Transmitter
RF Power Output | 2W

Early adopters were “treated” to a version that appeared to be rushed to market – the units only had twelve menu options, the s-meter was worthless, and it came in a rather plain box. The subsequent version added six more menu options, improved the signal meter, and now comes in a more polished box.





The menu options are:

Menu #
Name Description Options
1 RXCODE Receive Tone Off, CTCSS, DCS
2 TXCODE Transmit Tone Off, CTCSS, DCS
3 SQL Squelch 0-9
4 LIGHT LCD Illumination Off, On, Key
5 K TONE Keypad Beep Off, On
6 VOX VOX/Handsfree Off, 1-9
7 POWER RF Output Power High, Low
8 DW Dual Watch/UHF & VHF Off, On
9 STEP Freq Size Step 12.5/25KHz
10 OFFSET Repeater Offset 0-37.995, 0-69.995M
11 SHIFT Repeater Shift 0,+,-
12 STE Squelch Tone Elimination Off, On
13 W/N Wide/Narrow Receive Wide/Narrow
14 SAVE Battery Save Off, On
15 TOT Timeout Timer Off, 30, 60, etc.
16 SCANM Scan Memory TO Time based – time out/ CO Carrier (present) based – carrier out
17 RELAYM Relay Message
18 BCLO Busy Channel Lock Off/On (No Tx when receiving)

In addition to the cost and size, hams give the UV-3R favorable reports for both transmitted and received audio. On July 20, 2011, the UV-3R became Type 90 accepted by the FCC. The FCC documents can be found here.

The UV-3R is easy to use in spite of a somewhat confusing manual. ZL2GVA mitigated that short-coming by releasing an easy to use cheat-sheet.  While most folks find it easy to program the memories from the radio itself, the UV-3R can be programmed from a computer using a USB cable and software from Baofeng. In addition to the factory software, the UV-3R is also supported by the CHIRP cross radio programming application. (CHRIP may not program all features for all radios; it is intended to allow hams to transfer memories from one device to another with little effort.)

In addition to the USB programming cable, the radio has several accessories. It comes with the manual, charger, a charger adaptor (if needed), a charging stand, wrist strap, an UHF antenna, a VHF antenna, an ear bud/mic combo, and a belt clip. The shorter antenna (with a red ring) is for UHF. The longer antenna is for VHF. The UV-3R requires an antenna with a SMA-M connector. The antennas perform well, but many folks have wished for a dual band antenna. The Nagoya NA-701 and Nagoya NA-666 both seem to be popular choices. The antenna connector is fairly close to the LED, so some trimming may have to be done to get a good fit.

Car chargers, cases, and the USB programming cable are available as options or sometimes included as a bundle with the radio. The battery is a common NP-60 (FUJI compatible), so picking up an extra one is easy to do. Also, with a slight modification to account for the belt clip mount, the AA battery pack (FBA-37) for the Yaesu VX-3R can be used to run the UV-3R. For me, the car charger and the AA battery pack are the must have accessories for the UV-3R in its role as a backup radio.

The radio is not without some minor problems and quirks. For example, one oddity is that it uses the less common negative tip for the power plug. As for the problems, hams have reported issues with fit and finish – specifically plugs/sockets that result in loose connections. If pushing the plug with all your might doesn’t work, then try backing it out a little. Also, hams have found spurious emissions on harmonic frequencies.  There was a lot of debate about the severity of this issue on the UV-3R Yahoo group – bench vs. real world, letter vs. spirit of the FCC regulations, Type 90 Acceptance impact, etc. Whatever the severity of the emissions, it did not prevent the UV-3R from meeting the requirements of the FCC. Another common complaint was with the loud receive volume. Even at the lowest setting, the radio is quite loud. For that reason, I don’t like using it where it will bother others.

One of the advantages of an inexpensive radio is that you don’t risk much when trying to modify it. Disassembly mostly involves removing screws, but you will have to unsolder the antenna connector. Two mods seem to be the most common as they address some of the issues mentioned above. The first adds a capacitor to reduce spurious emissions on the harmonics.  The second also involves adding a resistor to reduce the loud receive volume issue.  More frivolous mods include turning the LCD blue – but then you can have a blue radio with a blue screen.

For me, this little radio has provided a great learning experience as well as a good value for my money. It may not be the best radio ever, but the price, size, and overall good performance make it a good choice for backup radio or even one for a new ham to get on the air. It also has been interesting to see:
  • the debates that sprung up around the severity of the spurious emissions,
  • the wisdom (or not) of using a dual band antenna,
  • the variety of applications from simple transceiver to APRS and tracking satellites
Credit goes to a lot of the guys on the UV-3R Yahoo group  – I don’t have the knowledge, tools, or time to do a lot of the research/testing/playing that they have done. I highly recommend the Yahoo group – although it has now reached a point where a lot of the same questions are being asked.


Editor's note: I personally follow Brick's blog and find it very worthwhile. While not all content is Amateur Radio related, I encourage you to check it out. -Matt W1MST Brick O'Lore wrote this guest post and blogs regularly about a variety of topics at http://www.brickolore.com. Contact him at brickolore@gmail.com.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Yuehong YH-A8

If it walks like a Baofeng UV-5R and quacks like a Baofeng UV-5R, then the Yuehong YH-A8 is a Baofeng UV-5R. Discussion of this identity confusion is here.

Given the Yuehong website has this image on their main page (note the Baofeng label) and that Baofeng radios dominate their product page, I'm thinking the YH-A8 is nothing new.


Tuesday, May 12, 2015

BaoFeng Buys Tokyo High Power Labs

On the Onion of Ham Radio:
"BaoFeng (the marketing name for PoFung Technologies) has purchased the remaining assets from the holding administrator representing Tokyo High Power Labs." 
"Details are still a little sketchy, but the rumored HF Transceivers are reportedly being labeled:
  • BaoFeng Hurricane (SDR with knobs, 250 watt all band transceiver)
  • BaoFeng Tornado (SDR with knobs, 400 watt all band transceiver)
  • BaoFeng Tsunami (SDR no front panel, 100 watt all band transceiver)"
"We could not verify at this moment, but the suggested retail price for the Tsunami is $180.00 US."
Via the Chinese Ham Radio Equipment Google+ group