Is this one worth the increase in price

Interest Groups Amateur Radio
1

http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8HP-High-Power-400-520Mhz/dp/B00MAULSOK/ref=lp_912322_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1431452299&sr=1-7

Price: $62.89 Free Shipping for Prime Members

2

http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV5R-Dual-Band-Two-Way-Radio/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=lp_912322_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1431452299&sr=1-4

Price: $27.63 Free Shipping for Prime Members

3

Ok so is the first one worth the $40 increase, or is it that the $27 dollar one isn’t worth the bargain?

4

The F8- version is a newer version of the firmware, and is in my opinion worth it. However, much of the additional cost for the one you specified is probably for the big battery unit.

The basic F8 isn’t that much different in price BF-F8+ for $30 and you can add the battery later if you like. I do suggest spending the money and getting a nagoya ht antenna for either model though. The antenna sucks if you want to use repeaters that are more then a few miles away.

5

I think it is a judgment call. You’re probably not going to get as much real world improvement from the higher power (7.4w vs 5w on 2m, 5w vs 4w on 70cm) as you would from a good gain antenna on the UV5R.

There’s a lot of big buzz on the Anytone TERMN-8R as a competitor to the Baofeng line, at around $80-100. If you don’t need to get a HT quickly, I would consider waiting until they are back in stock. (I’m planning to get one and relegate my UV5R to backup when my finances and their stock coincide.)

6

At that price, it seems worth the try. My UV-5RB has been fine, but really a chore to program. Usually, it’s my backup for my ICOM ID-51A. What I found interesting, (probably because it’s from China) is that the Police Bands were not blocked out for transmitting and makes a neat little backup for my Motorola Unit. I assume this higher power version would pretty much be the same with more transmit power and better battery life.

7

As this is probably not type-approved for any bands other than the Amateur Service, you do realize that it is illegal to transmit out of the ham bands with it? (One could argue that anything goes in a life-and-death situation, but you’d better be ready to back that up in court or face a “Notice of Apparent Liability” from our FCC friends)

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8

True, It is illegal to transmit out of the Ham bands unless you are authorized to do so by “other than” an Amateur Radio license. There are services other than Amateur Radio that this unit covers.

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9

Actually what I think @zmetzing was referring to was that the Baofengs are not certified by the FCC for operation in anything but the HAM bands. So even with the proper license they are not supposed to be used in those other bands.

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10

I guess its a case by case situation Can I Use My Ham Radio on Public Safety Frequencies? - The KØNR Radio Site

11

Yep, it depends upon whether the manufacturer/importer has paid for FCC certification testing to show the radio is compliant for the given bands.

12

Correct. While Amateurs can take any radio and modify it for use in the Amateur bands, one cannot generally go the other direction. Police/Fire/EMS/etc. radios are type-certified by the FCC for operation in those bands, and other equipment which is not type-certified may not be used on those frequencies.

Of course, if you take a non-Amateur radio and modify it for use on Amateur frequencies, you’re still on the hook to make sure it meets spurious emission standards. See Part 97 Section 307 for all the engrossing details. :slight_smile:

13

Then this one should fill the bill :slight_smile: http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-82C-Commercial-Model-Transceiver/dp/B00IJIHLNE

Update: I ordered one.

14

So this radio showed up today from Amazon and works fine. I was able to migrate the download file in Chirp from my UV-5RB to the UV-82C. Interesting radio. It’s normally in “channel only” mode and only works on the CHIRP preprogrammed frequencies. But if you hold down the MENU button on power-up, it goes to VHO mode. But in either case, it does transmit on the Public Service bands and is a MUCH cheaper option that the Motorola HT that I have been using. I just wish it had more than 128 Channels. My ICOM ID-51A spoiled me with 1304 channels and GPS, but then it is locked out of the non-Ham bands, so unusable as a Public Service radio. My only real gripe with the ICOM is no keyboard for direct entry, but I’m used to that by now. But in the end, the UV-82C is a bargain.

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15

[Baofeng Black BF-F9 V2+ HP 8Watt][1]

So I bought this one:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61kVgKfWorL.SL1200.jpg
[1]: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RNGB83M

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