BaoFeng
Radios

BF-F8HP and Counterfeits: Their differences and how to spot a counterfeit BF-F8HP  The BaoFeng BF-F8HP has been an extremely popular entry-level amateur radio ever since its debut. Unfortunately, due to their popularity; there has been a huge influx of counterfeits and knock-off BF-F8HPs. It is important to make an issue of these counterfeits as: they are not assembled by BaoFeng, they are not FCC certified, they are inferior in build..........

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BTECH recently released version 2.0 firmware for the DMR-6X2 handheld, and the most exciting new feature is analog APRS support. Previously, the DMR-6X2 could send APRS packets via DMR, but now it can also do analog APRS, making it more versatile than ever. Here’s how to set up analog APRS on your DMR-6X2.   First, you’ll have to upgrade the firmware. Go to the DMR-6X2 Software and Firmware Repository and download CPS & Fir..........

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One of the most frequently asked questions that we get here at BTECH is, “How do I program the channel memories in my UV-5X3?” The answer is, “Get CHIRP!” CHIRP is a free, open-source application for programming many different radios from dozens of manufacturers. You can use CHIRP to program 11 different BTECH models, including our amateur radios and our GMRS and MURS radios. In this post, we’ll show you how to progr..........

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One of the first things that many new radio amateurs do is to purchase a handheld radio, like the BTECH UV-5X3 (right), to talk with their friends on a local repeater. After programming the radio, they're often able to hear the repeater, but not access it. When this happens, the first question out of their mouths is, “Why can't I hit the repeater?” This is such a frequent problem, that there's even a question (T2B04) on ..........

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One of the things that many newcomers to FM and repeater operation fail to do when programming a radio is to program the CTCSS tone properly. There's even a question on the Technician Class exam that addresses this issue, question T2B04:   QUESTION: Which of the following could be the reason you are unable to access a repeater whose output you can hear? ANSWER: All of these choices are correct Improper transceiver offset The..........

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In some situations, the 5W output of a handheld transceiver just doesn't cut it. You may be too far away from a repeater to hit it consistently, or you may want more range for simplex operation.    One solution to this problem is to get a mobile radio with more output power. Mobile radios, such as the BTECH UV-50X2, have an output power of up to 50 W. Some mobile radios are even higher-powered. A 50 W radio, especially when used..........

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One of the cool features of BTECH's DMR-6X2 is the built-in GPS receiver. When enabled, it gives you your latitude and longitude, height above sea level, date, and time of day. And, if you're moving, it will even tell you how fast you're walking or driving.   To enable the GPS receiver manually: Press (Menu) to enter the main Menu. Page down and select GPS. Select GPS On/Off. Select GPS On to turn the GPS re..........

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There are several choices when it comes to selecting a service for family or business communications, including the Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS), the Family Radio Service (FRS), the Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS), and the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). Of these four services, GMRS is arguably the most capable. For example, although many GMRS channels are on the same frequencies as FRS channels, GMRS users can use higher power than FRS..........

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According to the FCC, the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is “a licensed radio service that uses channels around 462 MHz and 467 MHz. The most common use of GMRS channels is for short-distance, two-way voice communications using hand-held radios, mobile radios and repeater systems. In 2017, the FCC expanded GMRS to also allow short data messaging applications including text messaging and GPS location information.”   GMRS li..........

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ARLINGTON, SOUTH DAKOTA - SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2019   A High Power 50 Watt GMRS Mobile Radio from BTECH is Released BTECH announced today the North American release of the BTECH GMRS-50X1. The GMRS-50X1 follows in similar footsteps and abilities found in our handheld GMRS radio the BTECH GMRS-V1.   There was a huge void for users in that, an affordable fully functional GMRS mobile radio has never bee..........

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Whenever you transmit on a digital channel, the BTECH DMR-6X2 sends not only what you said, but also your Radio ID (also sometimes called your DMR ID). This allows stations who are receiving your transmission to know who's transmitting. Likewise, when you receive a transmission, you're also receiving the Radio ID of the station transmitting. That ID is shown on the radio's display, along with the talk group.   In addition, the ..........

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A helpful feature of the BTECH DMR-6X2, especially for amateurs using a new repeater, is Digital Monitor. Sometimes called “promiscuous mode,” Digital Monitor allows you to hear all of the activity on a particular repeater, no matter what time slot a talk group is on or what color code a repeater might use. Simply put, Digital Monitor allows you to use a repeater even if you do not know how it is configured or what rules the repeater ..........

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By Dan Romanchik, KB6NU   Now that you know the lingo, it's time to build a simple code plug. (If you haven't read the blog post, Build a DMR-6X2 Code Plug: Learning the Lingo yet, please do so.)   The first thing that you need to do is to download the customer programming software, or CPS. You'll find the CPS for the DMR-6X2 here on the BTECH website. The download includes Includes a USB driver,  the late..........

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By Dan Romanchik, KB6NU   Because DMR radios have so many features, it stands to reason that programming them can be complex, much more complex than programming analog FM transceivers. To help you make sense of this complex topic, we'll be running a series of posts on DMR and how to program and use the DMR-6X2, BTECH's dual-band VHF and UHF radio with both DMR (Tier I and II) and analog capabilities. In this post, we'll define ..........

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By Dan Romanchik, KB6NU   A couple of days ago, I got my hands on a BTECH DMR-6X2, a dual-band DMR and analog handheld radio. Designed for both amateur and commercial usage, the DMR-6X2 is a true, dual-slot DMR radio compatible with DMR Tier I & 2. It features a large, bright 1.77" color TFT display and can store up to 4,000 channels, 10,000 talk groups and 150,000 contacts.   The first thing I did was to set it up t..........

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One of the cool things that you can do with your BTECH UV-5X3 Triband Radio is easily scan a range of frequencies. Now, with the UV-5X3, you don't have to scan an entire band, but instead program the radio to scan only a portion of a band. This saves a lot of time, as you don't have to scan frequencies that you're not interested in.   For example, I wanted see what NOAA weather stations that I could receive where I live here in..........

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Improve the performance of your rubber duck with a rat tail   Hams often complain about the performance of the “rubber duck” antennas that come with their handhelds. There's even a question in the Technician Class question pool about rubber duck antennas. Question T9A04 reads, “What is a disadvantage of the “rubber duck” antenna supplied with most handheld radio transceivers when compared to a full-sized q..........

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Which Two-Way Radio Service is Right for You?   Choosing the right two-way radio can be confusing. You can't just buy a pair of radios and start talking on them. Most two-way radio services require licensing of some sort, and radios designed to be used in those radio services must be certified by the FCC. The most popular two-way radio services are:   Private Land Mobile Radio Service (PLMRS) General Mobile Radio Se..........

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ARLINGTON, SOUTH DAKOTA - SATURDAY, 18 MARCH 2017   The BTECH Mobiles Have Been Treated to a Full Redesign and Upgrade BaoFeng Tech announced today the launch of three new mobile radios. The BTECH UV-50X2 (https://baofengtech.com/uv-50x2), the BTECH UV-25X4 (https://baofengtech.com/uv-25X4), and the BTECH UV-25X2 (https://baofengtech.com/uv-25x2).   Our Most Colorful Change The X-Series Update introduces a full..........

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ARLINGTON, SOUTH DAKOTA - FRIDAY, 19 AUGUST 2016   An Affordable Tribander HT Available Today! BaoFeng Tech announced today the release of the BTECH UV-5X3 (https://baofengtech.com/uv-5x3). The UV-5X3 is more than just a "UV-5R with a third-band added"; the UV-5X3 is a full overhaul to the world's favorite amateur radio - the BaoFeng UV-5R.   Our Most Customizable Handheld Radio First and foremost, the UV-5..........

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