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New Baofeng radio what next?

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jeeper50 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jeeper50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: New Baofeng radio what next?
    Posted: 10 Nov. 2018 at 7:59pm
So I bought a UV-5A off ebay,  it has a NA 771 antenna and a speaker mike from baofeng. Antenna came in bright orange sealed pkg, not a nogoya  NA 771.  Any pointers to operating it and things to look for, read a bit about the speaker- I need to smash it with a hammer and by another from Btech. Also sounds like I may need to ger an app for radio repeaters.  

Turns out its a TIDRADIO antenna NA-771

What frequency are most or all people using on this forum?




Edited by jeeper50 - 11 Nov. 2018 at 12:47am

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RICKG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Nov. 2018 at 8:52pm
Someone got a nice B-day present.  You'll love it, most guys I trail with use the Baofeng. Don't smash the provided mike just yet,  it's useable just not as good quality as B-tech. M38 Mike is the go to guy for info.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark W. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Nov. 2018 at 10:18pm
Interesting I see this come up on a couple of my Facebook pages. About guys on the trails using the GMRD radios. Yet I know no one that has one. And I use a CB everyday at work. So I'll be following this thread for sure.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jeeper50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Nov. 2018 at 12:12am
Most of the info I got from this forum about the radios is from here;


We used to use similiar radios out in Texas on out deer lease communicating between hunters to pass the time. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 64CJ5 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Nov. 2018 at 1:41am
I have a CB in my pickup but there is very little traffic on it.  It has the NOA Weather radio bands on it and that is why I will keep it.

I have a Baofeng that I use on the trail at Jeep gatherings like the FCT.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m38mike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Nov. 2018 at 2:23pm
Jeeper50, don't smash your microphone just yet.  It's still useful, just not as good or as clear as the Btech QHM22 speaker mike.  I took the liberty of copying my text from the site you referenced above into here so folks could see it directly.  I would definitely send your antenna back for a refund and get a genuine Nagoya antenna. 

When you go to buy your antenna, beware of the fake nagoya antennas.  They have poor quality control and after using one for an extended period you can destroy the circuitry in your radio.  Get only authentic Nagoya antennas.  Here is the Nagoya web site to help you determine if yours is a fake or the real deal.  If you have a fake, REPLACE IT before you use the radio again, PLEASE!!

Other tips for checking counterfit antennas:

Counterfeit Tip #1: A silver package QC label means the antennas are fakes.

Counterfeit Tip #2: Blue Ink antenna labels, Yellow Bags, and Orange Bags are signs of counterfeit antennas.

A genuine Nagoya ships in green bags with silver antenna lettering and they do not have an EVO label applied.


If you don't want to use a 15 inch antenna, you can also use the Nagoya 701 antenna with good results.  In fact, in the FRS/GMRS UHF frequencies that we always use (462.6125), the 701 beats the 771 in antenna testing.  Google it.  The 701 is an 8 inch antenna so you don't have quite as much antenna whipping around.  $15 on Amazon. 

I've been using Baofeng radios for several years, and I did have a fake Nagoya antenna on one of them.  I had a HAM radio friend test the radio it was on and it is damaged.  Make sure you get the real deal.  A junk antenna will rob your radio of any good performance it could have had.  I am replacing my 771 antennas with genuine Nagoya 701 antennas as my allowance allows.

One other detail I forgot to mention, be sure the antenna you buy has the SMA-Female, or SMA-F connector on it.  Otherwise it will not mate with your Baofeng radio.

The software you want for programming these radios is called CHIRP.  Here is a link to the home site for CHIRP.

This is a good site to reference and review for using the CHIRP software.

The CHIRP software is free, and they update it every month for new radios.  But once you get your radio programmed with the FRS and GMRS frequencies, and perhaps the NOAH weather frequencies, you shouldn't need to add any more frequencies to use it on most Jeeping adventures.  

Programming is a two-step process.  First use the CHIRP software to get the frequencies loaded.  Then you need to go the menu in the radio itself to change what you see on the screen.  Menu items 21 and 22 need to be changed from "freq" to "name".  That way when you turn on the radio you will see the name of the channel on the screen.  It will say something like "FRS4" or "GMRS8" or "WX3" to let you know what channel you are on.  Then you just use the up or down arrow to change to the channel you want to use.  Most of the time on Jeep trips we use FRS3 or FRS4 or FRS5.  You can use any of the FRS or GMRS frequencies.  

If you have questions, post them up and I'll answer them for you.  As a HAM, I think most of this stuff is pretty straight forward.  But it can confuse folks who are new to using these radios.

Mike
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Edited by m38mike - 11 Nov. 2018 at 2:28pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote jeeper50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Nov. 2018 at 7:11pm
Sent the whole shebang back for a refund.   
 Now thinking about this unit. I got my license from the FCC today

Baofeng BF-F9 V2+ HP 8Watt Tri-Power 


Any opinions or thoughts on this unit?

Belleview ol skool winch soon.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m38mike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Nov. 2018 at 11:22pm
Jeeper50, I've got a couple of those F9 V2+ radios.  I think they work great, except that they are not listed in the CHIRP software under the Baofeng radios.  I have to use the F8-HP radio setting to emulate the F9 V2+.  You may want to look into the F8-HP radio instead since it seems that Baofeng has quit making the F9 version radio (generation 2) and is focused on the F8-HP (generation 3) instead.  And the F8-HP is listed in the CHIRP software.  Both radios have the same capabilities, but the internal programming is just a little different.  
Here's a site for the F8 radio. https://baofengtech.com/bf-f8hp

Amazon has it too, same price. 

I also recommend the genuine Nagoya 701 antenna with SMA-F connector for this radio.  Excellent performance and not too long to get in the way.  Make sure it comes in a green wrapper, and has silver lettering on the antenna.  Blue lettering or yellow/orange wrappers are counterfeit knock-offs.  

And if you want a mike, get the B-tech QHM22 waterproof mike.  Excellent sound quality going out and coming in.  

Get all three parts and that'll give you a radio set up that will reach for many miles, and give you clear transmissions on any channel you set it to.  Yes it'll cost a bit more than going to Walmart or Cabela's and getting a Motorola FRS radio, but the clarity of reception and the ability to talk more than one mile will be worth it.  I've used these radios, set up like this, to talk for over 20 miles here in the mountains around my home.  

And if you are being cost concious, there is nothing wrong with getting the basic UV-5R radio instead. They are only 4 watt radios, but they work fine.  I've got several of them and they get the job done for me as a Jeep tour guide. You can buy them for less than half the cost of the F8HP.

I hope this helps.


Edited by m38mike - 15 Nov. 2018 at 11:27pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jeeper50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Nov. 2018 at 12:10am
Thanks Mike for your knowledge and expertise!!

Belleview ol skool winch soon.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ryan_289 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Nov. 2018 at 3:46pm
Funny that I came across this today.  Ive been looking at some handheld radios to use at our hunting camp where there is no cell service.  The cheaper midland 2 way radios that you can pickup anywhere dont work far enough.

Questions:
what would the range be on these things in the woods?

Do you "have" to have a license?

What models do I need to get?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m38mike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Nov. 2018 at 11:59pm
Originally posted by Ryan_289 Ryan_289 wrote:

Funny that I came across this today.  Ive been looking at some handheld radios to use at our hunting camp where there is no cell service.  The cheaper midland 2 way radios that you can pickup anywhere dont work far enough.

Questions:
what would the range be on these things in the woods?
If you get a UV-5R and a Nagoya 701 antenna you should reach out several miles in flat forest land.  I can talk across my valley for about 15 miles with mine, but that's with nothing but thin air between radios. 

Do you "have" to have a license?
Technically and legally, yes you are supposed to have a HAM license to use the high power settings on the radio.  You can use the low power settings without a license.  

What models do I need to get?
See my discussion just above this post. 

I hope this will answer your questions. 
Mike
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jeeper50 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Dec. 2018 at 1:44pm
Got this for Christmas, now just to set it up with the correct channels;

















I thought maybe my Motorola mic might work on it but nope the Handicom mic plugs are spaced wrong. 

Belleview ol skool winch soon.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m38mike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec. 2018 at 12:04pm
The next step is to download the CHIRP software onto your computer so you can program your radio.  Once you have the CHIRP software I can talk you through the process of programming. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike in oregon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec. 2018 at 3:07pm
This is a great Topic as I should get a few of these for the Oregon Spring Fling. We just watch for the jeep behind us and if we don't see them we stop but if you get several jeeps and the last one stops we can get pretty spread out before the leader get stopped. Plus my goal in life is to get out to the world famous FCT someday to join in the fun so getting these would be they way to go. Thanks for all the info.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike in oregon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec. 2018 at 3:19pm

Question Mike, what is wrong with the antenna that comes with the radio?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m38mike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec. 2018 at 5:50pm
Originally posted by mike in oregon mike in oregon wrote:

Question Mike, what is wrong with the antenna that comes with the radio?


The earlier Baofeng antennas were poorly made, and so would not transmit far or receive clearly.  The latest ones with the squared tips are said to be made much better, but in radio tests that are online the Nagoya antennas are clearly superior to the Baofeng stock antennas.  A good antenna is the final link between you and anyone you want to talk with.  And if the transmit signal is very clean it can reach more miles out there than the signal would if it went through a dirty antenna.  And it sounds better too.  Nancy says I sound like Jack Elam the western movie outlaw without the radio, but with the radio I sound like Frank Sanatra.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RICKG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec. 2018 at 5:54pm
Originally posted by m38mike m38mike wrote:

[ but with the radio I sound like Frank Sanatra.  
 
Ain't that a kick in the head..
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike in oregon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Dec. 2018 at 7:06pm
Thanks, Mike  I wonder who I will sound like?
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