Category Archives: Review

Amateur Radio, Equipment, News, Review, Review, Technical, Yaesu

Yaesu FTM 3200DR Transceiver Review

Just to prove I don’t just buy BaoFeng, I was going to do a review on the FTM-3200DR that I purchased. In this months issue of QST, I found they already reviewed it. Here it is.

Of course they cover just the basics. I purchased my radio used through a local Ham operator for a few dollars less than the going price about six-months ago. You can find them as low as $150 at GigaParts.

The unit is VHF only, but it is solid. It’s audio quality is so much better than my BTech UV-2501. The microphone is much better quality than the BaoFeng UV-2501 microphone. The keypad works much better. That is, of course, to be expected.

I did test the digital mode with my friend and was able to talk over 20-miles away on SIMPLEX. If memory serves, we had to use the high power mode of 65-watts.

The problem is that it is VHF and most of the people setting up Fusion repeaters establish them in UHF. It does not transmit digital pictures as do some of the higher end Yaesu models. It does not have APRS built-in. I do not know enough about the digital mode to comment much more on that feature.

The analog side, however, works great. It is relatively easy to program. It cannot be programmed with CHIRP. You can order a programming package from RT Systems for about $50.

I accidentally transmitted briefly without the antenna connected, once. I do not recommend you try it. You note that I said I did it accidentally and briefly. Amazingly it still worked without any noticeable degradation.

I use it mainly in analog mode, though with my current antenna I receive a lot of static receiving long-distance signals. When used with my local repeater it sounds great.

I really recommend new amateur radio operators look into this unit as a first mobile. I use mine on a power supply obtained through the same Ham friend. It is around the same price as the BTech UV-2501. Most of the repeaters I use are VHF, so this is not a problem for me. The FTM-3200DR, however, is more solidly built. I believe any amateur radio operator will find it is a good value.

Amateur Radio, News, Review

Baofeng BF-F9 +V2 Update

3-hamsLast review I gave a poor rating for the Baofeng BF-F9 +V2. Today I can give it a better review.

First I dealt with FOSCAM, a camera company, in obtaining the initial radio through Amazon. This is a good company with great customer service. They answered my email questions through the whole process.

The problem (I thought) was that they sent me the same model. They even sprang for the shipping. Was I to have the same difficulty?

I was extra gentle with the belt clip, this time. After carefully removing the screws from the radio, I put them through the holes in the belt clip first. Then screwed them into the case and they went in fine. In fact it was perfect. The screws are tight and the belt clip works like any my UV-82 (Which is not very good).

Now would the battery seat properly. Sadly, it did not. At least not initially. I went ahead and loaded up my frequency file through the CHIRP program. I began to test it having to make sure I held the battery in. It worked good except for the battery. I was not about to send it back, however, and was thinking about other means of making it useful. A battery eliminator, perhaps? That route would only make it useful in the car. I was even thinking about filing away some of the battery case, but I saw that could not be done.

In frustration I reverted to an old technician trick. I slammed the bottom of the battery and it seated into place. It has been fine ever since. At least since the 19th.

I ordered the Nagoya UT-71 for another reason, so I hooked it up and began to use it. I do not transmit much, but I did conduct several range tests. Unfortunately no matter what location I tried, I could not connect with the repeater I need to connect to.

I should note that I found out through research that the BF-F9 is NOT an updated model.

The features. The F9 comes with a 3800mAH battery. The transmit powers are 1, 4 and 8-watts in theory. I have not tested this and some tell me the Baofeng does not always perform as advertised in this area.

The antenna seems to be the biggest disappointment by other reviewers. They say it is pretty much a UV-5R antenna. Some have said that they purchased the better rubber duck antenna available for around $15 on Amazon and it seemed to work for them.

The CHIRP program does not specifically support this model. You can program it, however, through the BF-F8 model. The BF-F8 is the latest high power model from Baofeng that I know of.

The chargers seem to be the weak point of the Baofeng. They work, but last night I set up the F9 to charge and the light did not turn green. I lifted off it off the charger and set it back on and the green light came on. I still have to play with the charger for the UV-82 a bit, but they do work.

The earpiece microphone that came with this model is not a dual PTT. I do not monitor dual channels on the F9 as I do on the UV-82. I found on the UV-82 that with an external microphone, no matter what I do I can only transmit on Channel B. I had to use the dual PTT ear/mic that came with it to transmit on the correct channel.

Personally I like the feel of the radio in my hand. I do not like the camouflage pattern. The UV-82 camo that I purchased is a much better pattern. So far the radio has performed as well as the UV-82 I purchased. I have not seen much performance increase from the UV-82.

My opinion is that you should probably check out the UV-82HP which touts a maximum 7-watts out over this radio for about the same $68 price. That is, if you are interest in the lower priced Baofeng. The UV-5R still seems to be the most popular of the Baofeng line. They are a max output of 4-watts and the price is about half. At least for a new Ham.

If you are not on a budget as I am, you should probably explore the ICom and higher-end radios.

Some other thoughts:
BaoFeng BF-F9 V2+ Impressions

BaoFeng BF-F8HP first glance review at a CERT Training event.

Amateur Radio, News, Review

Baofeng BF-F9+ V2 Review

Baofeng BF-F9+ V2
Source: FOSCAM
1-piggieI admit that I find Baofeng models very confusing. I recently ordered the BF-F9+ V2 through Amazon. I thought I was ordering through BAOFENGTECH, but found I was ordering from FOSCAM—a camera company. Such is Amazon. When I look up the images, however, the model I received looked more like the Baofeng UV-5R+.

This is a picture of the BF-F9+ V2 from one company.
This is a picture of the BF-F9+ V2 from one company.

Still it had 1, 4 and 8-watt advertised capability. The UV-5R+ has only 1 and 4-watt power. I was familiar with how to program it already, so I was ready to go.

When I received the unit, I eagerly opened it up and set it up to charge. While it charged, I dug into the manual which was much better than the manual for the UV-82. It could be that I understand more of the terms and specifications than I did when I ordered the UV-82. The 3800mAh battery took longer to charge than I am used to, but that was expected.

Once charged I picked up the radio to try it out. The battery remained in the charger. I tried a number of ways, but I could not get the battery mechanism to latch.

The model I received looked more like this.
The model I received looked more like this.

DISLIKES

The color. I ordered the camouflage model, but the camouflage was a bright green instead of the dull color of my UV-82.

When I removed the screws for the belt clip, they felt wrong. I realized that I was working with a cheap aluminum casing. After installing the belt clip, one of the screws ripped out.

LIKES

I must say that FOSCAM has a good customer service program and immediately took care of the problem. That, unfortunately, meant sending it back. I was disappointed that I had to send this one back.

The radio had a good feel in my hands. I had the CHIRP program ready so I programmed it quickly. The radio seemed to work as advertised although it did not give me much better performance in my apartment than my UV-82. This could be because of the antenna.

This unit had the VFO button on the front to switch between Frequency and Channel mode. This is a desirable feature over the UV-82.

OVERVIEW

The radio seems to work as advertised. The disappointment was the manufacturing defects. I probably could have—I was strongly thinking of—modifying the battery to lock into place. This, of course, would have voided any warranty. I don’t know if a different battery would have worked.

To try to re-secure the belt clip would have been an different matter altogether.

I recommend new Ham operators avoid this Baofeng model. It appears that quality control is lacking at the manufacturer.

Amateur Radio, News, Review

Baofeng UV-82 review

Baofeng UV-82
Source: BAOFENGTECH through Amazon.
4-hams

Before I even obtained an FCC amateur radio license, I had heard of this tremendous Baofeng radio. Indeed they have become all the rage because of their low cost. The people I know were buying the Baofeng UV-5R mostly because it came per-programmed from their source with what they needed.

I began to work on obtaining a license and ordered the Baofeng UV-82 which was advertised as the upgrade to the UV-5.

When it arrived I immediately studied the features of the radio. It is pretty solid. It is a VHF/UHF radio with an FM radio to boot. It seems to be of solid construction. I have dropped it a couple of times and it still works. Like many other brands, including Baofeng, it can monitor two frequencies.

UV-82C(1)LGDISLIKES

The UV-5 has one feature over the UV-82 that I immediately liked. It has a button on the front to switch between VFO and Channel modes. With the UV-82, you have to hold the MENU key and turn the radio on to switch between these modes. This is inconvenient when you are trying to manually program the unit. Once I programmed it with CHIRP, however, I usually stay in Channel mode so it is not a problem.

Another thing that I noticed is that while I can monitor two frequencies, I can only transmit on the B channel. This could be that while I was playing with the manual programming, I set something that might be causing it. I tried making several changes in the CHIRP program, but nothing seems to work.

This unit, like all others from Baofeng, came with an ear piece microphone which allows me to transmit on either channel with dual push-to-talk (PTT) buttons. This was convenient until it started to give me a buzz in the ear. I mean actually shocking me. The unit itself is supplied with a dual PTT button to transmit on either frequency and there are dual PTT microphones available.

The belt clip does not hold well. I usually wind up carrying the unit in a pocket rather than trying to keep the belt clip attached to my belt.

LIKES

I may be a new ham operator, but I know what I like.

The price of Baofeng cannot be ignored and has led to the popularity of the radio. The price is in the budget of any new Ham radio operator. It has dual-power 1 or 4 watt capability—though I have not tested this. I have not tested the range of simplex operation, but it works well with repeaters.

Initially I tried manually programming and through YouTube videos on the UV-5 and other sources, I learned to manually program. When I worked with the CHIRP program, it seemed that I could not get through no matter what I did. I contacted my source, BAOFENGTECH, via email and was surprised at the quick response. Their Tech Support worked with me on several solutions. Ultimately I found that the repeater was not working. Once I got the unit programmed, everything opened up. I learned a lot from my first experience with this radio.

I purchased a microphone/speaker separate from the radio and, eventually, a mobile antenna for the VHF/UHF range. Even with the rubber duckie, I was able to make the repeater and communicate from inside my apartment. It currently serves, mostly, as my base unit until I can upgrade.

I purchased the camouflage version and the pattern is good and the radio seems durable. I take it in the woods when I walk my dog. I get good radio operation, but I am only two-to-five miles from the repeater. In my car with mag-mount antenna, I seem to reach about 13-miles when traveling to Flagstaff. Of course, there are obstructions in-between. Traveling toward Ash Fork I would probably do better. I have reached a repeater in Seligman about 35-miles away when I position just right in Williams, but with a weak but readable signal.

The FM radio is useful, at times. While listening to the radio, a call on VHF/UHF will interrupt the radio function. After a short duration, it will return to FM mode.

The radio also has a flashlight function with a strobe for emergencies.

Many people buy these to use as low-cost scanners. You can program in local first responder frequencies. You do not need a license for this and you can set it up so that it does not accidentally transmit on those frequencies. If a local emergency arises, this could be a good source of information for you.

PROGRAMMING

I was able to learn how to program it and load frequencies into memory in the VFO mode. I practiced this while waiting for my license. Once you get the hang of it, it is easy to do.

I recommend, however, if you plan to use this or any other radio that you get a cable and download the CHIRP program. There are several complaints about the manufacturers program that you can download for your particular unit from Baofeng. I have never tried it, but you can see the reviews online.

One thing to check with the CHIRP program is whether or not your radio is on the list. The information on the CHIRP program can be found HERE. This, of course, means buying a cable.

OVERVIEW

Interestingly my source no longer offers the UV-82, but the UV-5 still sells strong. I have seen two UV-82s offered for the price that I paid for one on Amazon—but in black, not in camouflage. I am so impressed with this radio I am considering purchasing the two as back-ups.

The battery seems to last. I run it all day a couple of days in a row before requiring a re-charge. I turn it off at night for obvious reasons.

The reception on the FM radio is better than other radios I have experienced. There is some static in some of the stations. Of course I did not purchase it to listen to FM radio. In the CHIRP program you can disable it. I have accidentally activated it and the alarm, as well.

Baofeng is popular because of its price with UV-5s running around $30 on average. This unit cost me around $68. I later had to purchase the programming cable for about $15. I added a plug-in microphone/speaker. I obtained two for around $6. Shipping, of course, is additional. I would recommend checking into a belt holster rather than depending on the provided belt clip. I bought a Naoya UT-72 mag-mount auto antenna to be used with another radio that I purchased for around $16.

For about $100, a new ham can get on-the-air with this model. This model rates 4 hams.