Baofeng BF-F8HP – The Most Affordable And Powerful Ham Radio
Are you looking to buy a good ham radio? Then stop right here! Baofeng is a brand that is almost synonymous with affordable and reliable radios. It is very important for your radio device to be reliable especially when you are out on your adventure where no other means of communication is available.
If you try to search the internet for the available types of ham radios you will be bombarded with too many options. There is also the problem of too many cheap radios dominating the market. These are poor quality products that hardly last a few uses and hence actually waste your money even if they are sold at a competitive price.
But that is why you can read our review below on the Baofeng BF-F8HP which is a completely reliable radio that is also pocket-friendly. Read on to find out more details of this ham radio to see if it will be a good choice for your requirements.
Baofeng BF-F9 V2+ Specs
- Wide frequency range of 136-174 / 400-520 MHz
- Storage capacity of up to 128 memory channels
- Noise reduction features
- Three power settings
- A and B Bands function independently of each other
- Tri-color display for easy reading
- Backed by a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty
Is The Baofeng BF-F8HP The Best Ham Radio For Beginners?
Baofeng radios, in general, are very reliable communication devices that can help you in a real-life situation. These radios come in different types and sizes to suit different needs. The Baofeng BF-F8HP is a new and improved version of the Baofeng UV-5R with the Tri-power functionality included in it.
It uses the latest in technology and gives you a highly powerful radio for an incredibly small price. You can use the BF-F8HP as a GMRS and it comes with an improved frequency range. It also comes with noise reduction and a host of other features that you will be surprised how it was possible to fit so many features into such a small price tag.
Below we look into each of the features of this most popular Baofeng radio to see if it lives up to the hype. This will help you get a clear idea of its capabilities and help you make the right decision
Power
This ham radio comes with a tri-power feature that lets you choose from three different power levels. You can choose your power output to be 1, 3, or the 8 watts which are the highest power you can choose in a ham radio. This makes the BF-F8HP one of the most powerful Baofeng radios on the market.
Dual Band
The Baofeng is a dual band and dual display radio which makes it a very reliable two-way communications device. No matter where you are you can instantly and securely communicate with this radio. The BF-F8HP also has an extremely good frequency range of 136-174 / 400-520 MHz.
Tri-Color Display
This ham radio comes with a Tri-color LCD display that makes reading super easy. What’s even better is that you can change the color according to your preference from the menu. You can also set the time-out duration for the backlight so that it automatically turns off after a set period of time.
Noise Reduction
The Baofeng BF-F8HP is equipped with a chipset that helps in noise reduction. Changes in signal intensity during transmission and reception can cause a lot of disturbances. But this is effectively controlled and the radio gives you a clear voice.
Modes
There are two basic modes on the BF-F8HP that you can choose from namely the frequency mode and the channel mode. When the Frequency mode is selected using the up or down buttons will take to the next frequency based on the frequency interval settings. The frequency step setting can be changed from the menu option.
Instead of using the up or down buttons to find the desired frequency you can also manually enter the frequency using the keypad. However, based on the frequency step settings, it will change to the nearest frequency step. When the channel mode is selected, using the up and down buttons will let you scan through the programmed channels.
Scanning
The BF-F8HP comes with a scanning feature that makes looking for a particular channel or frequency easy instead of continuously having to press the up or down button. Depending on whether the frequency mode or channel mode is selected, the scanner will go either in step increments or scan through the saved channels.
Using the scanning function is super easy and is a very handy feature. All you need to do to activate the scanning feature is long press the scan button for two seconds. If you want to stop the scanning simply press any button.
Programming
Instead of manually selecting frequencies on manually entering your favorite frequencies you can choose to program them as memory channels. This will help you quickly find the desired frequency. Don’t worry about not having enough memory space to store the channels as the BF-F8HP can accommodate up to whopping 128 channels. On these channels, you can store additional information such as transmit power, bandwidth, channel name etc.
A great thing about the BF-F9 V2+ is that you can program it with or without a computer. For programming using a computer, you will need to install the necessary Baofeng software on your computer.
Keypad Lock
A very important and handy feature of the radio is the keypad lock which prevents unwanted and accidental pressing of the keys. When this feature has been enabled, all buttons except the side buttons are deactivated.
To lock or unlock the keypad long press the pound key for 2 seconds. If you find yourself forgetting to this every time, then you can also make keypad lock settings for the menu. So the keypad will be automatically disabled after 10 seconds of inactivity.
Light
Source: inhabitat.com
The BF-F8HP is very light weighing only a mean 10.1 ounces. Not only is it very light but is also very compact measuring 10.5 x 2 x 2 inches making it very easy to carry around.
You can use it handheld even for extended periods of time and yet you won’t end up with achy hands. You could also carry it attached to your belt for quick and easy access. The ham radio comes with a belt clip and a wrist hand strap in the box to help you carry it around easily.
Dual Reception
If you have to name a feature on the Baofeng BF-F8HP that sets it apart from other ham radio, then it has to the dual watch or the dual reception feature. The dual watch lets the radio work with two frequencies at the same time. It accomplishes this by switching between the two frequencies at fixed intervals. When the dual reception is activated you can also select just one of the channels to be the transmitter.
Repeaters
The Baofeng BF-F8HP gives you the option of using your ham radio as a repeater. A repeater is nothing but basically a transceiver that is kept at a fixed location to send and receive signals. Usually, these transceivers are placed on hilltops and on top of buildings.
A repeater has the capacity to receive and amplify the received signals before relaying it. So by using a repeater, you can further increase the range of your Baofeng radio.
Battery Life
The battery life of your ham radio can mean all the difference between life and death especially if you are stuck in the middle of nowhere. Therefore a radio with a good battery life is of great importance. Even if you are just going to use your radio at work, you don’t want to be constantly running to the power socket to charge it.
The BF-F8HP comes with a powerful 2100 mAH lithium-ion battery which will last much more than a standard battery. This means you can use it continuously for a day giving you more talk time when fully charged.
The battery level is indicated using bars on the display. When the battery level goes very low, you won’t see any battery level bars. In addition to this, a beep sound is emitted periodically from the device and LCD display’s backlight also flashes intermittently. All these indicate that it is time to change the battery.
Durable
The BF-F8HP has a very rugged construction. It is made of high-quality components and is backed by a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty for a complete peace of mind.
Pros
- Excellent and clear audio quality
- Easy to use and install
- Light and compact for easy portability
- An affordable price tag and good value for your money
Cons
- Manual programming requires some amount of patience
Conclusion
Whether you are completely new to ham radios or are already familiar with it, the Baofeng BF-F8HP will be a great choice. You can use it anywhere you want from offices to mountain tops and much more.
It is not without a reason that the Baofeng BF-F8HP is one of the top-selling ham radios on the market. It also has some great customer reviews who are very satisfied with their purchase and even recommend it to others. Get one yourself and we are sure that you will be hooked to it.