Interest in Baofeng UV-82 Group Buy?

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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
I'm not familiar with these units. The ones used by MR can be set up to use repeaters. I don't think this is s special feature of the units we use, they're just programmed with the frequencies of the repeater masts.

I don't know what the situation is in the UK with regard to repeaters. I know of 3 or 4 in south Wales but these are set up for and maintained by Mountain Rescue England and Wales. Is there a publically accessible repeater network in the UK?

Also, Even without repeaters, you're grossly underestimating the range of a small, 5watt, handheld VHF radio http://youtu.be/IIMSM-HGfjE
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,451
3,654
50
Exeter
So just to give me an idea of numbers and to motivate any other interested parties to add their name.

1 TeeDee
2 TeeDee
3 PaulWebster
4 PaulWebster
5 NigelTm
6 NigelTm
7 ( Provisional ) NigelTm
8 ( Provisional ) NigelTm
9 EricJ
10 EricJ
11 MK Mike
 
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Pterodaktyl

Full Member
Jun 17, 2013
134
1
Devon
What these handsets will pick up is the VHF frequencies used by Mountain Rescue, Coast Guard, shipping, taxis, events coordination and other civilian uses. I believe that these frequency ranges are free to use. Although they are monitored by a government agency (a branch of Ofcom?) and organisations can be denied the use of certain frequencies if they don't follow some simple rules of appropriate use (e.g. using naughty words!).

Sorry to jump on this but it's totally incorrect and could potentially land someone who doesn't know what they're doing in a lot of trouble. Put simply - if you don't have a licence from Ofcom, whether for amateur radio or business use, you CANNOT transmit legally on this radio in the UK. Even if you program it to the 8 licence-free PMR446 channels, the radio itself doesn't meet the required technical specifications for PMR446 and so would still be illegal. I also suspect (although I'm not 100% sure on this point) that these don't meet the requirements for operation on the VHF marine band and so wouldn't be suitable for MRT use.

If you're a ham looking for some cheap handhelds then by all means go for this, but if you're not interested in the technical side of radio and are just after a cheap pair of walkie-talkies or a scanner to listen to the local taxi company then this radio probably isn't for you.
 

nigeltm

Full Member
Aug 8, 2008
484
16
54
south Wales
Also, Even without repeaters, you're grossly underestimating the range of a small, 5watt, handheld VHF radio http://youtu.be/IIMSM-HGfjE
I haven't checked the video but from experience the range can be very good (hence picking up taxi drivers from 20 to 30 miles away). But in the mountainous areas of south Wales it tends to be a lot shorter. I'm not sure the environment you have experience of but around here we can have problems with 25 watt vehicle based systems, let alone handhelds! :)
 

nigeltm

Full Member
Aug 8, 2008
484
16
54
south Wales
Sorry to jump on this but it's totally incorrect and could potentially land someone who doesn't know what they're doing in a lot of trouble. Put simply - if you don't have a licence from Ofcom, whether for amateur radio or business use, you CANNOT transmit legally on this radio in the UK. Even if you program it to the 8 licence-free PMR446 channels, the radio itself doesn't meet the required technical specifications for PMR446 and so would still be illegal. I also suspect (although I'm not 100% sure on this point) that these don't meet the requirements for operation on the VHF marine band and so wouldn't be suitable for MRT use.

If you're a ham looking for some cheap handhelds then by all means go for this, but if you're not interested in the technical side of radio and are just after a cheap pair of walkie-talkies or a scanner to listen to the local taxi company then this radio probably isn't for you.
I stand corrected :)

As I said, this is not my area of expertise. I just use them (hence saying I believed they were free to use). Do you have a link to the applicable regulations? I wouldn't mind reading up on them.
 

MK-MIKE

Full Member
Dec 2, 2009
62
0
Milton Keynes
On the OFCOM WEBSITE look up RA357 which relates to PMR446 radios (basically 500mW output and fixed antenna, no fitting high gain antenna to increase erp)
Again a search will bring up amateur radio licence terms, frequency lists etc.
I am an amateur myself (currently an M6 but soon to be a 2E0 :))

I own the UV -5RC and these are pretty good for the money. Interested in one of the GB ones so show me as interested please.
Mike

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MK-MIKE

Full Member
Dec 2, 2009
62
0
Milton Keynes
would this be good for listening to pilots in planes at airshows etc? not for broadcasting, just listening

Hi Tom

Short answer is no.
The RX range doesn't cover aeronautical radio frequencies and doesn't have the 8.33KHz channel spacing either.

Mike

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MK-MIKE

Full Member
Dec 2, 2009
62
0
Milton Keynes
The other point ref the interface cable is something we could get around with a 'post it on' agreement between ourselves but they arn't big money more of an PITA.

I own a set of genuine programming leads for these radios (there are a large number of fake leads around) and I also have the CHIRP files of all the UK 2m and 70cm repeaters frequencies that I don't mind circulating.

CHIRP for those that don't know is a free to use radio programming tool that comes Windows and Linux variants. it is miles better than the Baofeng software!

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Pterodaktyl

Full Member
Jun 17, 2013
134
1
Devon
I stand corrected :)

As I said, this is not my area of expertise. I just use them (hence saying I believed they were free to use). Do you have a link to the applicable regulations? I wouldn't mind reading up on them.

No problem - radio licensing in the UK is a pretty complex and baffling subject which isn't helped by the fact that the various documents outlining what you can and can't do are buried several layers deep on the Ofcom website or are missing altogether (probably in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard"). I'm no expert beyond the bits I had to study for an amateur radio licence and my own research for various purposes beyond that, so please take everything I say with a pinch of salt :)

The main bit of legislation is the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/36) - this is the Act which says that except for certain exempt bands and devices you need a licence to operate a radio transmitter in the UK. As an MRT team member you'll be covered by a licence granted to your team which allows use of the dedicated land SAR frequencies and also the marine band ones used for working with rescue helos. Give that Ofcom controversially charges the RNLI a significant amount of money each year for radio licensing I assume someone also has to pay them for the land SAR frequencies although I have no idea if this is handled by the local teams or the umbrella organisations like MREW or ALSAR. There's a document online (http://forum.mrmap.org.uk/uploaded_files/uksar_implementation_control_v6.1.pdf) which outlines the land SAR communication setup in the UK although it's dated 2009 and may not be the most up-to-date version.

Each radio service then has its own documents describing what you can and can't do - for example:

Amateur radio: http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binar...io/guidance-for-licensees/samplelicence07.pdf
PMR446: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/publication/ra_info/ra357.htm

On top of this there are things called TFACs (Technical Frequency Assignment Criteria) and IRs (Interface Requirements) which set out the actual specifications of equipment to be used for each service. Until recently Ofcom and its predecessor the Radiocommunications Agency operated a system known as "type approval" where each model of radio had to be tested and approved before it could be used. In the business radio sector they have now moved away from this and simply require that a product has a CE mark and complies with the relevant IR - of course without access to test equipment costing several £1,000 this is hard to check...

Hope this helps!
 
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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
I haven't checked the video but from experience the range can be very good (hence picking up taxi drivers from 20 to 30 miles away). But in the mountainous areas of south Wales it tends to be a lot shorter. I'm not sure the environment you have experience of but around here we can have problems with 25 watt vehicle based systems, let alone handhelds! :)

Short summary is that the video shows contact with the International Space Station.
 

MK-MIKE

Full Member
Dec 2, 2009
62
0
Milton Keynes
VHF/UHF comms is primarily Line of site. Ramping up power offers little extra. Getting antenna up higher is better than increasing power. Hence why repeaters are usually on top of hills.

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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
VHF/UHF comms is primarily Line of site. Ramping up power offers little extra. Getting antenna up higher is better than increasing power. Hence why repeaters are usually on top of hills.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

Yep. That and simply getting a better antenna to begin with. Power over 60w is rare on 2 meter (over 100w almost unheard of)

This is the after market antenna I put on my Baofeng. It's a Nagoya NA-771 and is considerably better than the OE rubber duck.

Sorry. Image not working.
 
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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,451
3,654
50
Exeter
Guys , I appreciate the comments but can I suggest you start a Thread somewhere dealing with it? This is a GB area.

Cheers
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,451
3,654
50
Exeter
Update on this.

Don't think this is a goer to be honest , if we try and purchase from a U.K. supplier then discounts are marginal at best ( 12.5% for 25+ units) although not much in the way of discount you do get a UK support base. By the time you factor in the postage and packing for a relatively large , heavyish unit to multiple addresses the discount soon becomes negilgible .

The other option is to ship direct from China and get at a far better price , however this leads to no UK support if needed but you obviously have purchased without the 20% VAT hit.
 

rickyamos

Settler
Feb 6, 2010
622
0
Peterborough
To be honest I’m glad this was a non-starter as a group buy, as I know it’s not illegal to buy these as a non-licensed amateur radio licence holder, it would not be legal to use these radios if not licenced. I would not like to offer this to BCUK members without seeing a copy of their licence before buying something like this for members. Would not like to think that non licensed users were using these radios just trying their luck. Like Ecolink the software is free but you must first supply a copy of your licence before they will send you a code to make the software work.
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,451
3,654
50
Exeter
To be honest I’m glad this was a non-starter as a group buy, as I know it’s not illegal to buy these as a non-licensed amateur radio licence holder, it would not be legal to use these radios if not licenced. I would not like to offer this to BCUK members without seeing a copy of their licence before buying something like this for members. Would not like to think that non licensed users were using these radios just trying their luck. Like Ecolink the software is free but you must first supply a copy of your licence before they will send you a code to make the software work.

Actually whilst I respect your Point of view I tend to disagree , I think it would have been of great benefit to have been able to have a Radio to listen to Chatter before taking my Foundation to learn the language and feel more at ease with the vibe , also to see if it was something I was interested in and 'take to the next level' by sitting a foundation .

Instead I sat my foundation with zero radio comms experience , did a lot of theory and passed , a year on and I have still yet to use my call sign , a Radio before sitting the Foundation and to use immediately after would I feel have been of great , great assistance in cementing and building upon those skills.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
To be honest I’m glad this was a non-starter as a group buy, as I know it’s not illegal to buy these as a non-licensed amateur radio licence holder, it would not be legal to use these radios if not licenced......

Actually I believe your laws are similar to ours in that it's not illegal to listen on the amateur bands; it's only illegal if you transmit on them. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.


At any rate, you can get them from Amazon without any license check; that's where my non-licensed daughter and her husband ordered my radios for Christmas presents to me. www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-82-Two-Way-Radio/dp/B00E4KLY34

As Teedee said, they'll be coming from China and wil not include support; but at the price, $39.99 (about 14 quid) with free shipping, so what?
 
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