You could say every amateur radio operator knows about the Baofeng if they have been around long enough. Most have held one of their radios and lots have at least one. They have made a huge amount of radios.
According to their website, they have been around fifty years now. However other information I found contradicts this.
Owning a R&D team with 50 years experience in the field of wireless communication. Having launched the Baofeng series of wireless walkie-talkies and related ancillary products.
But how big are they? Do they just build radios and then tweak them to launch another one or are they bigger than that?
Again, according to their website:
Total employees over 1500+. Our factory locates in Changfu Industrial Zone, XIamei of Nan’an, Quanzhou, Fujian province, China.
So what does Baofeng mean in English?
storm wind storm
bào fēng. storm wind storm (force 11 wind)
Baofeng Radio Information
After a bit of research, this is what I found.
Baofeng, a Chinese manufacturer, was founded in 2001 by Mr. Wang Jinding founded Baoan Electronics Co., Ltd. in Nan’an City, Fujian Province in Nan’an City, Fujian Province. In 2017, Fujian Nan’an Baofeng Electronics Co., Ltd. changed its name to Fujian Baofeng Electronics Co., Ltd.
It gained prominence with its Baofeng UV-5R dual-band radio, which became popular for its affordability and features, but also faced regulatory scrutiny due to potential frequency interference.
Fujian Baofeng Electronics Co., Ltd. was founded in 2001 as a high-tech enterprise focused on research, development, production, and sales of radios.
The Baofeng UV-5R, a dual-band radio, became a global sensation in 2012 due to its affordability and features, particularly its ability to operate on both VHF and UHF bands.
However, the UV-5R, and other similar radios, faced regulatory issues in countries like Switzerland, Germany, Poland, and South Africa, due to concerns about frequency interference and the lack of certification in some regions. In the United States, the FCC cited Baofeng for illegally marketing the UV-5R, which was “capable of operating outside the scope of its equipment authorization”. The UV-5R served as a basis for numerous other models, with vendors able to create private-labeled versions, according to CHIRP.
The German Federal Network Agency banned the UV-5R because it dampens harmonics poorly, potentially disturbing other users, and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa issued a ban after finding the UV-5R to be causing radio frequency interference and for having continuous tuning capabilities, a feature that would require an operator obtain a Frequency allocation license before purchasing or using the device.
Baofeng Models
This website I think only shows a fraction of the radios Baofeng have made and sold. For example a Pro version will be very similar to the original version but comes with so many more things, it is almost a new radio.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_amateur_radio_transceivers
In my experience, you either love them starting at their cost, or hate them. It’s well known that some of cheap in price and quality, but this is perhaps the earlier models. If you love them, then they will bread like rabbits, if you hate them and own one, it will probably be sitting at the back of the draw or behind a box somewhere out of site.
There are so many models available now. So if you are wanting a hand held radio and on a budget, do your homework well. Just because it may be the latest model, doesn’t mean it has everything all the other models have.
Baofeng Radios Reviewed
Below are the Baofeng radios I have reviewed on YouTube. Hope you enjoy them.
Programming Tip
Did you know you can program these radios via Chirp? Here is a great tip you may like with chirp.
Purchacing
If you go via this link, you will get a discount:
https://radioddity.refr.cc/bensangsterhttps://radioddity.refr.cc/bensangster then search for your item.
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