The Baofeng BF-888S handheld transceivers come in a set of two, and at an great price. These are NOT amateur radios, and have not been approved for use as amateur radios. Although, they are good for FRS, GMRS, and a great way to stay in touch with friends, family, or coworkers close by.
Basically, they come ready to use out of the box or can programed to your company’s channels using and free software called Chirp and a low cost programming cable. They have 16 channels in the 420 – 450MHz(UHF) range, and long lasting 3.7 volt 1500Mah Li-Ion batteries. Extra batteries are also available for extended talk times.
These radio come equipped with voice prompts which announces the channel number, and off/on status. They can be set to different languages, additionally, they work well for sight impaired individuals. The communication range is about 1.2 to 2.4 miles depending on obstacles and location. Height also plays a part in its range, after all, the higher you the more range you have.
Features:
- Frequency: 420-450MHz
- 16 channels
- 1500mAh Li-ion battery
- 50 CTCSS/105 CDCSS
- VOX Function
- Voice Prompt
- Programmable
- Emergency Alarm
- Intelligent Charging
- Battery Saver
- Low Voltage Alert
- Time out Timer
- Flash light
Specifications:
- 50 ohm antenna imperence
- 3.7 volt 1500mAh Li-ion battery
- About 8 hours battery life
- <5 watt output power
- Single band(UHF) 420-450MHz
- Functions: CTCSS/DCS
- 60 × 33 × 115mm body plus antenna
- 180g weight
- SMA Female Antenna
- Compatible with K-plug earpiece/ programming cable
What’s In The Box:
- 2 – BaoFeng BF-888S radios
- 2 – Earpieces
- 2 – 3.7v 1500mAh Li-ion Batteries
- 2 – SMA Female Antennas
- 2 – Manuals
- 2 – Desktop Chargers
- 2 – Belt Clips
- 2 – Wrist Straps
BaoFeng BF-888S Default Frequencies in Radio
- CH-1 462.125 CTCSS 69.3
- CH-2 462.225
- CH-3 462.325
- CH-4 462.425 CTCSS 103.5
- CH-5 462.525 CTCSS 114.8
- CH-6 462.625 CTCSS 127.3
- CH-7 462.725 CTCSS 136.5
- CH-8 462.825 CTCSS 162.2
- CH-9 462.925 DCS 025
- CH-10 463.025 DCS 032
- CH-11 463.125 DCS 125
- CH-12 463.225 DCS 331
- CH-13 463.525 DCS D465
- CH-14 450.225 DCS D023
- CH-15 460.325
- CH-16 469.950 CTCSS 203.5
Baofeng BF-888S
It seemed well built for the low price, and the battery was changeable to extend talk time. It was also programmable and had some higher end features like CTCSS, CDCSS, VOX, and a time out timer.
My neighbor’s son received a set of these for his birthday, and he gave one to my son to talk house to house. As an amateur operator, however, I decided to look into them and do a range test. As my son talked to his friend I noted how surprisingly clear it was. We then walked a couple blocks away and it stayed clear, and I knew a range test was in order. As a result, my son set it up with his friend.
We tested from my neighbors house to us driving away. This result was a 1.3 mile range before static and dropped signals. We then drove the other direction into the city and got .8 miles with the concrete buildings. Lastly, we tried the park that has a large wildlife refuge field next to it. As a result, we drove an impressive 2.3 miles with no obstacles before losing contact. The boys had a good time with the testing, and took notes.
The range can be extended with a larger antenna like the Nagoya 701C or Nagoya 771, however, the gains will also depend on area and obstacles. But there is an improvement in distance with a larger antenna.
In conclusion, these radios are good for short range communications, whether it is on a work site, or just two friends staying in touch.