What radio?

ferniesnow

I'm doo-ing it!
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
112,062
Reaction score
86,088
Location
beautiful, downtown Salmon Arm, BC
few threads on this already. Search is your friend.

Boafeng uv82hp is what I have and wouldn't go without. had a BCA Link and sold it

I've had the Baofeng and sold them. I am using BCA now. I have a hard wired VHF in my truck so I am okay with the forestry roads.

Like bayman mentioned, there are lots of threads on radios on the site and lots of opinions.
 

Shitfly

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2008
Messages
480
Reaction score
547
Location
Central, AB
had great luck with the baofeng radios over many years now, had a few UV-5RA models with no issues, mics are cheap etc etc, have been using the UV-5RTP for the last couple years with zero issues also. all my extra mics, whip antennas, stubby antennas, batteries, chargers, etc. all work with both models. zero complaints, they're cheap but very impressive little radios
 

X-it

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
7,798
Reaction score
17,791
Location
Prince George
I have bought and tried almost every baofeng radio they make, and a ton of other brands as well.. one thing you need a really good mic for these radios. There are a few radios that are good enough for the logging roads but most are not. A magnetic roof antenna will increases range on the logging roads. Or going to a 25 watt radio.
 

ThrottleOps

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
1,181
Reaction score
2,718
Location
Elkford/Fernie
im a fan of the bca's for the ease of use and the mic , a few friends have the baofeng but if one buddies riding without the other he has no clue how to change the channel to match up with the bca or garmin channels
 

Pink-Inc

Active VIP Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
1,072
Reaction score
923
Location
Wembley
im a fan of the bca's for the ease of use and the mic , a few friends have the baofeng but if one buddies riding without the other he has no clue how to change the channel to match up with the bca or garmin channels
This right here. We met up with a group in Blue last weekend. They had a guy lost. We all have bca and they had baofeng. The guy lost didn't have a radio of course. We talked about getting on the same channel in case we see them but they had no idea how to do it. The bca may not have the range but they're easy to work with. On another note there was 2 out of 3 days where groups lost a guy last weekend. Both instances the lost guy was the only one without a radio. One was lost for over 3 hours and the other went riding on his own after dark....without a headlight.
 

JungleJim

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2008
Messages
531
Reaction score
1,805
Location
Calgary
im a fan of the bca's for the ease of use and the mic , a few friends have the baofeng but if one buddies riding without the other he has no clue how to change the channel to match up with the bca or garmin channels

I fully agree with ThrottleOps! If you're good with your computer and programming the Baofeng then no problem but my experience is is a $hitshow for them to change channels to align with regular BCA or Garmin radios. They do have good range but I really like the GREAT service and support you get from BCA. If going with the BCA you do want get the frogskins to protect the mike or just put a black nylon over it to protect it from icing up.
 

Tchetek

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Messages
2,826
Reaction score
7,180
Location
Alberta
If you have the bca, Frs, and gmrs, channles pre programmed in a buafeng, changing Chanel’s is easy.

But regardless. Learn to use your equipment before you go to the hills!
 

RGM

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
1,773
Reaction score
3,878
Location
Pemberton
The baofeng are easy to use if you get them programed by someone that knows what they are doing. There is a img file floating around in S&M that I would not recommend. There are also a whole lot of choices online for antenna and mics which most of them are not suitable for sledding. I would be interested to hear from the guys still using BCA why you use a sub channel. You can read my post here on using a Baofeng with BCA

https://www.snowandmud.com/snowmobi...bca-orother-frs-radios.html?highlight=baofeng

I would guess that anywhere between 30 and 50 % of my clients are getting rid of there BCA.
 

catmando

Super Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
9,047
Reaction score
6,783
Location
Edmonton
Baofeng is my choice, sold my BCA radiis
 
Last edited:

Mantis

Active member
Joined
Jan 20, 2010
Messages
66
Reaction score
151
Location
Castlegar
Lol, think it is higher than 30-50% Ray, everyone I know has switched to your pre programmed radios.. 70+ in our area.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RGM

RGM

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
1,773
Reaction score
3,878
Location
Pemberton
Lol, think it is higher than 30-50% Ray, everyone I know has switched to your pre programmed radios.. 70+ in our area.

I hear BCA has great customer service when they don't work but in the two years you have been using them I don't think I have needed to replace even one.
 

brian h

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2009
Messages
858
Reaction score
1,517
Location
edmonton alberta
i think the radios ray sells are good and alot of distance with them but i have seen guys with issues not knowing how to switch channels. i run the bca and im happy with it for the simply way to use and change channels. the group keeps a close eye on each other and the distance we get is never a issue with the bca. if want distance get the boefeng but if wanting simple got bca
 

LBZ

Active VIP Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Messages
3,068
Reaction score
3,651
Location
Central Alberta
Was picking up radio chatter today on a couple baofengs while in Eco at owlshead from guys at the heli drop in eagles I believe. Never been there but I was told it’s a very long ways away as a crow flies. 30-40km at least.
 

X-it

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
7,798
Reaction score
17,791
Location
Prince George
For sledding i have a uv-5r with a wouxun smo-003 mic, small and loud. For extended range I pack a quansheng radio, it is extremely clear and transmits at 11 watts, gives enough warning on the logging roads, not so with other handhelds.
 

sledn

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
415
Reaction score
727
Location
Alberta
Does anyone have any links to cheap remote speaker mic frogskin covers? I've also got to learn how to upload (same program as older UV-5R ?) the chirp file to a few new 10w Zastone A19 radios.
 
Top Bottom