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BCA vs Baofeng bf-888s

Scott

Scott Stiegler
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Slight detour ....guys using the BCA....

Can you program these to talk on public channels....like the forestry road channels?

Or is it just the pre canned channels and that's that?

I am 99.9999999 % that's a NO.

There are just on the FRMS and GRMS (or whatever they are called) channels.
 

christopher

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Slight detour ....guys using the BCA....

Can you program these to talk on public channels....like the forestry road channels?

Or is it just the pre canned channels and that's that?


They are HARD CODED for a specific group of Freqs.
You can not reprogram them like a HAM Radio over a wide range of bandwidth.
 

blastco2

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Slight detour ....guys using the BCA....

Can you program these to talk on public channels....like the forestry road channels?

Or is it just the pre canned channels and that's that?
I agree with the previous replies.
Would like to add that the forestry frequencies are more than likely vhf. The bca link is a uhf radio. If you wish to talk to your buddies with the link and talk to the log truck drivers, you will need a dual band radio like the uv-5r or uv-82. In the end you will have better comms and spend less money than those with the link.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
 

blastco2

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Oh ya, 8 watts vs. 1 watt, I know full well what I am expecting.
But what we need is that HEAD to HEAD comparison.
Exact same situation, both radios working side by side.
Then we can try to quantify it.


And what I WANT..
Is a fully in helmet solution with Push to Talk capability that feeds into a Sled Mounted 25 Watt Amp with a SUPER flexible whip antenna. All this with a Magnetic breakaway connection..:face-icon-small-hap


Now that would ensure Optimal Back Country Comms, so far as comms can go.
So, on the CCR's will you be using wide or narrow or adding a 3rd test by using both?

Do you live in the Rigby area? If so we could do some preliminary testing from my place to yours.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
 

christopher

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So, on the CCR's will you be using wide or narrow or adding a 3rd test by using both?

Do you live in the Rigby area? If so we could do some preliminary testing from my place to yours.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk


I live IN Rigby.
Its easy to tell my house from any other.
I am the only guy in Rigby that has a 160m and 80m antenna!


We should absolutely get together!!:face-icon-small-hap
 

blastco2

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I am on the Butte. Near the sacred great white R. 100 ft above the river. Simplex from my place to yours should reveal some basic stuff.
KG7OTL

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
 
J

Jaynelson

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I agree with the previous replies.
Would like to add that the forestry frequencies are more than likely vhf. The bca link is a uhf radio. If you wish to talk to your buddies with the link and talk to the log truck drivers, you will need a dual band radio like the uv-5r or uv-82. In the end you will have better comms and spend less money than those with the link.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

Ahh gotcha, that makes sense....this stuff is out of my wheelhouse. My buddy is an Icom dealer....so thinking to just have him set me up one of those with everything I want in it.

Lots of guys I ride with have the BCA, but if I'm bringing a radio I definitely want the road channels if I wind up on an FSR they're hauling on.
 
J

Jaynelson

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So just a follow up on this from OP:

I just now cloned the Baofeng to have the same first 16 channels as a BCA.

What frequencies do you need to program in to the Baofeng (or another radio) to talk to a BCA? Apologies if I'm using the wrong terminology
 

blastco2

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The "privacy codes" give no privacy. And there is nothing channel about "sub channels".

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
 

Scott

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So I received my preprogrammed Baeofangs.

I can get them both on the same channel, but how do I get lined up with the guys on the FRS and GRMS channels.

Not proficient with these radios at all.
 

Teth-Air

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For those that are fixed on adding a shoulder mic. to there Baofeng radio please rethink this as the radio itself is almost as small as a mic. Simply sew a neoprene beer bottle thermal bag onto your shoulder strap and put the radio directly in there. The sound is great and the mic works well right through the bag. The advantage is all the controls are close at hand and it is easy to remove to charge. The bag I use was 99 cents at Cabela's. Also I use a double length antenna and it neatly wraps over my shoulder as I use a elastic cord to hold it down to my shoulder strap. Can't beat this setup.
 

Timbre

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With a lithium Ion battery, as i understand it, their charge life is shortened substantially by cold temps. So i am wondering if the radio itself being on the shoulder strap would cause an issue, as it is directly exposed to the coldest temps. . .? I guess the thermal bag would help.

This is why i use the shoulder mic and have the radio inside the backpack and also inside a glove. The upgraded (longer) antenna sticks out through the zipper.
 

Scott

Scott Stiegler
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With a lithium Ion battery, as i understand it, their charge life is shortened substantially by cold temps. So i am wondering if the radio itself being on the shoulder strap would cause an issue, as it is directly exposed to the coldest temps. . .? I guess the thermal bag would help.

This is why i use the shoulder mic and have the radio inside the backpack and also inside a glove. The upgraded (longer) antenna sticks out through the zipper.

You using BCA or Baeofangs?
 

Ron Burgandy

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I have my baofeng presets set to the same channels as the FRS/GMRS frequency’s to make it easy. preset 000 for weather. we rarely use the ctcs channels but that’s fairly easy to switch to if needed, just have to remember to set both the R-ctcs and T-ctcs. Every ctcs frequency on the baofeng is the same as the common 2 ways, 67.0 is 1....69.3 is 2.....71.9 is 3.....etc
 
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Scott

Scott Stiegler
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I bought those programmed Baeofangs on Facebook. Came from Idaho Falls?
Anyway, I have no idea what I'm doing with them.

I need a list of the talkabout channel programs. Lol
 
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