BF888 programming issues

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rossmi2
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BF888 programming issues

Post by rossmi2 »

My work has bought 16 BF-888s however I'm having a nightmare trying to program them. I have tried my personal UK simple light frequencies and also PMR just to test them. The range seems to be about 30ft and that's it! 9 times out of 10 they won't take the frequencies, and often when the frequencies are loaded, the radios will react as though there is a transmission, the green rx light will come on and it's like the squelch is wide open (even on squelch setting 9).

I have tried CHIRP and the 888s software - similar results from both. How I wish they'd asked me before purchasing so many!! Any ideas? Does anyone have a UK simple light csv file that they know works that I could try?

Cheers
Michael
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Mitch
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by Mitch »

TBH I've never had any trouble programming the BF-888's, apart from the usual USB driver issue, and I've had about a dozen over the years. I've always used the Boafeng software (BF480.exe) and it's always worked for me. Do you have any test gear? UHF power meter? Frequency counter? Aerial adapters? The output is usualy 2 watts, I found the hi/lo power makes no difference at all in output.

I've only ever used the 446 PMR channels but and I don't have any 888's atm. I can't attach a data file so here's a screenshot:
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by Metradio »

Never had a problem programming 888's....

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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by Werthers »

I've never had any problems with mine either. Pretty straight forward.

I bought several sets over the years. The first set I bought around 2013 which seemed to have a better output power of 3 watts on UHF 1 watt VHF "yes the BF888 can do VHF" lol

The recent ones I've ordered do just under 2 watts on UHF and 500mW on VHF.

Brilliant little radios for the price.

Maybe you may of had some bad luck and got a faulty set.
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by Mikel »

Werthers wrote: 02 Apr 2021, 20:55 I've never had any problems with mine either. Pretty straight forward.

I bought several sets over the years. The first set I bought around 2013 which seemed to have a better output power of 3 watts on UHF 1 watt VHF "yes the BF888 can do VHF" lol

The recent ones I've ordered do just under 2 watts on UHF and 500mW on VHF.

Brilliant little radios for the price.

Maybe you may of had some bad luck and got a faulty set.
Yes as I understand it you could programme the first 8 channels only with VHF frequencies and the others with UHF channels and the scan function would scan them all.

Some are saying that more recent models are UHF only but the problem is there are so many fakes of everything out there that it is hard to know what is going on.

I have never owned any myself mind you so don't have and first hand experience :D
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by bigpimp347 »

all my 888 work great all programmed to Mitex radio spec too.
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by Werthers »

Mikel wrote: 07 Apr 2021, 08:31
Werthers wrote: 02 Apr 2021, 20:55 I've never had any problems with mine either. Pretty straight forward.

I bought several sets over the years. The first set I bought around 2013 which seemed to have a better output power of 3 watts on UHF 1 watt VHF "yes the BF888 can do VHF" lol

The recent ones I've ordered do just under 2 watts on UHF and 500mW on VHF.

Brilliant little radios for the price.

Maybe you may of had some bad luck and got a faulty set.
Yes as I understand it you could programme the first 8 channels only with VHF frequencies and the others with UHF channels and the scan function would scan them all.

Some are saying that more recent models are UHF only but the problem is there are so many fakes of everything out there that it is hard to know what is going on.

I have never owned any myself mind you so don't have and first hand experience :D
The first lot I bought years ago seem to be better quality but I know there are a few different versions of the BF888.

I don't think anybody would make a fake baofeng seeing that they are already cheap. I am curious about how these work but I've never opened one up before. I have read that some only have UHF RF components and will not do VHF. The older versions take VHF. I'm guessing these radios have no band filtering either. I will take one apart one day to see how they work although not all BF888 are the same.
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by Werthers »

Its probably best to avoid the new ones they are pure junk. These were good when they first came out.

Maybe going for the Retevis H-777 might be a better option they are only two pounds more than the Baofeng.
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by bigpimp347 »

Werthers wrote: 03 May 2021, 09:27 Its probably best to avoid the new ones they are pure junk. These were good when they first came out.

Maybe going for the Retevis H-777 might be a better option they are only two pounds more than the Baofeng.
Retevis is just a rebadged Baofeng.
same as Esynic and all the other names.

there are a few substandard or even fake baofengs though.
some will work with encryption, some won't. UK ones do, cheap ones done.
i have about nice all program up great and work great but only four will work with basic encryption, which is ideal if you're sat in the local retail park eavesdropping.
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by Werthers »

bigpimp347 wrote: 03 May 2021, 09:37
Werthers wrote: 03 May 2021, 09:27 Its probably best to avoid the new ones they are pure junk. These were good when they first came out.

Maybe going for the Retevis H-777 might be a better option they are only two pounds more than the Baofeng.
Retevis is just a rebadged Baofeng.
same as Esynic and all the other names.

there are a few substandard or even fake baofengs though.
some will work with encryption, some won't. UK ones do, cheap ones done.
i have about nice all program up great and work great but only four will work with basic encryption, which is ideal if you're sat in the local retail park eavesdropping.
So whats the deal with the fake Baofeng BF-888s? I never understood the logic behind it, why somebody would want to fake an already dirt cheap radio?

What I do know is that the ones I bought 5 plus years ago are much better quality and work better than the BF-888s radios today unless the Baofeng BF-888 radios that are being sold now are fakes.

Maybe by going for a Retevis H-777 that it might be less likely to get a fake or better quality even if it is a rebadged radio.
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by bigpimp347 »

Werthers wrote: 03 May 2021, 09:47

So whats the deal with the fake Baofeng BF-888s? I never understood the logic behind it, why somebody would want to fake an already dirt cheap radio?

What I do know is that the ones I bought 5 plus years ago are much better quality and work better than the BF-888s radios today unless the Baofeng BF-888 radios that are being sold now are fakes.

Maybe by going for a Retevis H-777 that it might be less likely to get a fake or better quality even if it is a rebadged radio.
it's like the Amstrad 901..
three version, one original, one sub contracted one fake (or even poorer sub contract)
baofeng are the same they subcontract to others, there's good bad and ugly in everything.

then there's the brand who wants to pay for quality control,
like the Anytone radios, certain brands were all good quality control.
another brand (CRT -SS-6900) decided they wanted fancy blue LED and not as much quality control, result, nice looking radio, but poor quality compared to other brands.

Baofeng the same, Uk sold ones would have to adhere to proper quality control to pass regulations.
many black market stuff wasn't as good and get shipped in by the back door and sold cheaper.
some got made cheaply missing out encryption for example maybe early rejected boards or even a different radio all together.

like the UV-5R the board is pretty much faultless, so they use the same board in loads of other radios just different plastics, some even use the same UV-5R software and chirp settings.

it's China, there are no definite answers.
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Unlike his Passengers, Screaming and Shouting.!
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Re: BF888 programming issues

Post by Werthers »

rossmi2 wrote: 09 Nov 2020, 20:25 My work has bought 16 BF-888s however I'm having a nightmare trying to program them. I have tried my personal UK simple light frequencies and also PMR just to test them. The range seems to be about 30ft and that's it! 9 times out of 10 they won't take the frequencies, and often when the frequencies are loaded, the radios will react as though there is a transmission, the green rx light will come on and it's like the squelch is wide open (even on squelch setting 9).

I have tried CHIRP and the 888s software - similar results from both. How I wish they'd asked me before purchasing so many!! Any ideas? Does anyone have a UK simple light csv file that they know works that I could try?

Cheers
Michael
On the newer cheaper made BF-888S the connection between the programming cable and the cheap jack sockets on the radio don't always make good contact, that's what I found with some of mine. Sometimes you have to wriggle the plug of the cable while reading or writing to the radio.

First make sure the cable is pushed firmly in and if that don't work pull the cable out slightly.
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