Baofeng [BAOFENG BF-F8HP] Receive but Transmit is very faint

[Frank06]

I have the above radio and am trying to work Simplex with a friend who has another HT. I can hear him just fine but he can only hear me very faintly, regardless of his squelch setting. We've tried to make this work line-of-sight and no joy. Tones on both radios are Off, we've tried 2 meters and 70 cm, no difference. Is there some obvious setting I'm not thinking of? There's limited repeater activity around here so I'm looking to verify functionality as best I can. As mentioned, I can hear him fine and also pick up FM radio but he can barely hear me even at high output power. Any thoughts or advice appreciated!

Frank

 

[alcahuete]

25 KHz vs. 12.5 KHz. If you are using 12.5, that would potentially explain the issue.

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah, make sure you don't have your channel set to narrow FM. That'll result in lower deviation and someone running a radio on wide FM will hear you as a very low audio signal.

What kind of radio is your buddy running?

 

[hill]

As mentioned above most likely set to Narrow FM. Many CCR default to this deviation.

 

[Frank06]

Hmmm, I checked my radio and it was set to Wide. I'm getting details on his radio (it's better quality, also DMR), maybe there's a mismatch on his end?

Thanks for the information, I'm a rank beginner and stumbling along learning as I go.

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

Yeah, make sure you don't have your channel set to narrow FM. That'll result in lower deviation and someone running a radio on wide FM will hear you as a very low audio signal.

What kind of radio is your buddy running?

I'm running an Anytone D878UVII Plus although the word "running" is a bit optimistic. Mostly I flail around the menus and the CPS software.

Since @Frank06 can hear me fine and I can sometimes barely hear him if I put my 878 right up to my ear, I figure it's a problem with my settings. Seems logical but I've figured wrong before.

My 878 is set to wide.

EDIT: All instruction on the 878 says to start with "your old code plug". So right away I fail since I don't have an old code plug. I've programmed in some local repeaters, both FM and DMR, with the CPS software. I cannot see any of them when I unplug from CPS but plug in again and CPS shows that they're on the 878. I am also a rank beginner. With a more complex HT there's every reason to think that my programming and operation is the problem.

 

[alcahuete]

I'm running an Anytone D878UVII Plus although the word "running" is a bit optimistic. Mostly I flail around the menus and the CPS software.

Since @Frank06 can hear me fine and I can sometimes barely hear him if I put my 878 right up to my ear, I figure it's a problem with my settings. Seems logical but I've figured wrong before.

My 878 is set to wide.

EDIT: All instruction on the 878 says to start with "your old code plug". So right away I fail since I don't have an old code plug. I've programmed in some local repeaters, both FM and DMR, with the CPS software. I cannot see any of them when I unplug from CPS but plug in again and CPS shows that they're on the 878. I am also a rank beginner. With a more complex HT there's every reason to think that my programming and operation is the problem.

Can you hear other repeaters fine?

If you aren't seeing the repeaters or such on the radio, you have to make sure your channels are put into zones. There are a lot of Youtube videos out there with how to program the Anytone.

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

Can you hear other repeaters fine?

If you aren't seeing the repeaters or such on the radio, you have to make sure your channels are put into zones. There are a lot of Youtube videos out there with how to program the Anytone.

Thank you.

There are rumors that the repeaters in the area have little or no traffic. I also don't know if either of us is in range of a repeater. The closest repeater is 19 miles away and on a hill but with some small mountains between here and there. Closest DMR repeater is over 30 miles with hills between here and there.

That's why @Frank06 and I were focusing on simplex, line-of-sight, and short range.

I'll connect this 878 to CPS again to see if I can get the channels into zones. Thank you. I have looked for a way to link them and not found it yet. Sometimes looking 5 of 6 times is all it takes to find the right menu item.

I have watched many videos. The 878s in each video seem to have data already placed where mine has place holders. When I go to the place holders I don't have menu options to make useful changes. I suspect that lots of the problem is that I never imported my old code plug because I don't have one. All the beginner videos start with an existing code plug.

My 878 and CPS are both on 2.05.

Thanks again for your suggestions.

 

[chrismol1]

Try to use a real antenna instead of the stock ant. But I gotta be honest sounds normal for a baofeng, hit or miss, quality control isn't their strong point. I've had baofengs that exhibited this same behavior

 

[alcahuete]

Thank you.

There are rumors that the repeaters in the area have little or no traffic. I also don't know if either of us is in range of a repeater. The closest repeater is 19 miles away and on a hill but with some small mountains between here and there. Closest DMR repeater is over 30 miles with hills between here and there.

That's why @Frank06 and I were focusing on simplex, line-of-sight, and short range.

I'll connect this 878 to CPS again to see if I can get the channels into zones. Thank you. I have looked for a way to link them and not found it yet. Sometimes looking 5 of 6 times is all it takes to find the right menu item.

I have watched many videos. The 878s in each video seem to have data already placed where mine has place holders. When I go to the place holders I don't have menu options to make useful changes. I suspect that lots of the problem is that I never imported my old code plug because I don't have one. All the beginner videos start with an existing code plug.

My 878 and CPS are both on 2.05.

Thanks again for your suggestions.

You're welcome. You can also program the NOAA weather frequencies. Basically...just program anything that you know you can receive. If it isn't weak on your end, you can start to rule out an issue with your radio, be it the speaker or something else. If it is also weak, it might be a problem on your end.

So assuming you have channels programmed, on the left side of the CPS, see where it says Zone? Create a zone, give it a name, etc. Then you should see a screen where you can move channels from left to right. That will put the channel into the zone.

 

[Frank06]

Try to use a real antenna instead of the stock ant. But I gotta be honest sounds normal for a baofeng, hit or miss, quality control isn't their strong point. I've had baofengs that exhibited this same behavior

I've actually never used the stock antenna and have a Nagoya NA-771. It seems to receive weather stations, FM, etc. okay.

 

[alcahuete]

I've actually never used the stock antenna and have a Nagoya NA-771. It seems to receive weather stations, FM, etc. okay.

If everything else is receiving okay, you are both using 25 kHz, then it is likely an issue with the Feng. The Anytone is a great radio. The Feng...eh.

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

You're welcome. You can also program the NOAA weather frequencies. Basically...just program anything that you know you can receive. If it isn't weak on your end, you can start to rule out an issue with your radio, be it the speaker or something else. If it is also weak, it might be a problem on your end.

So assuming you have channels programmed, on the left side of the CPS, see where it says Zone? Create a zone, give it a name, etc. Then you should see a screen where you can move channels from left to right. That will put the channel into the zone.

Weather on 162.400 is as weak as the Baofeng of @Frank06 . None of the other NOAA frequencies make any sound at all. Then again, I don't know how well any of the NOAA frequencies come in here. Perhaps Frank will tell me.

Tones are loud enough, so it's not the speaker itself.

I'm still doing something wrong.

I do appreciate the help but I'm done bashing my head against the wall for today. That was a useful and informative test though.

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

Try to use a real antenna instead of the stock ant. But I gotta be honest sounds normal for a baofeng, hit or miss, quality control isn't their strong point. I've had baofengs that exhibited this same behavior

When I got this 878 at Ham Radio Outlet, I went over to the HT antenna rack but the person helping me said I should just give the stock antenna a try.

I have materials to make a J-pole antenna as in the July issue of QST, but when we're trying simplex at 800 feet, I doubt that the antenna is the problem. Or maybe my antenna is the key to this problem.

 

[n5ims]

We have found that several of the Baofeng models have a bad mic hole molding on the case that makes very little audio reach the mic element. If you can open the case up and remove the mic element, you can drill out the hole(s) by the mic element and allow more audio to reach the element and increase your audio level significantly.

 

[chrismol1]

We have found that several of the Baofeng models have a bad mic hole molding on the case that makes very little audio reach the mic element. If you can open the case up and remove the mic element, you can drill out the hole(s) by the mic element and allow more audio to reach the element and increase your audio level significantly.

Good question, when OP says the other unit doesn't hear, I've assumed its a signal issue. It could be full signal strength with an issue like this mic related, unrelated to signal

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

@n5ims and @chrismol1

The OP with his Baofeng receives the local NOAA weather station just fine. I receive it badly on the Anytone 878. It's very quiet exactly like the OP's voice when received on the 878,

Since I have the same problem hearing NOAA and the OP's Baofeng, it looks like the Baofeng is not the problem. It looks like the thread title is wrong and the Baofeng transmit is fine.

I should probably start a new thread with a title that reflects our new information. The problem could still be reception or signal processing. It could be some setting I don't have right.

Thanks for your help with the Baofeng. It doesn't look like debugging the Baofeng is the way forward.

 

[DaveInTheWoods]

I'm going to reset my Anytone 878 to default this morning then see if I can receive NOAA any better.

Then I'll start a new thread with title, tag, and first post that are more accurate.

Thanks to everyone.