Baofeng BF-5C PRS Handheld
This is probably the cheapest 2 watt handheld in New Zealand. As of this writing it is retailing for $56.45 from a local supplier. This price positions it as a radio that you might buy and put into your emergency Go-Bag or your first radio as you explore what PRS (Personal Radio Service) is all about or even something that you might buy for a once off event, like a camping trip or maybe just something for the kids in their Christmas stocking. But don’t be deceived. It might be the cheapest and definitely not top of the line, but it is still a very capable handset as I will show you.
One of the most defining factors of a PRS handheld is possibly the power output. This typically determines the distance that the handset can communicate to. The maximum legal power for a PRS radio is 5 watts and will give a range of 3 to 10 kms depending on the terrain. A 2 watt handset you can expect a range of 2 - 3 kms. Anything below 2 watts should be considered a toy. In an emergency situation a 2 - 3 range is probably enough to keep you in touch with your immediate community. If you live outside of a township a 5 watt radio with an extended range is more suitable.
But let's start with a list of the BF-5C’s key attributes and further on go into detail the benefits or shortcomings of each.
Transmit Power: 2 watts
Battery: 1500mAh Li-ion
Voice prompts
LED Flashlight
Low Battery Alert
Battery Saver
Transmit Time-Out Timer
15 selectable channels
Scanning Mode
Antenna: SMA-Female
Weight: 152 grams
Size: 120mm x 60mm x 35mm (antenna detached)
Good range of accessories available, including
- vehicle antennas
- additional batteries
- earpiece/microphones
- handheld microphone/speakers
- handheld microphone/speaker/antennas
- charger cradles
- waterproof bag cover
A transmit power of 2 watts. As I stated above, 2 watts will reliably give you a transmit range of 2 - 3 kms but there are many variables to consider. You will get better performance in open countryside than you will get in a dense urban area where there are more buildings and infrastructure to absorb and block your signal. In the country I have personally used these handhelds reliably up to a range of 10 km. More surprisingly, from hilltop to hilltop with clear line of sight, I have made a successful contact between two of these handhelds at a distance of 63 km. However, when rating their usable transmission range we must take the lowest common denominator, and that is a densely populated urban area. In this environment don’t have expectations of communicating any further than 2 -3 km.
The battery it uses is a detachable, rechargeable 1500mAh Li-ion. Manufactures specs suggest it should give a normal operating time of about 8 hours though I haven’t tested this personally yet. To charge the battery it must be placed in a charging cradle either separately or still attached to the radio. A good feature of the charging cradle is that it operates off a USB charger. This is a good feature in that it allows the radio to be charged from a cell phone power-bank or perhaps from a small solar panel; a real plus in an off-grid scenario.
LCD screens on handhelds are usual on most high end devices and even common on lower end devices as well. On a lot of budget handhelds, as with the BF-5C, there is no LCD screen but it uses voice prompts instead to indicate the current settings. There are pluses and minuses that can be seen in this. Myself, being quite deaf, I can have difficulty in understanding the heavy Asian accents of the voice prompts and prefer an LCD screen so I can see it rather than rely on hearing it. Then there are others who will say an LCD screen is a liability, especially in an emergency or disaster scenarios where a handheld is likely to come under some unusual abuse. Changing settings on a device with a broken LCD screen can be quite frustrating, at best, and making the device inoperable at worst, talk to anyone who has shattered the screen on their cell phone.
Having an LED flashlight, as with a cellphone, is a nice to have, but not crucial to its operation as a communication device. That said, in an emergency situation it is always reassuring. A bonus to the flashlight is that it has a strobe mode which could serve you well in attracting attention.
Knowing the battery level of any device is crucial especially when you are relying on it. A device with an LCD screen in most cases will give you a battery level indicator so from the moment that you switch it on you know how much use you are most likely to get out of it before it must go back on the charger. A voice prompt telling you the battery is low 15 to 30 minutes before it runs out completely can be helpful if you have another fully charged battery on hand but disastrous if you believed there was enough power in it to get you through the next couple of hours or longer.
The Battery saver feature is often called low power mode or sleep mode. It helps extend the life of the battery in use. During usage, if the user has left the radio unused for a certain period of time it switches the radio to low-power mode to conserve the battery. This is almost a standard feature on all handsets at this time. In some instances a handset will allow the feature to be turned on or off. The BF-C5 doesn’t give you this option and is always on, but this is usually considered a desirable feature.
The BF-C5 Transmit Time-Out Timer will cut a transmission off if it exceeds a continual 3 minutes duration. This is a safety feature found on most handsets. It just stops the handset from overheating. It is also a good way of ensuring that you don’t monopolise the channel to the detriment of other users. Very rarely a single transmission will ever require more than 3 minutes.
The Personal Radio Service in NZ and Australia has 80 channels available. It is desirable, especially in an emergency scenario to have access to as many of those channels as possible. The BF-C5 as with many budget handsets, only has 16 channels, 15 in truth as channel 16 puts the radio into scan mode. Personally I prefer having the full 80 channels at my disposal. However, I have to concede that having less channels, especially if the radio has been programmed to the frequencies used by a local emergency network, there is less chance of user error. This can not be underestimated if the handset is to be used by children or the elderly especially when under stress.
Selecting Channel 16, puts the radio into scan mode. It then continually scans through the other preset 15 channels and stops on a channel for a set time - usually 3 to 5 seconds - if any transmission is detected. This is an extremely handy feature if you are looking to make contact with any other users out there.
An antenna that is detachable is desirable on any handset. If it has an industry connector, as with this radio’s SMA-Female connector, you can attach other higher performance antennas that will enhance the radios capability and range. It also allows you to use an externally mounted vehicle antenna which again will enhance the range and performance and allow you to use the radio when mobile.
Two features that are often overlooked in the selection of a handset is its size and weight. These are important features if they are to be used by children or stored and transported in Go-Bags. Firstly the size. With the antenna attached the handset measures 220mm from the base of the set to the tip of the antenna. With the antenna detached the set packs down to 120mm x 60mm x 35mm. Weight is only 152 grams. Definitely a radio that can be carried in a shirt pocket or a small Go-Bag.
And then, accessories. As can be seen from the list above the BF-C5 has a good number of accessories available to make it a more usable radio. A good feature of Baofeng accessories is that they come at reasonable prices. An example is say an extra battery. The standard 1500mAh costs $20.25 while a high capacity 2800mAh battery costs $28.30 Other makes of PRS handhelds have a replacement batteries at cost of $95 or more.
Build quality seems adequate. This handset is based on another popular Baofeng model which has been in production and use for over 10 years and has been well tested. While the body is completely made of plastic it is a sturdy shell and I believe would survive being bounced and thrown around in the strongest of earthquakes. It might not fare so well if crushed and I would most definitely keep it clear of water.
Sound reproduction and transmission signals are very readable. There are other makes and models which are superior in both of these areas but they come with a price tag 4 times or greater than the BF-5C. This little radio is most definitely still fit for purpose.
In summary I will say that the Baofeng BF-C5 is a very budget PRS radio. Is it a good radio? For the price tag it is a very good radio. It lacks advanced features of more expensive radios, some of which are desirable though by no means essential in emergency scenarios. The big plus for this radio, other than its price tag, is its size and weight and simplicity to use. It is a very capable radio and well suited for use by children in emergency situations, and let's be frank, it is imperative that everyone knows how to use a radio in a disaster situation.
Pros:
Budget friendly.
Small and light - easily carried and stored.
USB chargeable.
Simple to use and suitable for children.
Removable antenna.
Accessories are readily available and budget friendly.
Cons:
2 watts - acceptable, but 5 watts is desirable.
Only 15 channels - adequate but the full 80 channels gives other options.
Voice prompts are not suitable for the hard of hearing or possibly elderly.
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