Comparison Baofeng BF-888S Twin vs Baofeng BF-T3

The maximum communication range that a walkie-talkie is capable of providing when used with the same model.

Speaking of range, note that usually its perfect value is indicated in the specs. And it is achieved only under a combination of certain conditions: the complete absence of obstacles (houses, trees, etc.) and interference in the passage of radio waves (for example, due to increased solar activity or the presence of powerful transmitters nearby), full battery charge, optimal air temperature , high-quality transceiver at the other end of the line, etc. In fact, the communication range, usually, is much lower. Therefore, when looking at this parameter, it is worth taking a certain margin.

The maximum power at which the radio transmitter is capable of operating. This parameter is one of the most important: it determines both the range of the device (see above) and the features of its use and registration (for more details, see "Frequency range"). For most models of the "amateur" (conditionally) class, the power level does not exceed 2.5 watts. More powerful walkie-talkies are, usually, professional models of the VHF and UHF bands (for more details, see "Frequency range").

The number of channels on which the radio can operate. Each channel is essentially a fairly narrow subband within the main operating band (see "Frequency range"). The division into channels allows several groups of users to work simultaneously on the same territory and in the same range so as not to overlap on the air and not interfere with each other. The more channels provided in the design of the walkie-talkie, the more likely it is to find a free channel and the better it is suitable for working in conditions of intense extraneous radio traffic. This is especially important for powerful "long-range" models. At the same time, simultaneous operation of several groups on one channel is also possible thanks to subcodes (see below).

Subsonic signals to reduce short-term interference on the air or to ignore radios broadcasting in the same frequency channel without a subtone included. The parameter is set by a special code, which indicates the frequency of the tone mixed with the useful signal. A similar subtone must be set on the receiving device. The sounds of subtones are removed from the signal before being fed into the amplifier and further into the sound system of the walkie-talkie.

— CTCSS. An analogue tone transmitted with a call to separate walkie-talkie users on the same channel and to filter out interference. Various radios may use 38, 39, or 64 CTCSS tones at frequencies from 33 to 254.1 Hz. The serial numbers of specific tones are determined by special charts.

— DCS. Radios with the DCS digital subtone system "hear" each other when set on the transmitting and receiving side of the same code. The DCS system offers over a hundred standardized digital codes, which are a three-digit number of zeros and ones at a carrier frequency of 133 Hz. DCS subtones effectively divide the communication frequency according to the "friend or foe" principle, cutting off unauthorized users, interference or noise on the air.

— CTCSS\DCS. Walkie-talkie models that combine analogue and digital formats for introducing subtones with the ability to switch between them.

The number of subcodes provided in the design of the walkie-talkie. Subcodes are used to create separate subchannels with different coding within one channel (see "Number of channels"). This allows several groups of users to communicate simultaneously on the same frequency channel without interfering with each other. Thanks to the combination of channel and subcode, the number of subchannels available for communication can be in the hundreds — which is more than enough even in a busy air. In entry-level models with low power, the possibility of using subcodes may not be provided at all as practical uselessness — there are not too many users within their range. But for powerful radios with a long range, the presence of subcodes is very important.

The type of antenna used in the radio.

— Non-removable. As the name implies, such an antenna is permanently attached to the body of the radio. Technically, it is most often possible to remove it, but for this you will need to disassemble the radio; replacement for such an antenna with another, of a different type, is not provided at all.

— Removable. The detachable antenna was originally designed to be quickly detached from the body of the radio, most often without the use of any tools. In addition to ease of transportation and storage, this design often provides the ability to change the stock antenna to a more powerful one, or even connect the walkie-talkie to a separate external antenna — to increase the range.

Note that the legislation of some countries refers the design of the antenna to the parameters that determine the conditions for licensing and registration: for example, walkie-talkies with removable antennas may be subject to licensing, while for completely similar models with non-removable antennas, it will not be required.

— Headset connection. The ability to connect a headset to the walkie-talkie — an earpiece (or headphones) with a microphone. The main purpose of the headset is to free your hands during a conversation. In addition, in noisy environments, an earpiece is often more convenient than an external speaker.

— Bluetooth. Medium-range wireless technology (10 to 100 m, depending on version) for direct communication between different devices. The main and almost the only way to use this technology in walkie-talkies is to connect wireless headsets that allow you to free your hands when talking. Bluetooth can be provided in both portable and fixed radios.

— Speech masking (scrambler). The presence of a speech masking feature in the radio: the built-in encryption module (scrambler) encodes the sound and broadcasts an encrypted signal, which is decrypted by the similar scrambler at the receiving end. The main purpose of this feature is to protect against unauthorized listening and interception of “sensitive” information: even if an outsider tunes the radio to the appropriate channel (or subchannel, see “Number of subcodes”), he will hear only a set of meaningless noises. For correct operation in this mode, the scrambler modules for all users must be identical. Also note that speech masking walkie-talkies may be subject to licensing in so...me countries.

— Voice activation (VOX). The ability to control the walkie-talkie with the help of voice: during the silence of the user, the device works for reception, and when the microphone captures the voice, it switches to transmission mode. Usually this feature is implemented through a headset (see above), which allows you to completely free your hands and makes the use of the walkie-talkie as convenient as possible: you do not have to press the button every time to switch to transmission mode. And to avoid accidental activation due to extraneous sounds, many models with VOX have a sensitivity control that allows you to set the volume level for triggering the switch.

— Volume control. The ability to adjust the volume of the speaker, which allows you to choose the optimal volume level depending on the environment. This feature is present in most modern walkie-talkies, with the exception of only the most inexpensive models.

— Auto noise reduction. The function of suppressing noise generated on the air by extraneous sources of interference, when the radio is receiving. Such noises create a signature hissing sound in the speakers (the same one that is heard when the radio is not tuned). It's useless "ethereal garbage", because when talking, it reduces the intelligibility of speech, and when silent, it wastes the battery charge to reproduce a meaningless hiss (which is also unpleasant to hear). The noise suppressor blocks these noises, thus increasing speech intelligibility and providing silence between phrases. Usually, walkie-talkies with this feature provide setting the level of noise suppression — for optimal separation of the useful signal and background noise.

— Channel autoscanning. The ability to operate the radio in automatic channel scanning mode (for more details on the latter, see "Number of channels"). In this mode, the walkie-talkie independently tunes in turn to each channel in search of a transmission signal. Channels without transmitters are skipped, and when a signal is detected, scanning is suspended — for a while or until a special user command. Thus, the user can listen to all active channels and select the desired one.

— Channel monitoring. The ability to operate the radio in the channel monitoring mode. In this mode, noise reduction is completely disabled (see above), and the user can listen to the unfiltered signal on each selected channel. This allows you to evaluate both the traffic load of the channel with calls and the overall level of interference, and select the optimal communication settings.

— Roger-Beep signal. The presence of an automatic end-of-transmission signal on the radio, the so-called Roger Beep. Such devices, when switching from transmit mode to receive mode, broadcast a special sound signal (usually in the form of a short squeak, hence the name), indicating the end of the transmission. This eliminates the need for the user to specify the change of modes himself (for example, with the traditional word "over") — his interlocutors will receive a signal about this automatically.

— Power saving mode. The walkie-talkie has a special mode designed to maximize power saving and allow you to extend the work without recharging the battery (or changing batteries). This feature is especially useful if you have to carry the radio with you for a long time, only occasionally getting in touch. Specific features in different models may vary: for example, some walkie-talkies in this mode are almost completely turned off, only periodically “waking up” and scanning the channel for activity; in others, specific power saving features can be selected as desired by the user.

— Vibration. The walkie-talkie has a vibrating call feature similar to that used in mobile phones: when a signal is received on the selected subchannel, the body of the walkie-talkie starts to vibrate. This feature can be useful in noisy environments where it is difficult to hear the sound signal from the speaker — or vice versa, in silence, when any extra noise is undesirable.

— Keypad lock. The ability to block the keys of the radio from accidental pressing. This allows you to carry the device in your pocket or tight case, without fear that due to an accidental movement, the settings will go wrong, the transmission will turn on, etc. The lock itself is usually controlled in a way that excludes as much as possible the possibility of its accidental release — for example, by simultaneously pressing two buttons.

— On/off button sound. The ability to turn on and off the beep that sounds when each button is pressed. An audible signal serves as a convenient confirmation of a full press; on the other hand, it may not be appropriate in some situations.

— GPS module. It implies the presence of a built-in module for receiving GPS data from satellites, which allow you to determine the exact location of the user. The accuracy of work largely depends on the number of satellites that see the receiver at a particular moment, and weather conditions, but, usually, it ranges from one to ten metres. The functions of the portable radio with built-in GPS may vary depending on the specific model. So, the device can simply display the exact position at the moment on the screen (latitude, longitude, altitude), as well as the direction and speed of movement. More advanced models with a large screen can show locations on a map or, for example, transmit the user's coordinates to the dispatcher.

— Ni-Cd. Nickel-cadmium batteries have strength, reliability, and resistance to low temperatures, which makes it possible to use walkie-talkies with such battery in cold weather. Also, Ni-Cd batteries tolerate high charging currents well, which significantly speeds up the process. Their main disadvantage is the so-called "memory effect": if the battery is started to charge without being completely discharged before, its capacity decreases. The original capacity can then be restored, but this requires certain tricks. In addition, Ni-Cd batteries are considered environmentally hazardous. As a result of all this, today they are very rare.

— Ni-Mh. Nickel-metal hydride batteries were developed as a replacement for nickel-cadmium batteries (see above), in order to eliminate their main disadvantages. Such batteries hold voltage well (it decreases only when the charge is almost completely exhausted), resistant to low temperatures, environmentally friendly and almost not affected by the "memory effect" - it only appears when stored in a partially charged state for more than a few days. As a result, Ni-Mh batteries have become quite widespread in walkie-talkies. Among their disadvantages, one can name a slightly shorter life cycle than that of Ni-Cd, a significantly longer charging time and unsuitability for storage in a discharged form.

— Li-Ion. Lithium-ion batteries are by far the most common type of batteries for portable electronics, including radios. They...have good capacity with small size and weight, they charge quickly, and most importantly, they are not affected by the “memory effect”. At the same time, Li-Ion batteries are quite sensitive to low temperatures, and they are more expensive than "nickel" types (see above).

— Li-Pol. Lithium-polymer batteries are actually an improved version of lithium-ion batteries (see above) - with the same advantages, they have even more compact dimensions and lighter weight. However, the main drawback - sensitivity to cold - also remains, and the price may be even higher than that of Li-Ion. As a result, this type of battery is quite rare among walkie-talkies, mainly in premium models.

It is worth noting that among the walkie-talkies there are models with both built-in and replaceable batteries. In the latter case, the batteries can be the size of standard AA or AAA batteries. This allows, if necessary, to replace them with conventional disposable batteries or other batteries of the same size. Technically, you can even install batteries of a different type in such a walkie-talkie - for example, replace the complete nickel-metal hydride batteries with more advanced lithium-ion ones. However, if the kit comes with a charging stand (see below), you cannot use it for a "non-native" type of battery, because. different types of batteries have significantly different charging modes. In the above example, this will mean that only the bundled Ni-Mh batteries can be charged on the stand, and Li-Ion will require a separate charger.

— From the vehicle's electrical system. This type of power supply is used exclusively in stationary models (see "Type"). This option is convenient primarily because you do not have to monitor the condition of your radio's own batteries/accumulators: as long as there is voltage in the vehicle's electrical system, it will work. It is not even necessary for the engine to be running — the radio can be powered from the vehicle's battery (moreover, such devices consume relatively little power, and the batteries installed in modern vehicles are quite capacious). For this reason, stationary models usually do not have their own autonomous power sources at all.

The capacity of the radio battery, in other words, the amount of energy that the battery can store. It is standardly measured in ampere-hours: 1 Ah means that the battery, when fully charged, is capable of delivering a current of 1 A for 1 hour. In portable electronics, measurements are typically made in a thousandth of a milliamp hour (mAh).

In general, the higher the battery capacity, the longer the radio is able to work; however, this is true only under otherwise equal conditions. In fact, due to differences in the specs of individual models (range, transmitter power, etc.), their power consumption can also vary significantly, and even situations when a model with a smaller battery capacity of two walkie-talkies will have greater battery life can happen. This is especially noticeable when comparing compact models of "urban" ranges and powerful "long-range" radios that require a lot of energy. Therefore, for walkie-talkies, the battery capacity itself is rather an auxiliary parameter — the operating time in different modes provided by this battery is of decisive importance (see below).