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Yes. "Classic" Baofeng analog models have an LCD screen with a backlight that can be programmed to display different colors when the radio was transmitting, receiving, or idle. Like other screens of the era, they could only display pre-programmed symbols, with a dot-matrix area for the frequency display. Starting with the H802 (which was a development platform and never sold to end users), Baofeng switched to a pixel-addressable full-color screen - in the case of the BF-F8HP Pro, 160 pixels wide by 128 pixels high. That lets firmware display anything it wants (like user-customizable startup images). It also means that new firmware versions can display new symbols. For example, firmware V44 added a new antenna icon to make it more obvious which of A or B would be used when transmitting when Dual Watch was on.

“Full-color”??

Thanks! No, I came on-board for the BF-F8HP Pro project. A lot of the older Baofeng software was called VIP instead of CPS and was built using a different development environment - I'm not sure which one. I believe (but don't hold me to it) that the BF-F8HP Pro CPS is the first BTECH CPS to be done entirely by a contractor, as opposed to using the factory CPS, possibly with some BTECH-specific customizations. I think it has worked out well for customers, BTECH, and myself. If you download the BF-F8HP Pro CPS manual, Chapter 4 tells you about all of the differences between my CPS and the H802 that Baofeng has been using for almost all full-color analog models. I believe in telling users everything that was changed, not just the "fixed a couple of bugs, added some new features" that you usually get. The same level of detail is available in the firmware release notes, which I also wrote.

The main CPS is in Visual Studio 2019 C# + .NET 4. That was as modern as I could go and still maintain support for Windows XP and 32-bit operating systems. Since CHIRP now requires Windows 10 and newer, 64-bit only, we needed to have something available for users of older Windows versions. I'm pleased that I could extend support back that far. Visual Studio 2019 will be supported and receive fixes from Microsoft well into 2029. The helper programs vox and devox (used to convert to/from the radio's voice prompt format) are in regular C, also built with Visual Studio 2019. ffmpeg uses its own toolchain with many local modifications. That was the hardest thing to build, both because it dropped support for XP and 32-bit binaries years ago, and I had to put it on an extreme diet to get the executable (without needing shared libraries) down to less than 2% of the normal ffmpeg size. Since ffmpeg is a GPL program, it is built as a standalone executable. The CPS installation provides the GPLv3 license, ffmpeg build script and links to request the complete source + toolchain. They aren't included by default because they weigh in at around 4.4GB. The installer is Inno Setup 5.6.1. That version was chosen because it is the newest version that still supports Windows XP. All of the CPS executables including the installer and uninstaller, except for vox, devox, and ffmpeg, are digitally signed with my Windows code signing key, issued by DigiCert.

Nicecwork! I remember when the BTech UV-5x3 was released, it had more robust CPS features than my UV-5Rx3. Were you responsible for these too?

It's a great radio. I have one in my truck and it seems to work really well. It got a work out a few weeks ago when I helped out supporting an all day running event and it never skipped a beat.

No, net control is not a control station.

I like the screen invert feature of this radio. At first I didn't think I would ever use it. But where I mounted the radio, my right knee kept hitting the mic cable. Turning the radio over fixed that problem.

The way I learned it in ham, no. And I know those advocating anyone who talks on a is a control station in GMRS would consider it obvious. But from those who don't think just talking makes you a control station, what do you think? And for context, assume the net controller is not the repeater owner, is not located physically at the repeater, and has not been given codes to control the repeater remotely. And that is probably the most common situation for the nets around me. It's been a busy day for me and I've had it for tonight. "I'll be back" as Arnold said, to see what y'all think tomorrow.

@TerriKennedy just curious, what programming language did you use?

Very True!! I live in one of those spots, and Starlink has been a blessing! The only reason we can use cell phones at home is because I connected a femtocell access point thru Starlink.

Thanks to @TheMeatTrapper (WRN250), @WSDV406 (me), @WSIY431, @SteveGibbs (WSBM431), @WRXS569, @WSAQ712, and @WSGE773 for taking time out of their busy Wednesday evening for this week's check-in net. I know today is a somber day for most folks that follow current events. But I greatly value these weekly times to connect with a few good folks for a quick chat. Tonight's question was: "What's a memorable piece of advice that has stuck with you?" A sampling of the answers were, "Not everyone was raised the same as you". "If women don't find you handsome, make sure they at least find you handy". "Always assume the microphone is hot". And "Trust your gut no matter what". If you're in range of the Brentwood 600 repeater, listen in to our weekly nets on Wednesday at 8pm. If you want to key up, feel free to do so. It's just a quick press of that little PTT button. We won't bite. Thanks to everyone that takes time out of their busy week to spend a few minutes connecting and getting to know each other a little better. *Point your browser to (or share with a friend) SCTNGMRS.com or SouthCentralTNGMRS.com for easy access to the club page.....and make sure to click "follow" so you can stay up to date with new posts in our club forum.*

Yup. The BF-F8HP Pro was a collaboration between BTECH and me. I'd been saying for over a year that "I want to fix everything that's wrong with the UV-17 Pro GPS as well as add many new features". Baofeng ignored me. BTECH listened to me.

My mobile radio turns into a base station any time I'm stopped at a red light. It's terribly inconvenient.

IP54: Dust protected (5), but not dust-tight. Protects against splashing water. IP65:Dust-tight (6) and protected against low-pressure water jets from any direction. IP66:Dust-tight (6) and protected against high-pressure water jets from any direction. IP67:Dust-tight (6) and protected against the effects of temporary immersion in water (up to 1 meter for 30 minutes). IP68:Dust-tight (6) and protected against the effects of continuous immersion in water, at depths specified by the manufacture

SWR has nothing to do with the noises you're hearing.

He did hook up the rig to the SWR meter and from the looks of it. It reads vswr: 1.01 FW: 18.65W on 462.626mhz Trans% 99.99%

^^^^very good point on the IP67 dirt and dust resistance. I’ve had a couple of hand held Marine VHF radios for fifteen years….IPX8 rated. One of them survived a seriously long submersion when it fell overboard at 30mph (I keep my marine handhelds tied to a foot of hi viz yellow pool noodle with 10 inches of 60lb braided fishing line…so it didn’t sink to the bottom) I have my doubts regarding IP67 water resistance..….I have the feeling IP67 is significantly short of waterproof

Yeah, I spent an hour the other night slowly spelling out an email to a '50 year ham' (I spelled slow so he could read it slowly) that rules change. It was in regards to another now defunct GMRS 'rule'.

Really? You're the electrical engineer. If putting an antenna up high didn't help then nobody would. Yes, a car could drive up to another mountain top to get similar or greater distance. But the inconvenience of doing so would limit that type of use.

@Northcutt114 exactly what @nokones stated. When I loose LTE/5G coveraage I need another means of data for radios and computers. I ues it alot on the east coast. At least once a week right now. Contrary to popular belief there is alot of places in the US still not covered by cell sites. Google Quiet Zone for one....

No one knows what a fixed station is. No one. My best explanation is, "If you are asking if you have a 'fixed station' you don't." As far as the first question, according to Part 95, yes. Simplex? Base Through a repeater? Control Makes sense? Most likely not.

So it’s possible for a station at a fixed location to change from a base station to a control station strictly based on usage, and back again on the next transmission? So could that same station at a fixed location become a Fixed Station on the next transmission?

Nope. Come now Steve, I'm sure you've read at least one or two of the other six 1/2 threads! Part 95A (which applies to all other parts of 95, including 95E) makes a distinction based on usage, not equipment. Why? I'm not an FCC lawyer, so I don't know. Base station. A station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations. Control station. A station at a fixed location that communicates with mobile stations and other control stations through repeater stations, and may also be used to control the operation of repeater stations.

How does a base station using a “wide coverage repeater” exceed the range of a mobile radio or even a handheld radio using the same repeater?