Don't single out the BF-F8HP as if it were the radio the FCC is talking about. There are many similar radios made by Baofeng, AnyTone, TYT, Wouxun, and other ma

Don't single out the BF-F8HP as if it were the radio the FCC is talking about. There are many similar radios made by Baofeng, AnyTone, TYT, Wouxun, and other manufacturers. By "similar" I mean "capable of transmitting outside the amateur bands." The radios are all different, but this is the point they have in common. (FWIW, the BF-F8HP is one of the nicer Baofengs, not just for the extra power but because it comes with a much better antenna than the cheapest models.) The current point of confusion is that the FCC seems to be saying that amateur operators can no longer legally use a radio within the ham bands if that radio is even capable of transmitting on another frequency, unless the radio is type certified for whatever other frequency that might be. This of course is ridiculous. It goes completely against the way the FCC has always regulated amateur radio. Hams have always been allowed to build their own equipment and to repurpose military or commercial radios to use in the ham bands. It's fairly shocking that the FCC would change their views on this so suddenly. If true, it means that radios hams have bought and used legally are suddenly illegal. I have to believe that there is some misunderstanding at the bottom of all this.