Baofeng caught heat because their radios are "unlocked" and in the US you cannot sell a radio that can set arbitrary frequencies in the FRS or GMRS bands (i for

Baofeng caught heat because their radios are "unlocked" and in the US you cannot sell a radio that can set arbitrary frequencies in the FRS or GMRS bands (i forget which and it's irrelevant) - that is, they can't have keypads for one thing. Another issue is the power, if your radio can transmit on those two bands it must use <=1000mW, and all of the baofengs claim at least 5W transmit. Yet another reason is FRS/GMRS radios (whichever) must have *fixed* antennas. The hash is just a reason for people to complain about them. As shipped from the factory, they're below the minimum hash levels required. Now, if you connect them to a cheap RF amplifier, you might run afoul of your license's rules about hashing up the harmonics. Personally i prefer quansheng, as their speakers are louder, but i've never had an issue with a baofeng, especially with an external speaker/mic/antenna. for posterity, i am extremely tired, and i welcome all elucidations and corrections, because i'm probably misremembering something, here.