Baofeng
| Baofeng | |
|---|---|
| Company name | Fujian Baofeng Electronics Co., Ltd. |
| Founded | 2001, as Baoan Electronics Co., Ltd. |
| Founder | Wang Jinding |
| Headquarters | Nan'an, Fujian, China |
| Known for | Low-cost VHF/UHF handheld transceivers, especially the UV-5R |
| Other name | Pofung (used on some export radios) |
| Status | Active |
| Website | baofengradio.com |
Baofeng is a Chinese manufacturer of two-way radios, known among hams for inexpensive dual-band handheld transceivers such as the UV-5R. Because they cost far less than comparable radios from the Japanese makers, Baofeng handhelds are a common first radio for newly licensed operators. The brand has also been at the center of questions about FCC equipment rules, and in the United States its name is closely associated with BaoFeng Tech, an American company that sells Baofeng radios alongside its own BTECH line.
History
According to the company, Wang Jinding founded Baoan Electronics Co., Ltd. in Nan'an, a county-level city under Quanzhou in Fujian province, in 2001. Under the name Fujian Nan'an Baofeng Electronics it grew into a maker of handheld radios and accessories, and in 2019 it adopted its current name, Fujian Baofeng Electronics Co., Ltd.
Baofeng became widely known outside China through small, low-cost dual-band handhelds: the UV-3R appeared in 2011 and the UV-5R in 2012, and the UV-5R has since been exported around the world.
Some export radios carry the name Pofung. According to BaoFeng Tech, the factory began labeling export units that way in 2014, after a third party registered the Baofeng name as a trademark in the United States and sent infringement notices to resellers. The dispute was resolved later that year. BaoFeng Tech has said that Pofung and Baofeng radios were produced side by side and that Pofung units are not counterfeits.
BaoFeng Tech and BTECH
In the United States, many Baofeng radios have been sold and supported by BaoFeng Tech, a company based in Arlington, South Dakota. Besides Baofeng-branded handhelds such as the BF-F8HP and UV-82HP, it sells radios under its own brand, BTECH, including handhelds, mobiles and DMR radios. In August 2026 BaoFeng Tech announced that it was renaming itself BTECH Radios, describing the change as a new name for the same ownership and US team rather than a new company, and said it would continue to support Baofeng products. The Chinese manufacturer separately sells radios through its own website.
FCC equipment authorization
Transmitters marketed in the US for services such as business radio or GMRS need an FCC equipment authorization, and a device may not be marketed if it can operate outside the scope of that authorization. Equipment built only for amateur use generally does not need one. The UV-5R received an authorization in 2012 under Part 90, the rules for land mobile radio such as business two-way radio.
In August 2018 the FCC issued a Citation and Order to Amcrest Industries, a Houston, Texas importer, for marketing UV-5R series radios that could transmit on restricted frequencies and at more power than their Part 90 authorization allowed. The importer later arranged for its stock to operate only on 145–155 and 400–520 MHz. In September 2018 the FCC published Enforcement Advisory 2018-03, warning that two-way VHF and UHF radios that do not comply with its rules are illegal to import, advertise or sell. The advisory did not name a manufacturer. The ARRL took the position that such radios remain legal for licensed hams to use, and an FCC official was reported as saying that they could be used by amateurs, but only on amateur frequencies.
The UV-5R is not certified under Part 95, the rules for GMRS and FRS, so it may not be used on those services even though it can tune their frequencies. Baofeng sells separate GMRS and FRS models for that purpose.
Amateur radio products
Baofeng's amateur radios are mostly FM handhelds for the 2-meter and 70-centimeter bands. Well-known models include the UV-5R, the UV-82 and newer designs such as the UV-5RM and UV-17R, along with DMR handhelds and accessories. Many, including the UV-5R, can be programmed from a computer with the free CHIRP software. In 2025 the ARRL published a book on using Baofeng radios.
See also
- Handheld transceiver
- CHIRP
- Repeaters
- Part 97
- Amateur radio manufacturers
- How to choose your first handheld radio
- How to program a handheld radio