Baofeng BF-17H Series User manual

Amateur Radio
BF -17H SERIES
USER’S MANUAL

Table of Contents
1. GETTING STARTED 5.6 Channel mode and Channel selection 16
1.1 Regulations and Safety Warnings 01 5.7 Selecting a Zone 17
1.2 Content of the packaging 05 5.8 Making a call 17
1.3 Features and Functions 06 5.9 Using the Flashlight 18
2. BATTERY INFORMATION 5.10 Emergency Alert 18
2.1 Charging the Battery Pack 07 5.11 FM Radio (FM) 18
2.2 Charger Supplied 07 5.12 Monitor 19
2.3 Use Caution with the Li-ion Battery 07 5.13 Keypad lock 19
2.4 How to Charge 08 5.14 Frequency reversal 19
2.5 Using the Type-C Charger 09 5.15 TX repeaters tone 19
2.6 Battery Maintenance 09 5.16 Weather Radio/Scan Weather Channel 20
2.7 Prolonging the life of your battery 09 6. ADVANCED FEATURES
2.8 How to Store the Battery 10 6.1 Scanner 22
3. PREPARATION 6.2 DTMF 24
3.1 Installing / Removing the Battery 11 6.3 Amateur Radio Setup 29
3.2 Installing / Removing the Antenna 11 7. MAIN MENU FUNCTIONS
3.3 Installing / Removing the Belt Clip 11 7.1 Basic use 30
3.4 Installing Additional Speaker/Microphone 11 7.2 Using short-cuts 30
4. RADIO OVERVIEW 7.3 Radio Settings 31
4.1 Status Indications 13 7.4 Program Channel 36
4.2 LCD icon summary 13 7.5 Radio Info 39
4.3 Main keypad controls 14 Appendix A. –Trouble shooting guide 40
5. BASIC OPERATIONS Appendix B. - Technical Specifications 41
5.1 Power on the radio 15 Appendix C. - Shortcut Menu operations 42
5.2 Adjusting the volume 15 Appendix D. - DCS Table 47
5.3 Main Band/Sub Band Switch 16 Appendix E. - CTCSS Table 49
5.4 VFO/Channel Switch 16
5.5 Frequency (VFO) mode 16

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1. GETTING STARTED
1.1 Regulations and Safety Warnings
FCC Regulatory Conformance
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates and can radiate radio frequency energy. If not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, it may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. Verification of harmful interference by this equipment to radio or television
reception can be determined by turning it off and then on. The user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one
or more of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the condition that this device does not cause
harmful interference.
WARNING ！ MODIFICATION OF THIS DEVICE TO RECEIVE CELLULAR RADIOTELEPHONE SERVICE SIGNALS IS PROHIBIITED
UNDER FCC RULES AND FEDERRAL LAW.

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Compliance with RF Exposure Standards
The radio complies with the following RF energy exposure standards and guidelines:
•United States Federal Communications Commission, Code of Federal Regulations; 47 CFR § 1.1307, 1.1310 and 2.1093
•American National Standards Institute (ANSI) / Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) C95.1:2005; Canada
RSS102 Issue 5 March 2015
•Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) C95.1:2005 Edition
RF Exposure Compliance and Control
Guidelines and Operating Instructions
To control your exposure and ensure compliance with the occupational/ controlled environmental exposure limits, always
adhere to the following procedures.
Guidelines:
•Do not remove the RF Exposure Label from the device.
•User awareness instructions should accompany device when transferred to other users.
•Do not use this device if the operational requirements described herein are not met.
Operating Instructions:
•Transmit no more than the rated duty factor of 50% of the time. To transmit (talk), press the Push-to-Talk (PTT) key. To
receive calls, release the [PTT] key. Transmitting 50% of the time, or less, is important because the radio generates
measurable RF energy only when transmitting (in terms of measuring for standards compliance).
•Keep the radio unit at least 2.5cm away from the face. Keeping the radio at the proper distance is important as RF exposure
decreases with distance from the antenna. The antenna should be kept away from the face and eyes.
•When worn on the body, always place the radio in an approved holder, holster, case, or body harness or by use of the
correct clip for this product. Use of non-approved accessories may result in exposure levels which exceed the FCC's
occupational/ controlled environmental RF exposure limits.
•Use of non-approved antennas, batteries, and accessories causes the radio to exceed the FCC RF exposure guidelines.
•Contact your local dealer for the product's optional accessories.

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■Precautions for Portable Terminals
Operating Prohibitions
To protect you against any property loss, bodily injury or even death, be sure to observe the following safety instructions:
1. Do not operate the product in a location containing fuels, chemicals, explosive atmospheres and other flammable or
explosive materials. In such location, only an approved Ex-protection model is allowed for use, but any attempt to
assemble or disassemble it is strictly prohibited.
2. Do not operate the product near or in any blasting area.
3. Do not operate the product near any medical or electronic equipment that is vulnerable to RF signals.
4. Do not hold the product while driving.
5. Do not operate the product in any area where use of wireless communication equipment is completely prohibited.
Important Tips
To help you make better use of the product, be sure to observe the following instructions:
1. Do not use any unauthorized or damaged accessory.
2. Keep the product at least 2.5 centimeters away from your body during transmission.
3. Do not keep the product receiving at high volume for a long time.
4. For vehicles with an air bag, do not place the product in the area over the air bag or in the air bag deployment area.
5. Keep the product and its accessories out of reach of children and pets.
6. Please operate the product within the specified temperature range.
7. Continuous transmission for a long time may lead to heat accumulation within the product. In this case, please keep it at
a proper location for cooling.
8. Handle the product with care.
9. Do not disassemble, modify or repair the product and its accessories without authorization.

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■Precautions for Batteries
Charging Prohibitions
To protect you against any property loss, bodily injury or even death, be sure to observe the following safety instructions:
1. Do not charge or replace your battery in a location containing fuels, chemicals, explosive atmospheres and other
flammable or explosive materials.
2. Do not charge your battery that is wet. Please dry it with a soft and clean cloth prior to charge.
3. Do not charge your battery suffering deformation, leakage and overheat.
4. Do not charge your battery with an unauthorized charger.
5. Do not charge your battery in a location where strong radiation is present.
6. Overcharge shall always be prohibited for it may shorten the life of your battery.
Maintenance Instructions
To help your battery work normally or prolong its life, be sure to observe the following instructions:
1. Accumulated dust on charging connector may affect normal charging. Please use a clean and dry cloth to wipe it on a
regular basis.
2. It is recommended to charge the battery under 5℃~40℃. Violation of the said limit may cause battery life reduction or
even battery leakage.
3. To charge a battery attached to the product, turn it off to ensure a full charge.
4. Do not remove the battery or unplug the power cord during charging to ensure a smooth charging process.
5. Do not dispose of the battery in fire.
6. Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight for a long time nor place it close to other heating sources.
7. Do not squeeze and penetrate the battery, nor remove its housing.

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Transportation Instructions
1. Damaged batteries must not be transported.
2. To avoid short circuit, separate the battery from metal pars or from each other if two or more batteries are transported
in one packaging.
3. The radio must be switched off and secured against switch-on, if the battery is attached.
The content of the shipment must be declared in the shipping documents and by a Battery Shipping Label on the packaging.
Contact your hauler for the local regulations and further information.
1.2Content of the packaging
This transceiver comes shipped with the following items in the box:
• 1 Radio body • 1 Belt Clip • 1 Antenna
• 1 Lithium-Ion battery pack • 1 Desk charger (With wall-wart) • 1 Wrist Belt
• Instruction Manual *If any item is missing, please notify your Baofeng / Pofung dealer.

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1.3Features and Functions
• 1.77" TFT large screen, full keyboard, fully open menu operation
• Scanner function: VFO scan range setting, three scan recovery methods, channel scan, CTC/DCS scan, scan channel
addition and removal
• 108-136,136-174,220-260,350-390,400-520MHz Multiband scanning receiver
• Built-in input method, allows this device to edit channel name
• NOAA Weather Radio Channel Reception in the United States and Canada
• Frequency step, selectable between 2.5K | 5.0K | 6.25K | 10.0K | 12.5K | 20.0K | 25.0K | 50.0K
• Type-C direct charging and charging stand, more convenient battery life
• Dual-band handheld transceiver. • DTMF encoder and DTMF manual dial
• High Capacity Lithium-Ion battery. • Broadcast FM radio receiver 78-108 MHz
• 50 CTCSS tones and 105 DCS codes. • VOX (voice activated transmit).
• 10 zones storage, Up to 1000 named memory channels. • Alarm function.
• High or low power selectable. • Display illumination programmable via keypad.
• Function beep on the keyboard. • Dual watch / Dual reception.
• Programmable repeater offset. • Battery saving function.
• Transmission time-out timer. • Scan mode.
• Busy channel lock out. • Built in CTCSS/DCS tones.
• LED flashlight. • PC programmable.
• Ten (10) levels of Squelch adjustment. • Cross band reception.
• End of transmission tone, aka “Roger Beep”. • One touch search frequency
• Two (2) pins for Kenwood accessory port

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2. BATTERY INFORMATION
2.1 Charging the Battery Pack
The Li-ion battery pack is not charged at the factory; please charge it before use.
Charging the battery pack for the first time after purchase or extended storage (more than 2 months) may not bring the
battery pack to its normal maximum operating capacity. Best operation will require fully charging/discharging the battery
two or three times before the operating capacity will reach its best performance. The battery pack life may be depleted
when its operating time decreases even though it has been fully and correctly charged. If this is the case, replace the battery
pack.
2.2 Charger Supplied
Please use the specified charger provided by Baofeng. Other models may cause explosion and personal injury. After
installing the battery pack, and if the radio displays low battery with a red flashing lamp or voice prompt, please charge the
battery.
2.3 Use Caution with the Li-ion Battery
(1) Do not short the battery terminals or throw the battery into a fire. Never attempt to remove the casing from the battery
pack, as Baofeng cannot be held responsible for any accident caused by modifying the battery.
(2) The ambient temperature should be between 5℃-40℃(40˚F - 105˚F) while charging the battery. Charging outside this
range may not fully charge the battery.
(3) Please turn off the radio before inserting it into the charger. It may otherwise interfere with correct charging.
(4) To avoid interfering with the charging cycle, please do not cut off the power or remove the battery during charging until
the green light is on.
(5) Do not recharge the battery pack if it is fully charged. This may shorten the life of the battery pack or damage the battery
pack.
(6) Do not charge the battery or the radio if it is damp. Dry it before charging to avoid damage.

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NOTICE
When keys, ornamental chain or other electric metals contact the battery terminal, the battery may become damage or
injure a human. If the battery terminals are short circuited it will generate a lot of heat. Take care when carrying and
using the battery. Remember to put the battery or radio into an insulated container. Do not put it into a metal container.
2.4 How to Charge
(1) Plug the AC adaptor into the AC outlet, and then plug the cable of the AC adaptor into the DC jack located on the back of
the charger. The indicator light blinks orange and is then ready to charge battery.
(2) Plug the battery or the radio into the charger. Make sure the battery terminals are good in contact with charging
terminals. The indicator light turns to red--- charging begins.
(3) It takes approximately 2-5 hours to fully charge the battery. When the lamp lights green, the charging is completed.
Remove the battery or the radio unit with its battery from socket
NOTICE
when charging a radio (with battery) the indicating lamp will not turn into green to show the fully charged status if the
radio is powered on. Only when the radio is switched off will the lamp indicate normal operation. The radio consumes
energy when it is power-on, and the charger cannot detect the correct battery voltage when the battery has been fully
charged. So the charger will charge the battery in constant voltage mode and fail to indicate correctly when the battery
has been fully charged.
(4) LED Indicator
Red LED
Green LED
Status
Flashing
Steady
Standby (charger empty)
Error (charger with radio)
Steady
Off
Charging
Off
Steady
Charge complete.

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The charger and battery are fitted with matching notches so that you can charge your battery on its own! Practical if you
have two batteries. That way you can charge one battery while still using your radio.
Radio should be turned OFF during charge cycle.
2.5 Using the Type-C Charger
The Type-C charger is a handy port that allows you to conveniently charge your Li-on battery pack.
(1) Make sure your radio is turned OFF.
(2) Plug the Type-C cable into the Type-C charging port on your battery. Connect the other end of the Type-C charger to wall
power outlet.
(3) An empty battery will be fully charged in 6 hours.
(4) The battery meter on LCD will move to indicate the battery is charging.
2.6 Battery Maintenance
The battery for your radio comes uncharged from the factory; please let it charge for at least four to five hours before you
start using your radio.
• Use only batteries approved by the original manufacturer.
• Never attempt to disassemble your battery pack.
• Do not expose your batteries to fire or intense heat
• Dispose of batteries in accordance with local recycling regulations. Batteries do not belong in your trashcan!
2.7 Prolonging the life of your battery
• Only charge batteries in normal room temperatures.
• When charging a battery attached to the radio, turn the radio off for a faster charge.
• Do not unplug the power to the charger or remove the battery and/or radio before it's finished charging.
• Never charge a wet battery.
• Batteries wear out over time. If you notice a considerably shorter operating time with your radio, please consider
purchasing a new battery.

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• Battery performance will be reduced in temperatures below freezing. When working in cold environments, keep a spare
battery on you. Preferably inside your jacket or in a similar location in order to keep the battery warm.
• Dust can interfere with the contacts on the battery. If necessary wipe the contacts with a clean cloth to ensure proper
contact with radio and charger.
If your battery has become wet, remove it from the radio, wipe it dry with a towel and put it in a plastic bag with a handful of
dry rice. Tie the bag up and let it sit over night.
The rice will absorb any remaining moisture in the battery.
This method is only effective against minor splashes (light rain for instance). A soaked radio may very well be beyond repair.
2.8 How to Store the Battery
(1) If the battery needs to be stored, keep it in status of 80% discharged.
(2) It should be kept in low temperature and dry environment.
(3) Keep it away from hot places and direct sunlight.
(4) To avoid severe capacity degradation of your battery while in long-term storage, please cycle the battery at least every
six (6) months.
NOTICE
• Do not short circuit the battery terminals.
• Never attempt to remove the casing from the battery pack.
• Never store the battery in unsafe surroundings, as a short may cause an explosion.
• Do not put the battery in a hot environment or throw it into a fire, as it may cause an explosion.

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3. PREPARATION
3.1 Installing / Removing the Battery
Installing the Battery Pack
(1) Position the battery pack over the back of the radio.
(2) Engage the battery pack into the radio until battery pack is fully seated into the radio housing.
(3) Tighten the screws using a coin or at object to secure the battery pack to the radio. Do not overtighten.
To Remove Battery Pack from Radio
(1) Loosen the screws on the back of the battery pack.
(2) Lift the bottom of the battery pack slightly to remove it from the radio housing.
(3) Pull the battery pack out of the radio housing.
NOTE:
The Li-ON battery pack can also be charged in the battery charger.
3.2 Installing / Removing the Antenna
(1) Installing the Antenna: Screw the antenna into the connector on the top of the transceiver by holding the antenna at its
base and turning it clockwise until secure.
(2) Removing the Antenna: Turn the antenna counter-clockwise to remove it.
3.3 Installing / Removing the Belt Clip
(1) Installing the Belt Clip: Place the belt clip above the corresponding holes on the back of the radio, and screw it into place
clockwise with the two supplied screws.
(2) Removing the Belt Clip: Unscrew counter-clockwise to remove the belt clip.
3.4 Installing Additional Speaker/Microphone (Optional)
Pry open the rubber MIC-Headset jack cover and then insert the Speaker / Microphone plug into the double jack.

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4. RADIO OVERVIEW
1. Antenna 10. MIC Input
2. Flashlight/ Emergency Alert key 11. Exit Key
3. PTT key 12. or navigation keys
4. SK2 key (Customization key) 13. Battery pack
5. MENU key 14. Type-C charging port
6. Numeric keypad 15. Battery tightening screw
7 .Power / Volume knob 16. Type-C charging indicator
8. Color LCD 17. LED flashlight
9. Speaker/Mic Jacks 18. LED Status Indicator

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"SK2" customization function
Press and hold the SK2 key as the Monitor function. SK2 allows you to set shortcut functions through the CPS programming
software or the radios menu.
• FM RADIO: Quickly turn on or off the FM radio function.
• Scan: Quickly turn on or off the scan function. You can also turn on or off the scan function by hold down the # key.
• SEARCH: Quickly turn on or off the one-touch frequency search function.
• VOX: Quickly turn on or off the VOX function.
4.1 Status Indications
The top LED will help you to identify the current radio status.
LED Indication
What it Indicates
Constant Green
Receiving Signal
Constant Red
Transmitting signal
Flashes Green
Monitor mode/Scanning Receiving
4.2 LCD icon summary
Icon
Description
RSSI
Operating band signal
H
Transmit power level indicator, According to Power High
L
Transmit power level indicator, According to Power Low
Make sure you can hear the DTMF side tone from the radio speaker, set to DT-ST, ANI-ST, DT+ANI.
DCS enabled

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CTCSS enabled
Enables access of repeaters in VFO/Frequency Mode. TX will be shifted higher in frequency than RX。
Enables access of repeaters in VFO/Frequency Mode. TX will be shifted lower in frequency than RX
D
Dual watch enabled
Keypad lock enabled
VOX enabled
The confidential calling feature is activated
N
Narrowband enabled
Battery level indicator
4.3 Main keypad controls
•key: MENU key, It is used for activating the MENU, choose each MENU selection and confirm the parameter.
In standby mode, press and hold the key to switch between frequency (VFO) mode and channel (MR) mode.
When listening to broadcast FM, the key switches between 65-75 MHz and 76-108 MHz bands.
•▲key: Press it for more than 2 seconds, the channel and frequency will move upwards rapidly; in SCAN mode, press this
control to move the scanning upwards.
•▼key: Keep it pressed it for more than 2 seconds, the channel and frequency will move downwards rapidly; in SCAN mode,
press this control to move the scanning downwards.
•key: EXIT key, press to exit the Menu and functions.
•Numeric keypad
With these keys you can input the information or your selections on the radio. In TX mode, push the number keys to send a
corresponding DTMF code.

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•Key
A short momentary press of the key enables the reverse function.
The radios features a keypad lock that locks out all keys except for the three side keys.
To enable or disable the keypad lock, press and hold the key for about two seconds.
•key
When listening to broadcast FM a momentary press will start the scanning. Scanning in broadcast FM will stop as soon as an
active station is found, regardless of scanner resume method.
To enable the scanner, press and hold the key for about two seconds.
Short press the key to quickly enter the DTMF dialing.
5.BASIC OPERATIONS
5.1 Power on the radio
• Turning the unit on
To turn the unit on, simply rotate the Volume/Power knob clockwise until you hear a "click". If your radio powers on
correctly there should be an audible double beep after about one second and the display will show a message or flash the
LCD depending on settings for about one second. Then it will display a frequency or channel. If the Voice prompt is enabled,
the voice will announce "frequency mode" or "channel mode".
• Turning the unit off
Turn the Volume/Power knob counter-clock wise all the way until you hear a "click". The unit is now off.
5.2 Adjusting the volume
To turn up the volume, turn the volume/power knob clock-wise. To turn the volume down, turn the Volume/Power knob
counter-clock-wise. Be careful not to turn it too far, as you may inadvertently turn your radio off.
By using the monitor function, enabled from the [FM broadcast/Monitor] key below the PTT, you can more easily adjust
your volume by adjusting it to the un-squelched static.

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5.3 Main Band/Sub Band Switch
In standby mode, press the key to switch between the main frequency band or sub frequency bands.
The highlighted frequency band is the main frequency band, and the dimmed frequency band is the sub frequency band.
5.4 VFO/Channel Switch
Press and hold the key to switch between VFO and channel display.
• In channel mode (MR), the channel number will be displayed on the right.
• In frequency mode (VFO), the ‘VFO’ will be displayed on the right.
5.5 Frequency (VFO) mode
In Frequency (VFO) mode you can navigate up and down the band by using the or keys. Each press will increment or
decrement your frequency according to the frequency step you've set your transceiver to.
You can also input frequencies directly on your numeric keypad with kilohertz accuracy.
The following example assumes the use of a 12.5 kHz frequency step.
Example. Entering the frequency 436.61250 MHz on display A
(1) In standby mode, press and hold the key to switch to the frequency (VFO) mode.
(2) Enter [4][3][6][6][1][2][5] [0] on the numeric keypad.
WARNING!
Just because you can program in a channel does not mean you're automatically authorized to use that frequency.
Transmitting on frequencies you're not authorized to operate on is illegal, and in most jurisdictions a serious offence.
However, it is legal in most jurisdictions to listen. Contact your local regulatory body for further information on what laws,
rules and regulations apply to your area.
5.6 Channel (MR) mode and Channel selection
There are two modes of operation: Frequency (VFO) mode, and Channel or Memory (MR) mode.
For everyday use, Channel (MR) mode is going to be a whole lot more practical than Frequency (VFO) mode. However,

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Frequency (VFO) mode is very handy for experimentation out in the field. Frequency (VFO) mode is also used for
programming channels into memory.
In Channel (MR) mode you can navigate up and down the channel by using the or keys or the encoder.
Ultimately which mode you end up using will depend entirely on your use case.
Press and hold key to switch the radio between VFO and Channel mode, select Channel mode.
•Operation 1: Press the or navigation key to select the channel.
•Operation 2: Input the channel numbers by the keyboard. For example, if you want switch to channel 12, input [0][1][2] a
total of 3 digits, and it will switch to channel 12.
When the voice prompt function is enabled, the corresponding channel will be broadcast by voice.
5.7 Selecting a Bank
A bank is a group of channels with the same property. The radio supports up to 10 banks, with a maximum of 100 channels
per bank. To select a bank, do one of the following:
Press key go to Menu > Bank, press or navigation key to select a bank, and then press key to switch to the
selected bank.
The corresponding regional alias will be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
5.8 Making a call
NOTE: Press the key to switch the main channel to the other channel if there are 2 channels shown on the display. In
standby mode, press and hold the key to switch between frequency (VFO) mode and channel (MR) mode.
• Channel mode call: After selecting a channel, hold down the [PTT] key to initiate a call to the current channel. Speak into
the microphone with normal tone. Making a call, the red LED is on.
• Frequency mode call: Press and hold the key to switch to the frequency mode, input the working frequency within the
allowable frequency range, and press and hold the [PTT] key to transmit on the current frequency. Speak into the
microphone with normal tone. Making a call, the red LED is on.
• Receive a call: When you release the [PTT] key, you can answer it without any action.

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When receiving a call, the green LED is on.
NOTE: To ensure the best reception volume, keep the distance between the microphone and the mouth at the time of
transmission from 2.5 cm to 5 cm.
5.9 Using the Flashlight
You can use this radio in an emergency. If you press key, the radio turns on the high-intensity LED flashlight on your
radio.
• Your radio operates normally when the emergency strobe is activated.
(1) Press key once, it will turn on continuously (Always On mode).
(2) And then, press key once, the Strobe Light emits the emergency signal (Strobe emergency mode).
(3) And then, press key once, the light will be turned off.
5.10 Emergency Alert
The Emergency Alert feature can be used to signal members in your group for help.
To activate the emergency alert function, press and hold the key for 3 seconds. The radio will send out a loud siren
sound and the flashlight will flash.
Press the key to exit the emergency alert function.
WARNING: The Emergency Alert feature should only be used in the even of an actual emergency.
5.11 FM Radio (FM)
The [SK2] key of the radio is defined as the FM radio on/off.
The frequency ranges to listen to the radio is 65-108MHz. When listening to broadcast FM, press key switches between
65-75 MHz and 76-108 MHz band.
(1) In frequency or channel mode, Press [SK2] key to turn on the radio.
(2) Select the desired radio frequency with the or keys or input the frequency. Or