The Byonics BFoxCon: Turning a Baofeng UV-5R into a Versatile Hidden Transmitter
Category: Equipment & Technology
Author: W5JMJ, Scott County Amateur Radio Club
The BFoxCon Baofeng Foxhunt Controller, manufactured by Byonics, offers an inexpensive and versatile way to turn a popular Baofeng UV-5R handheld radio into an automated hidden transmitter for amateur radio direction finding activities.
The compact controller mounts to the back of the UV-5R in place of its belt clip and connects to the radio's microphone jack. It can be powered by the radio's extended battery, with the 3,800 mAh BL-5L battery recommended.
The BFoxCon can be programmed using a USB cable and configuration software or controlled remotely using DTMF tones transmitted from another radio. This flexibility allows hunt organizers to configure different transmission patterns and activate the transmitter without physically accessing it.
A Bonus Transmitter for Scott County T-Hunts
The Scott County Amateur Radio Club uses the BFoxCon as the controller for our MSRDF BONUS Transmitter during our weekend-long Mobile T-Hunts in Scott County, Mississippi.
These hunts run every weekend from 6:00 p.m. Friday until 6:00 p.m. Sunday, giving participants an entire weekend to practice their radio direction finding skills.
Our BONUS Transmitter operates on 146.565 MHz, but unlike a conventional transmitter that periodically broadcasts on its own, this one remains silent until a hunter calls for it.
To activate it, the hunter transmits DTMF Tone #1 using a handheld or mobile radio. When the BFoxCon receives that command, it keys the UV-5R and transmits a distinctive sequence of audio tones for approximately 90 seconds before returning to receive mode.
Hunters then use their directional antennas and receivers to determine the direction of the signal. Depending on their location, they may need to drive closer before they can activate the transmitter and obtain a usable bearing.
This arrangement adds an interesting challenge to our hunts while conserving battery power by transmitting only when requested.
Programming and Power Options
The BFoxCon offers several useful features for hunt organizers:
- USB programming through a Windows application or web-based configuration tool.
- Remote configuration and activation using DTMF commands.
- Programmable audio tones and transmission timing.
- Compact mounting directly to the UV-5R.
- A DIY version for adapting the controller to other amateur radios.
One important consideration involves the extended BL-5L battery. Some newer versions feature USB-C charging instead of the 1.7 mm coaxial power jack required to power the BFoxCon directly. Buyers should verify that the battery has the correct jack or plan to use an alternative power source, such as a separate 9V battery with the appropriate cable.
An Affordable Addition to the RDF Toolbox
With the assembled BFoxCon listed by Byonics at $63, excluding the radio and battery, it provides a practical way to repurpose an inexpensive handheld radio for transmitter-hunting activities.
Our experience using it for the Scott County weekend T-Hunts demonstrates how useful remotely activated transmitters can be, particularly for hunts that remain available over several days.
For clubs looking to expand their radio direction finding activities without investing in expensive specialized equipment, the BFoxCon is certainly worth considering.
BFoxCon Product Information:
BFoxCon Baofeng Foxhunt Controller: https://byonics.com/bfoxcon
BFoxCon User Manual (PDF): https://byonics.com/downloads/BFoxCon_Manual_v0.4.pdf
BFoxCon Web-Based Configuration Tool: https://byonics.com/mfconfig/
Windows Configuration Software: https://byonics.com/downloads/MicroFoxConfig_v1.95.zip