So you want a waterproof Baofeng?

Chances are that there isn’t one. The word ‘waterproof’ itself doesn’t

mean anything. It could mean that it will survive a few drops of rain up to being hit with a high pressure water jet. Fortunately there are standards, found under International Protection Marking, a.k.a. IEC standard 60529. We know it better as IPX codes.

IP CodeMeaning & Test Standard

* IPX0 No special protection.

* IPX1 Protected against falling water. Equivalent to 3-5mm rainfall per minute for a duration of 10 minutes. Unit is placed in its normal operating position.

* IPX2 Protected against falling water when tilted up to 15 degrees – Same as IPX1 but unit is tested in 4 fixed positions – tilted 15 degrees in each direction from normal operating position.

* IPX3 Protected against spraying water – Water spraying up to 60 degrees from vertical at 10 liters/min at a pressure of 80–100 kN/m2 for 5 min.

* IPX4 Protected against splashing water – Same as IPX3 but water is sprayed at all angles.

* IPX5 Protected against water jets – Water projected at all angles through a 6.3 mm nozzle at a flow rate of 12.5 liters/min at a pressure of 30 kN/m2 for 3 minutes from a distance of 3 meters.

* IPX6 Protected against heavy seas – Water projected at all angles through a 12.5 mm nozzle at a flow rate of 100 liters/min at a pressure of 100 kN/m2 for 3 minutes from a distance of 3 meters.

* IPX7 Protected against water immersion – Immersion for 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter.

* IPX8 Protected against water submersion – The equipment is suitable for continual submersion in water under conditions which are identified by the manufacturer.