Color: Black
Brand: BaoFeng
Model: UV-5R
Dimensions: 5.00" h x 4.00" w x 8.00" l,
Display size: 2.4
Product Description
The BaoFeng UV-5R is a compact hand held transceiver providing 4 watts in the frequency range of 136-174 MHz and 400-480 MHz. It is a compact, economical HT that includes a special VHF receive band from 65 - 108 MHz which includes the regular FM broadcast band. Dual watch and dual reception is supported. You get up to 128 memories. Other features include: selectable wide/narrow, battery save function, VOX, DCS/CTCSS encode, key lock and built in flashlight. Selectable frequency steps include: 2.5, 5, 6.25, 10, 12.5 and 25 kHz. RF power may be selected at 4 or 1 watts. This radio comes with an SMA-Female antenna, flexible antenna, BL-5 Li-ion battery (7.4V 1500 mAh), belt clip, wrist strap, AC adapter (8.4V 600ma) and drop-in charging tray. This radio requires the PC03 FTDI programming cable.Product Details
- Color: Black
- Brand: BaoFeng
- Model: UV-5R
- Dimensions: 5.00" h x 4.00" w x 8.00" l,
- Display size: 2.4
Features
- High / Low Power Settings (4W/1W) Programmable Amateur Radio
- Frequency Range: 65-108 MHz (Only commercial FM radio reception) VHF: 136-174 MHz(Rx/Tx). UHF: 400-520 MHz(Rx/Tx)
- Customize Channel Names, the Boot Display and More by Using the PC03 FTDI Programming Cable
- 1500mAh Battery; Broadband (Wide) 25khz / Narrowband (Narrow) 12.5khz Selectable
- AUTO Keypad Lock, Dual Band, Dual Display and Dual Standby
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews480 of 505 people found the following review helpful.
Superb low cost dual band HT with great perfomance and extras
By Mrflashport
The Baofeng UV-5R is not an APX7000, so if you're expecting that, you're not going to be impressed. If you want a good, reliable inexpensive dual band HT that is in fact a COMMERCIAL (it IS FCC part 90 certified) Radio, this is for you. Out of the box, it comes complete with a good 1800mah lithium ion battery, belt clip, hand strap and drop in charger. If you're familiar with commercial radios, you'll feel at home programming the UV-5R with the free software, but you'll need to purchase a USB cable if you don't already have one (this radio uses the same 2-pin Kenwood LMR style cable that Wouxun, TYT and many others use). The cables are less than $20.
You get 128 channels with any combination of VHF or UHF channels. Another plus is the radio ACTUALLY SUPPORTS NARROWBAND, INCLUDING SPLINTER CHANNELS. This is a HUGE plus if you want to use the radio to listen (or transmit, if you're authorized) to public safety after 2013 when the FCC mandates narrowband on VHF and UHF. Many agencies are also going to channel steps most ham radios cannot properly tune (e.g. 154.8225). The UV-5R uses DSP, so it has great audio on both transmit and receive. Reports I got about my transmit audio were great, and I noticed if I spoke loudly, the DSP did a good job of attenuating the voice to a tame level.
The display is fairly easy to read, and for it's size the keys are easy to press. What I really like is the large volume knob with integrated power switch, no accidental turn off of buttons! The PTT key is easy to actuate and you don't get fatigue for long conversations. Speaker is loud, though I don't think it has the 1 watt of audio the specifications state. It is loud enough to hear in a crowd or driving down the road with the window open. Construction of this HT is solid, does not feel like a $50 radio, more like a $150 radio.
The only downsides are the poorly written manual, but hey, this is a $50 radio not a $500 radio. If you've used LMR type radios, you'll be able to get around in the software, the menu system also lets you control many of the radios' features. It does have an FM radio, which actually has great sensitivity, and the flashlight feature is easy to actuate using the lower side button and actually comes in handy.
All in all, this is a great ham HT that has the unique ability to LEGALLY operate on part 90 (commercial) frequencies (for those duly authorized), has great performance, and a long battery life. For the price, you cannot go wrong with it. I would buy another and probably will.
454 of 485 people found the following review helpful.
How to Avoid Baofeng Radio Problems
By Radio Prepper
First, to all of the buyers of the Baofeng radios that are also hams, none of the cheaper Chinese radios (including many that cost far more than the Baofeng UV-5R series of radios) program the same way (from the keypad or from the programming software) as their more expensive Japanese counterparts. Simply seeing the "+-" sign on the Baofeng radio, for example, DOES NOT mean that the radio has automatically programmed the correct offset for the band you are on. Baofeng radios have to be programmed with both the complete receive frequency AND the transmit frequency to correctly access any repeaters in Channel (memory) Mode. Since most hams pride themselves on not reading manuals, (if you are a ham) you may have to re-read this paragraph several times.
Second, for all of the buyers of the Baofeng radios that think FCC Part 90 acceptance also means that you can have two frequencies 12.5kHz apart (or less) on your two VFO's (and not hear any other noise or interference on the other frequency), you will need to purchase a different radio than the UV-5R. If you are looking at the UV-5R as a way to reduce expenses but still want a better receiver (and want to stay in the Baofeng radio line), I would suggest either of the Baofeng B5 or the B6 series, which don't cost much more and have a far better receiver. Some folks feel the UV-82 series has a slightly better receiver, but to me it's simply a repackaged UV-5R radio without many of the accessories available to the UV-5R family (like an extended battery, or a "AA" or "AAA" shell pack), so although it does fix a few of the UV-5R's shortcomings, it also adds some new ones (IMHO).
If you truly want "more" features (like more memories, a better receiver, 2 tone/5 tone support, audio scrambling, compandered audio, more power, MotoTrbo digital capability, etc.) take a look at various models within the TYT product family, but be prepared to pay more for those features.
Third, understand that the Twin Dual Receive (TDR) function on the UV-5R is NOT the same as having the ability to receive two conversations at the same time. The radio simply scans back and forth between the two VFO's (think about counting 1001 and 1002 and you get the idea of it's scanning speed), so you may very well miss a short conversation or comment on one VFO from time to time. If this is totally unacceptable to you, purchase a more expensive radio (or carry two UV-5R radios) as this feature is NOT available (nor can it be re-programmed or hacked into existence) on either the UV-5R or B5/B6 series of radios.
Forth, if you insist on buying the cheapest USB programming cable available, expect that you will have issues getting the programming software (either VIP or Chirp) to work properly, since the majority of folks simply either fail to read or follow the detailed instructions on the Yahoo UV-5R forum (on how to overcome the cheap cable issues and/or don't understand how to properly turn off the Windows 7/8 auto update feature on their program drivers for the cable).
To avoid this cable issue completely, either purchase the actual Prolific or FTDI Kenwood 2-prong style programming cables or go First Class and get the RT Systems cable/software kit (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QUOH6RK or search for B00QUOH6RK if Amazon removes that link). Since Amazon will not allow any outside links to be published, you'll have to search the internet for yourself (or call a local radio dealer). Buying a real (not cloned or fake) cable and following the instructions on the Yahoo forum will eliminate 99% of the programming issues you hear folks complain about, or upgrade to First Class and get an RT Systems cable and software kit (as they are now available on Amazon).
Fifth, the majority of issues you hear about from this brand of radios (and Chinese radios in general) will come from the older hams or engineers, as they will constantly insist that "they" should be able to do things with it (using some other method) and will drive themselves crazy trying to figure out why their $60 radio doesn't work like their $300 to $600 dollar Japanese radios from Alinco, Kenwood, Icom, or Yaesu. Those folks, in turn, bash the radios on various forums or e-commerce sites (primarily because they won't follow directions and/or the radio doesn't work the way they feel it "should").
Six, understand that if you really know very little about radios in general and you insist on ignoring instructions given to you on various Baofeng forums or user-groups, and you don't even try to read the manual, you will probably (at some point) have an issue with these radios. It normally won't be the radio's fault, of course, as you won't change the frequency step correctly or will program both the PL tone on encode and decode (thereby blocking the repeater audio from coming through to your receiver), but you'll blame the radio nonetheless.
My suggestion at that point is to purchase one that's pre-programmed for you (already setup with the frequencies in your area). I've sent several folks like that to RF Gear 2 Go in AZ (google them for the contact info) for just that purpose. They now offer their radio programming service through Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I95HXK8 or search B00I95HXK8).
Lastly, all of the UV-5R radio family will transmit and receive from 136-174 MHz on VHF, and from 400-520 MHz on UHF (even if the seller says otherwise), but they only work on analog, not digital. So if you're looking for a radio to work on frequencies above or below this limit, or use the radio within a digital trunking environment, you'll need to look for another radio, as this one won't work.
In addition, occasionally you'll see (or read) about someone that claims to have a mod to allow the radio even more extended frequency coverage - it doesn't work. The "mod" will allow you to enter just about any frequency on the display, but the radio doesn't actually go there. So you end up with a modified radio, for example, that will show 800 MHz on the display but the limit for transmit and receive is still 520 MHz (on the high end) and 136 MHz (on the low end) within the radio. The "mod" doesn't add AM capability either, so forget trying to listen to aircraft or working CB radio (both of which are also outside the frequency range of the radio as well).
352 of 383 people found the following review helpful.
Low cost, high value 2m/440 HT
By MikeBlaw
You would be hard pressed to get a better dual band HT for $62. This radio has international settings, meaning that the entire frequency range from 130-174mhz and from 400-480mhz is open to both TX and RX. This means you do need to be careful as a Ham license only allows you to TX on 2m from 144-148mhz and on 440 from 420-450mhz. The radio is not FCC certified to transmit on any of the Marine VHF, MURS, FRS/GMRS, or business radio or emergency services radio frequencies that lie in these frequency ranges and operating in those frequency ranges with this HT will expose you to FCC action.
You definitely will need the programming cable as the included directions are not enlightening for programming the radio with the keypad. The programming software for the radio is a minimal spreadsheet program. There are better free aftermarket alternatives (there is an active Yahoo group devoted to this radio, there are plenty of Youtube videos, and there is an aftermarket programming package called CHIRP which is a better software program). Make sure that you firmly attach the cable as failure to attach the cable properly will lead to frustration.
The stock antenna is ok if you live under a repeater. For those not living under a repeater an aftermarket antenna is a good upgrade.
For operational purposes the radio transmits and receives quite well and will operate for quite some time on the rechargeable battery that is included with the radio.
For $62 you also have a radio that if it should fall into a lake, get lost or some other calamity strike you can replace it.
