Side by Side Comparison of: BaoFeng

This baofeng handheld ham radio is by far the best investment I could have made when it comes down to emergency communication.The reason why I purchased this radio is to have a means of communication to the outside world if there is ever any kind of major disaster. Our world is a scary place right now and you never know when we will lose satellites and cell phone towers. That's when you resort to Old Fashioned Ham radios.PROGRAMMING: Let's face it, I am by no means an expert when it comes down to programming or using these radios. But baofeng makes it very easy for me to figure out how to be able to communicate to others using this radio.It comes with everything you need in order to get started. You could easily program all of the NOAA frequencies and all of your local emergency frequencies as well.It's very time-consuming and tedious to hand punch all of the frequencies into your baofeng radio therefore I purchased the programming cable so that I could hook up the radio to my computer using a software program.Unfortunately you have to purchase the baofeng programming Cable in order to easily program all of your frequencies. I highly suggest purchasing the more expensive authentic cable because all of the other cables that are not authentic will not work.RANGE: The two way radio does come with an antenna but I do recommend purchasing a longer antenna if you need to have a longer range. Again, I suggest purchasing authentic items when dealing with baofeng products. It is worth the extra few dollars you need to spend if you ever do need to use this in an emergency. With all that being said I was able to communicate with my son on his radio about two and a half miles away with the original antenna. We were on flat cleared land. When we were in the woods I was able to reach him approximately one mile away. I was not able to test these radios in the city but I would assume that the range would probably be cut in half.LEGALITY: in order to communicate with others on designated radio frequencies, most frequencies require you to have a license. Check your local laws and use common sense. Some frequencies do not require you to have a license. But if the STHF, I don't think they're going to be coming into your house looking for your license.Please rate this review to give me a better idea how I can improve my reviews. Thanks.

For the price this radio cannot be beat considering it is dual band and fully programmable. At first I was not sure what to expect, however I found this product to be of good quality, long battery life, looks good, sounds good and works as good of not better than any other name brand. It is loaded with features and options. The only con is manual programming is tricky and takes some time to get familiarized with. I would recommend using programming cable and CHIRP software instead. Otherwise perfect hand held radio, small enough to fit in your pocket.

Obviously not the highest quality HAM radio out there. But... probably the most bang for your buck. I have 4 of these and all of them function as they are supposed to. Some of the features are not the most intuitive, but it has a lot of features. I would suggest programming via your computer, there is free software just use google to find it and the instructions but you will need the USB programming cable Baofeng USB Programming Cable for Baofeng Two way Radio UV-5R, BF-888S,BF-F8+ With Driver CD. I also suggest a new antenna, you can double the range with a Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for AnyTone, BaoFeng, and Yaesu I am impressed with the battery life, but I would suggest buying an extra battery Original BaoFeng UV-5R Two-way Radio Battery you can charge it in the base without the radio! If you don't mind the unit being a little bigger the extended battery works well. ExpertPower® Baofeng Extended True Capacity Battery (Model: BL-5L, 3800 mAh) Mine have worked well for over a year now!

I wish that I had purchased this radio instead of the Yaesu FT-60R. The FT-60R has great reviews but this little radio is smaller, has longer battery run time, has a charger cradle, the menu talks to you. I don't see what all the fuss is about with the menu. The Yaesu menu seems harder to work with to me.I did order the programming cable which came with no instructions. I did not need the driver CD because windows found the driver on the internet. I programmed the radio with Chirp - which took a lot of trial and error to figure out. Bear in mind that the red led need to turn off prior to doing anything or the radio will not recognize Chirp. Chirp is nice in that it imports repeaters, FRS, GMRS, MURS and others. But you do need to set the proper offsets and PL Tones. Chirp does not do this for you. But Chirp is free - so complaining is stupid.I like the size of the radio. I like the numerical keypad that was added with this model. The flashlight, strobe. alarm, and FM broadcast radio are a nice edition.The best part is the cost. Great quality for $100 plus less money. I will recommend this radio to everyone I know.Be careful with this little gem. It is easy to break the law. FRS is limited to .5 watts. You can set the FRS channels to low power of 1 watt, using the earpiece will also help you keep the output power below .5 watts. Be careful with the GMRS capabilities. Don't use GMRS without the proper licensing. The radio also uses ham frequencies that you will need a license for. Be very careful not to transmit on frequencies that can get you in major trouble such as police, fire, commercial aircraft, etc.

I have a couple of these and really like them. One had a drop in charger issue where the led light would stay red even though no battery was being charged. I simply took off the bottom of the charger and touched up all the solder contacts. One must've had a cold solder joint because after touching them up, it now works perfectly. I didn't mark off a star for this because its not that unusual to run into cold solder joints from time to time. The radio has an excellent build quality. I was very surprised to see this in this price range. I was thinking of buying the extended battery (there is a seller on ebay who now sells the one for this radio) but after seeing how long the included battery last, I wont need the extended one. I read a lot about how difficult it is to program the radio and yes while it is tricky, its not that bad. There is a few you tube vids who step you thru the process. The free downloadable "Chirp" software is really good and super easy to use if you have the optional data cable. The "Prolific" driver for windows is also free (serial to usb) and is the driver needed for windows to see the radio. Just google search for it and install it before running the chirp software. I never bothered with the included cd that came with the data cable.

In short: as of around mid December 2012, buy this one.Best antenna for this: The Diamond SRJ77CA. Alternately, the Nagoya NA-771 SF if you are on a budget.I was trying to figure out which version to get on here, frustrated by the reviews, so I decided to buy them all and report. I had read that the various versions are all the same radio, just the style and color vary: UV-5R, 5RA, 5RC, 5RE, 5R+, 5R Mk II, UV-E5, UV-5R Plus. This is true, so it comes down to which one is going to ship with the most recent firmware.The firmware varies, but there does not seem to be much of a difference in performance. Holding "3" while you turn the radio on gets you the firmware version. I bought this mid-December, 2012 and got firmware version BFB295. I thought BFB293 was the latest but this is even more recent. The "UV-5R Plus" that I bought from Amazon for more money was BFB293, but I don't notice any difference at all in the functionality of the two.For programming channels, don't bother trying to program directly to the radio - get the programming cable. You can buy the cheap connector, search for CHIRP software, and navigate that with some frustration. If you would rather spend a bit more and skip the frustration, look into the RT Systems connector and software which works perfectly without any frustration.This can transmit on Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) with no license required. It also transmits on General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) which technically requires a license. However, "bubble-pack pirates" persons who use GMRS without a license are common. It also transmits on the HAM bands and even some commercial and emergency frequencies, so be careful what frequencies you transmit on according to your licensing.Construction? Much better than you're expecting. I have a $450 Yaesu VX-8DR, and this does 99% of what I used the Yaesu for day to day. It's not submersible, so don't take it into the bath tub with you, but at $44 it's practically disposable. The accessories are dirt cheap too. The volume can get much louder on a 5R than any other HT that I've used.Update 12/28/12: I bought a second one, received on Dec-21-2012, this time it was the BFB293 firmware rather than the BFB295 that I received two weeks prior.Update 1/4/13: I bought a different, earlier UV-5R variant that came with BFB297 firmware. These radios are all the same, it seems to be a crap shoot what firmware you'll get.

The radio snob in me wants to start off by saying that there are other radios out there - and many of them are a lot more reliable than the Baofeng UV-5R. Icom, Motorola, & Yaesu make excellent HT (Handy Talkie) radios. And you might be much better served by having a more substantially reliable radio like one of those. If I had to put my life on the line I would prefer to have a radio I know I can count on to work when I need it to.But as these are so inexpensive, and easy to get (and on Amazon Prime) and since you're usually looking at around $150 to get one of the better brands I decided to write this article to discuss the entry-level Baofeng so folks can understand what this radio can and can't do. And since we now own 5 of them we shouldn't talk too much smack about them.Very few people have any real plan for backup communications. That's almost crazy when you consider that for $30 you can get a device which will allow you to connect to your local community, hear severe weather alerts, get by-the-minute updates on what the emergency responders are doing, and if need be, even call for help. Enter the Baofeng UV-5R - the entry level radio everyone can afford and every family should have.IMPORTANT NOTE:It should be said that in order to transmit with a UV-5R a License from the FCC is required, since you can only legally use Amateur Radio Services and GMRS with these types of radios. Of course that could all fly out the window in a SHTF scenario, so plan as you see fit. Also in the event of an emergency (injury, life or death) you are allowed to transmit on any band you can to search for assistance. But you have to know what channels to call on to find help, more on that later.About the non-license required public frequencies:You don't need a license to transmit on the FRS frequencies, which are the same frequencies the walkie-takies your kids have from Walmart transmit on. HOWEVER the UV5Rs transmit between 1 to 4 watts (it's adjustable), and the legal limit for FRS is only 0.5 watts, so it is technically illegal to transmit on FRS with these radios except in an emergency. If you set the radio power to LOW you are at 1 watt, and will *probably* be ok to operate in your area (Menu Option 2.) FRS frequencies are listed here.They can transmit and receive on the 5 MURS frequencies, but since the UV-5R has the ability to transmit using more that 2 watts of power, it is also technically illegal to use them on MURS channels. You can dial the power below 2 watts (LOW power Menu option 2) and use MURS to comply with the rules of those frequencies, but do so at your own risk. MURS does allow you to use an external antenna so simplex transmit and receive ranges of 10 miles is not unobtainable although not the norm. I've found MURS to work pretty well up to about a mile or so on flat ground with the Baofengs. Another MURS option is to look into something like a goTenna - text & GPS on your phone, no service required.The FCC license required frequencies:For $90 (soon $65) you can get a 5-year license for you and your family to use GMRS which is legal to do with these radios. Here is a guide on how to do that. GMRS can use repeaters and up to 50 watts of power and external antennas. No test required, just have to buy the license. This is a good option, because there are quite a few GMRS radios out there from the big box stores so it's a big network you can get going for cheap.Lastly yet most importantly, you can use the Amateur Radio Service aka Ham Radio Frequencies. You will need to pass an exam given by the FCC to get your Technicians License. This is really the best option but requires a some time and commitment. There is only a $15 fee to take the exam, and if you pass the license is good for 10 years. Bug Out Bag Builder has a good article showing how to get one http://www.bugoutbagbuilder.com/learning-tutorials/how-get-your-radio-license.You don't need a license to RECEIVE transmissions.And that is the true beauty of this radio for the average person, and why it's a necessary tool and part of your bug out communications planning. It gives you a very powerful informational tool, one that's portable, fairly uncomplicated to use, and cheap.With a little bit of research you can find out what frequencies the ARES and RACES groups transmit on, and listen in. Those are volunteer emergency associations which assist first responders with boots on the ground information about conditions affecting their area. If you want to look for local "nets" in your area use this tool from the ARRL. It will show you the frequencies of the "repeaters" that the nets are taking place on.There are a couple of good frequencies to program into your radio. 146.520 (on 2m) and 446.000 (on 70cm.) Those are the national simplex "calling" frequencies, meaning they are the ones monitored by other local radio operators for simplex operation. (Simplex means "radio-to-radio" ie. not using a repeater.) A conversation started on that frequency is then moved to another. You need a license for those frequencies to transmit. I've found that the simplex frequencies transmit and receive better than the FRS or MURS bands.Hint: You might need to change your settings on the Baofeng to make 5k increments when programming frequencies. Hit the "menu" button and look for item 1 STEP. Then adjust it to 5k.You have additional options for receiving info with the UV-5R: NOAA weather alerts and FM Broadcast stations (it is an FM radio after all.)You can monitor 2 frequencies at a time using the Dual Watch feature. Menu item 7 TDR. TDR Allows monitoring of 2 channels, by toggling between Freq A and Freq B. If a signal is received, the Receive remains on that channel until the signal is gone.VERSIONSThere are several known variants of this radio. All of them are the same hardware, the only difference is the firmware (software) they ship with. If you buy on Amazon you are probably getting the latest firmware, but there's no guarantee. It's not a game changer, they all pretty much run the same from what I can tell.DURABILITYDon't drop these too much. They aren't cream-puffs but they are not meant to be roughed up like some other radios are. But the build feels solid enough for what it's meant to do.EXPENDABILITYOur suggestion is to get a good HT from Icom or Yaesu if you can spring the +$150, and get a few Baofengs as beaters and backups. Strength in numbers. But if you want something today buy the Baofeng and you rest easy that at least you covered it.PROGRAMMINGNot horrible, but only if done on a computer. If all you care about is 4-5 frequencies then you can do it on the unit. You need the computer program CHIRP to program the HT. You also need the right USB cable (this one BTECH PC03 FTDI Genuine USB Programming Cable for BTECH, BaoFeng, Kenwood, and AnyTone Radio.) Avoid the cheap knockoffs. Been there done that and they don't work.RECEIVE AND TRANSMITThe antenna on the unit can throw a few miles to a repeater typically. For radio-to-radio simplex, you're lucky to get a mile. You can replace the antenna on these. Small or big. For $100 can get an adapter cable, 25/50' of LMR -240 low loss cable, and a N9TAX dual-band antenna to throw in a tree or get up high with. This will help get your signal out there and catch better signals to you.The power outputs only 5'ish watts on these things so don't expect miracles. For a couple of hundred bucks more you can get a unit with 65 or more watts, but that means a 12v to 110 converter and a power source to connect it to. That's the next level stuff we'll talk about another time.Scanning channels on these things is slooooow if you are trying to check every frequency in existence. My suggestion is to program in a few dozen local repeaters, the NOAA channels. FRS, MURS and maybe GMRS and call it a day.FURTHER READINGMiklor.com has extensive documentation on these radios, and is your best source for digging into them if you want to. Probably too much info for your average consumer, but it's good to see someone collected it all in one place. Some more info about using radios for emergency communications can be found at http://www.bugoutbagbuilder.com/learning-tutorials/bug-out-communicationsACCESSORIES TO CONSIDERBaofeng BF-S112 Two Way Radio SpeakerM1Surplus MOLLE Style Green Color Tactical Radio Pouch + PATRIOT FLAG Morale Patch Fits BaoFeng BF-F8HP UV-5R UF-5RA V2 UV-82HP UV-5X BF-F8+ GT-3 GT-3TP Motorola XTS5000 HT Walkie Talkie Ham RadiosExpertPower XP-771 14.5-Inch Dual Band SMA-F Antenna For Baofeng RadiosTram 1185 Amateur Dual-Band Magnet AntennaMPD Digital smaF/pl259f SMA Female to UHF SO239 PL259 Female RG58 Adapter Cable, 3-feetBTECH PC03 FTDI Genuine USB Programming Cable for BTECH, BaoFeng, Kenwood, and AnyTone Radio

Can't believe that I was able to get this 2 meter 440 MHz CB radio, I mean Ham radio for so cheap. Couldn't pass up the deal. People complain about the antenna on this thing, but after putting it on my RigExpert analyzer I found it was a very usable 1:1.4 SWR with less than 50J reactance. Now that doesn't mean it's great, it just means it works.People say the radio is hard to program, but anyone with any knowledge of modern knowledgeably should be able to figure out how to program this radio in a matter of 30 minutes. If not they make a software program you can google search for that will, for free, help you program the radio. Sure it doesn't have GPRS or any of those fancy features, but for a straight across walkytalky to get onto the local repeaters it works pretty well.For the price that I paid on this radio, I would buy it again if I lost it or broke it.. Then again, I'm an HF guy and don't give much thought to FM repeaters or UHF bands.

I have been extremely impressed by this little handheld. I figured I had nothing to loose for the price and needed to replace my 10-year old Icom and did not want to spend a ton of money. I certainly got a lot more than I bargained for. I have been able to hit UHF repeaters at distances up to 25 miles and still have close to full quieting at the other end. Adding the Nagouya NA-771 antenna definitely is worth the slightly extra expense, as is the optional 3800 mAh battery, as is a programming cable. Programming the radio using CHIRP is a breeze, no matter what kind of computer you have.The reasons that I will not give this a full 5 stars:1) Programming the radio without a computer is not intuitive and the included manual is almost worthless. Fortunately, one can easily find an online manual that was expertly composed and answers most, if not all questions.2) The battery that comes with the radio runs down fairly quickly with a lot of use; the battery level indicator on the radio spends most of its time showing full charge (3 bars), then drops to 2 bars, then 1, then the low voltage warning very quickly--I've learned that once one bar appears, charge the battery.3) You have to program the radio not to transmit on frequencies outside the amateur radio bands--for example, you can listen in on local police radio, but unless you block that channel, you may accidentally transmit on it--a big no-no. CHIRP does this easily on individual channels, but not in blocks.Overall, I am very satisfied with this radio and after several months, I have had no problems.

When MENU 8 (Keypad Beep) is set to OFF, receiver audio is muted. The easy fix for this is to leave Keypad Beep ON. This bug effects radios with the most recent firmware releases (N5R-20/N5R-30).For the price, it is hard to beat the Baofeng UV-5R series. This radio has all the basic features necessary to tune in to most analog transmissions within it's range. It does have some bugs however, which may prove critical if you don't account for them.Note: Checking the firmware version from the radio, by holding "3" while turning the radio on, does not show you the correct firmware version for any of the newer firmware version. All firmware releases since BFB297 show "BFB297", regardless of if you are actually running BFB299, BFS311, N5R-20, etc. To see your actual firmware version you will need external software, such as CHIRP.

Neat little radio! It does work very well for the price. Harder to program than necessary and could be a lot nicer with a little effort. If you drop your expensive I, Y, K or other multi hundred dollar hand held down a well, you can replace it with a Baofeng for less than the overnight shipping on that other radio. This a disposable radio. It would cost as much to ship one back and forth as it does to replace it.The stock antenna is a dummy load in disguise. Dump it and look for something better.

I bought one of these UV-RA radios a few months ago, before I got my HAM license, to use as a hands on learning tool. That was a great idea. Having a radio to play with while i was reading up on HAM radio, made the things i was learning about make a lot more sense. Of course I could not transmit, but i did listen a lot, and learned a ton from just listening. Now that I passed my technician exam and have been using the radio for a few months, I have really enjoyed it. Its gets me on the air, and i am joining some local nets with it. I'm sure that I will want some other radios, as I progress with the hobby, but for now it is just fine. The programing isn't as hard as some have made it seem, however I have not programed other radios, so others may be much easier. The programing cable used with CHIRP is very easy, but I did have to find and download a driver for the cable. A tip for anyone new to CHIRP is that before you can "upload to radio", you first have to "download from radio". Once you do that, the program can recognize your radio and the upload option will now be available. If you want to learn about HAM radio, just get one. For the price, you wont be disappointed, and you will have a very usable radio. Have fun.

Overall for the price of this radio it is not bad at all. It is a great entry level or backup radio. The only problem that I have had with this radio is that the material quality is not the greatest. The belt clip that comes with the radio is almost worthless, it broke the second time I used it, if you buy this radio and plan on carrying it on a belt, buy a better clip. The second issue was with the retention tab for the battery(on the battery itself), it sheared off the second time I placed the battery into the radio. Maybe I got one that was manufactured on a Monday or Friday, but I would have expected the belt clip and the battery retention tab to have lasted beyond 2 uses. Don't even bother with the antenna that comes with the radio, there are far better ones out there for a decent price, that will get you far better reception.

I bought this HT a few months before I started studying for my ham license. This radio arrived with a cracked LCD screen but it did not really interfere with the display and I didn't want to bother with the return process. Setting up the radio was fairly easy and the included accessories (strap, belt clip and charger) are well made. The rechargeable battery is a nice addition and holds up well. Manually programming this radio is a bit of a hassle but even after watching a few YouTube videos, I found it too cumbersome and ordered a programming cable and downloaded Chirp.After I had a few repeaters programmed and I passed my ham test, I tried to make contacts on 2M but could never get anyone to respond. I replaced the stock antenna with a longer antenna but it wasn't until I installed a 2M Kenwood radio in my truck that I realized the Baofeng's transmitter simply wasn't powerful enough to hold my club's repeater that is about 15 miles away. I made a few contacts on 70cm on a closer repeater but given my elevation and distance from most of the 2M repeaters in my area, this radio is almost useless to me for anything other that a receiver.

Here's the "bottom line": I, based upon my years of experience in manufacturing, suspect that these radios are not ACTUALLY made BY Baofeng, but rather designed and marketed by Baofeng. I suspect that the "Lowest Bidder" makes these radios FOR them. That would explain different labeling and packaging.....and, of course, different standards of quality control. I suspect that I received one lousy radio from one [previous or current] manufacturer, and two that work very well, from another. I am putting a pic of the two [different boxes] side-by-side; Watch out for the one on the right! I am returning it to Amazon promptly.Details: I ordered 3 of these on the same day. Free shipping. Got here pretty quick. All 3 came together in one med-sized box. One radio inside was boxed by itself, and the other two radios were (boxed individually, of course) packaged together in a manila/bubble wrap envelope. The lone radio was in a different style box than the others. Also, the same (lone) radio came with a battery that was identical in every way to the other 2, EXCEPT the label on it. The volts, milliamps, etc. were the same...just the color of the sticker. This (lone) radio that came with a "different" battery label, and in a "different" box wouldn't allow me to successfully program it with CHIRP, while the other 2 were a breeze once I figured out the CHIRP software. The [lone] radio also had issues being "recognized" by the charging base station(s); the LED flashed constantly for hours before eventually putting a charge on the battery.

Overall: It's a pain in the rear to set up and get use to but its a powerful little radio.PRO's+ Great Price+ Compact Size+ Comes with a nice battery charger/stand+ Great LED ColorsCON's- Firmware has bugs and it can not be updated- Programming cable costs extra- Menu System is clunky and confusing- Resetting to factory resets the voice to Chinese (you can change after the reset back to English)Things to know:1) Documentation that comes with the radio is HORRIBLE!2) There's a firmware bug that will freeze memory scanning when you have a RX PL Tone set.3) Its a pain to configure the radio through the menu system. Might be worth to get the programming cable and software.If you get this radio here is some help which helped me:http://uv5r.net/baofeng-uv-5r-programming/http://forums.radioreference.com/budget-entry-level-transceivers/268176-how-program-repeaters-into-baofeng-uv-5r.html

I have a Yeasu FT60 also, which cost 4 times the price of the Baofeng. For the money, you can't beat this radio. Transmit to repeater is pretty decent even with the included rubber duck antenna. I have tried it from the car, which is usually terrible, and signal reports were pretty good. Reception is also pretty good. The feel of the button is stiff, and you really have to push the PTT button to get it into transmit. I wonder how they will hold up over time. Battery life is really long. Programming is screwy, but if you buy a cable (available for 6-7 bucks) you can use the free CHIRP program and that makes things very simple. My A/C adapter failed after a week---very poor quality. A replacement adapter is fairly expensive. This radio is no Yeasu---nowhere near as sturdy, reception not as good, transmission not as strong, ease of use more complicated, and I have zero doubt it will not last anywhere near as long. However, it is 1/4 the price. If you want a starter radio to get into HAM, this is a good choice. It will also transmit on MURS channels (not legally---above legal power), as well as FRS and GMRS frequencies (also above legal power limits). It is NOT FCC certified and I don't know why they allow this radio to be imported set up the way it is. On HAM frequencies it is fine, however. 4 watts output versus the more typical 5 on a Yaesu, Icom or other mainstream ham ht.

#1 complaint, the squelch isn't easily adjustable, it's a digitally stored value that you have to into the menu to adjust. So, if your getting the typical "SHHHHHHHHHH!" we get from the squelch being too low, it'll be screaming at you until you go into the menu, go to the squelch setting, adjust the squelch up a value, save it, and repeat until it's quiet. Which of course depending on the time of day will cause weaker signals to disappear that you might otherwise want to listen to (typically day time, squelch gets turned up, and night time squelch gets turned down, but also depends on your antenna too). Put a squelch knob on the radio, it's the second most used thing next to volume and VFO.The antenna that comes with it (as most HTs) isn't great. Get a Diamond, don't get that cheap $11 antenna, I bought one, it doesn't fit flush, and the glue inside snapped, separating the antenna from the metal piece that screws into the radio. I noticed lots of intermod (picking up interference from higher powered transmissions on frequencies you're not tuned to). For example, I was tuned to a repeater that I was no more than 4 miles from, and I was picking up trunking bursts from police frequencies. It seems to pick up better with an external antenna (adapter to a mag mount or disc one), but this also increased the interference. The local polices' trunking transmitter is closer to me than the 2 meter repeater I was trying to listen to. I've heard this same complaint about the Anytone dual-band mobile on Amazon.The radio was so cheap why bother getting a refund, you'll be better off saving your money for a REAL HT & using this one in conditions would wouldn't want to use your $200+ HT. Once I have my license and can transmit, I'll update this with responses from hams telling me how it sounds. As a reference, I had a Kenwood TH78a back when they first came out in the mid 90's & was interested in becoming a HAM. I became too busy and sold the HT before I got my license. Now, I'm getting back into it, and thought I would give this one a try. Whoops. Nothing will replace a Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu, etc. Sadly, that TH78a is still considered to be one heck of an HT by todays standards.

Radio and charging base were fine but wall wart was dead on arrival. Vendor couldn't locate my order to try to resolve

Impossible as well as mind boggling to figure out how o program and use.

this product arrived on time but I am very disappointed that it didn't come with instructions on how to set it up or program channels . The only online instruction are all with a really bad accent that can't be understood .

it's not a BAD radio...it's just not what people expect. This is a good hame radio for the price, that's for sure. The problem is that it has no manual to speak of, and to program it efficiently you need to buy the programming cable and download CHIRP (free) after that it's pretty easy, just be sure not to be buying a knockoff cable or the driver won't work. Also, know that although this WILL tune through the frequencies, you're stepping rather slowly with a button and scanning is just as slow. It's best used as a pre programmed radio. It's good if you have a bunch of repeaters and maybe a few high traffic simplex frequencies programmed in. Also, it uses SMA connectors but they are the opposite of what typical HT radios like the Yaesu uses. Overall...for under 30 bucks it's very worth it, you can't find a radio that cheap, nonetheless a dual bander. Just know what you're getting into when you buy, and try to have another radio available.

While I'm not an expert, I feel confident enough to operate midst radios, however this one was the most confusing. Software doesn't work, or hadn't yet.All the functions appear to work but all RX is static.I have double checked the inputs, but I have yet to hit the local repeater.Currently still up in the air on the purchase, but not liking my experience this far.

I purchased this item in an effort to get into ham radio. After receiving the item it worked well on RX and failed shortly after getting my tech license when I tried it on TX. The speaker stopped working and only emits sound when you tap on the radio. This is the second UV-5RA that has had this problem. The only thing stopping it from being 1 star is the ease with witch I have been able to exchange the broken radios. I also had problems with lines in the LCD display not working. Third time's the charm?

I have to send it back, it came without an antennae.

I'd leave no stars if I could. The squelch won't open, even after adjusting the setting to the lowest setting possible. I can push the monitor button or menu and hear all traffic just fine. I get OK signal reports depending on the antenna I use. I have more money in accessories than I've got in the radio so I'll just take my losses and spend my money on a better radio.

Spend the extra $20.00 and upgrade this is almost like a kids toy and could possibly fit in my 3 year olds hand perfect. The photos are deceiving, when I opened the box it was shipped in first thing I laughed because it was so small. I wish they would included photos of an adult holding it with normal size hands but I don't think they would sell this product if they did.

The antenna stopped working a month after I bought it. Now I have a nice paper weight

Great radio for the few weeks it lasted. Radio now will not turn on, and is only 2 months old. Even when the charging indicator LED is fully green, the radio is totally inoperable. Very disappointing after only 2 months of ownership. My neighbors both have the same radio and haven't had any issues, so I am very frustrated mine stopped operating (or even turning on) after that short amount of time.

Initially I was happy with this radio until two months after I bought it it stopped transmitting. Since the policy for returns is 30 days I'm out of luck. I guess I learned an inexpensive lesson....you get what you pay for.