New Baofeng UV 5RA Ham Two Way Radio

• 2013 Latest Version; More Stubborn Case, More Rich and Enhanced Features
• Frequency Range: 136-174 / 400-480MHz; 25KHz/12.5KHz Switchable
• 128 Channels 50 CTCSS and 104 CDCSS; Channel Step: 2.5/5/6.25/10/12.5/25KHz
• Dual-Band Display, Dual Frequency Display, Dual-Standby; A/B band independent operation
• Etekcity is the sole distributor of Baofeng New UV 5RA Two Way Radio on Amazon, buy with confidence!

If you compare the Baofeng UV-5R to the latest offerings from Icom, Yaesu, and Kenwood, you wouldn't think it's a 5-star radio. But when you look at the price they're asking for the UV-5R, 5 stars hardly seems enough. This is a fantastic value. For under forty-five bucks you get a pocket-sized dual band radio, complete with earphone/mike and a desktop drop-in charger. Heck, Icom gets almost as much as this radio sells for just for the charger! NOt enough? It'll also cover FMRS and GMRS frequencies, receive the FM broadcast band, and there's even a built in flashlight!

So you've got to figure there's a catch, right? And there is: Programming this radio from the front panel is a royal pain in the caboose. After studying helpful web pagesnot the manufacturer's manualI'm now comfortable programming single frequencies and repeater offsets in, but I still don't seem to be able to put the in memory properly. The manufacturer supplies a program that's supposed to make programming easier, but the word is that it's as confusing as the front panel controls.

Luckily there's a fix. A group of dedicated hams have created a program called CHIRP that's available for Windows, OSX, and Linux that's as easy to use as a spreadsheet. Just type in the frequencies, offsets, CTSS, comments, etc., and hit upload. Unfortunately Amazon doesn't allow web links in reviews but you can find it by googling CHIPS and UV-5R. You'll also need the USB Programming Cable for BAOFENG UV-5R UV-3R+ Two way Radio With Driver CD to connect the radio to your computer, too. If you're interested in learning more about this radio before your order one, a good place to start is the user reference at miklor dot com slash uv-5r.

Buy New Baofeng UV 5RA Ham Two Way Radio Now

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.

Read Best Reviews of New Baofeng UV 5RA Ham Two Way Radio Here

Purchased this HT hoping it would deliver as advertised and it did. 5RA with new 293 firmware. All items advertised,(including headset) were included in package. Could program this via USB cable(not included) by CHIRP and BAOFENG VIP software from my laptop with no problems. USB programming cable was ordered also on Amazon from other vendor for around $7 with $2 shipping China Post. Ordered radio and cable on same day and they both arrived on same day (china post shipped cable only took 6 days to East Coast USA). I am very pleased with this item and vendor. ... One note, the metallic front speaker piece in pictures looks silverish but when looking at it in person it is anodized, shiny black like the rest of the HT's frame. Very stylish!

ONE IMPORTANT NOTE: You need a license to use this HT on any of the frequencies it is approved by the FCC to transmit on. Ham frequencies part 97 and FCC reg. part 90 only. Even though it will transmit on FRS/GMRS and many other frequencies it is illegal to do so and interference to licensed users may result in confiscation, fines or imprisonment by the FCC and other authorities depending on what you do & how bad you tick them off. For more details see my comments section.

**EDITED UPDATE:as per comments for my review I will add that the picture shown has changed from a 5RA to 5R but the description has stayed the same. Hopefully it is just a mistaken picture. I also know a lot of people say it is hard to program by hand but after a week of daily use it is quite easy to remember what is what but I still use CHIRP and/or VIP software for major changes and frequency updates. I have no problem with my USB programming. I thought I did at one point but it turned out to be software related and not the HT's fault. After about 2 weeks now of use this HT is working just fine but I haven't looked at its harmonics yet. From what I gather, bad harmonics on TX is hit and miss to the individual radio. After two weeks of use, I can comfortably upgrade my 4 star to 5 star rating but will add an aftermarket antenna. With stock antenna I was able to pick up an Amateur satellite within an hour of first programming out of the box. PLEASE READ ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BY CLICKING COMMENTS TAB, THERE'S A LOT MORE INFO ON THIS RADIO AND PROGRAMMING CABLE SOURCE.

Want New Baofeng UV 5RA Ham Two Way Radio Discount?

Just as a background, I have 30 years of radio experience and have several dozen radios of all kinds and brands. I routinely test these radios just to compare them to give you an idea of how well they perform compared to a similarly priced product.

I am going to use 3 radios for this test. This is the scenario:

Test Equipment:

1 Baofeng UV-5RA

1 Motorola MS350Rwil be used as the Base station for testing

1 Motorola MT352R

Test Environment:

My wife will stand outside our house with an MS350R as I walk away. Every 0.1 miles, I will do a radio check. I have set all the radios to the same frequency and Privacy code.

Distance Test:

0.1 Miles

1. Baofeng Crystal clear on send and receive.

2. MT352R Crystal clear on send and receive.

Test: 0.1 Mile

1. Baofeng Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends.

2. MT352R Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends. Louder and Clearer than the Baofeng.

Test: 0.2 Miles

1. Baofeng Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends.

2. MT352R Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends. Louder and Clearer than the Baofeng.

Test: 0.3 Miles

1. Baofeng Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends.

2. MT352R Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends. Louder and Clearer than the Baofeng.

Test: 0.4 Miles

1. Baofeng Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends.

2. MT352R Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends. Louder and Clearer than the Baofeng.

Test: 0.5 Miles

1. Baofeng Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends.

2. MT352R Crystal clear on send and receive on both ends.

Test: 0.6 Miles

1. Baofeng There was a little noise in the background on receive but it came in crystal clear on the transmit.

2. MT352R There was a little noise in the background but it was still very clear on send and receive on both ends.

Test: 0.7 Miles

1. Baofeng There was a little noise in the background on receive but it came in crystal clear on the transmit. The Baofeng was coming in louder than the MT352R.

2. MT352R There was a little noise in the background but it was still very clear on send and receive on both ends.

Test: 0.8 Miles

1. Baofeng There was a little noise in the background on receive but it came in crystal clear on the transmit. The Baofeng was coming in louder than the MT352R.

2. MT352R There was a little noise in the background but it was still very clear on send and receive on both ends.

Test: 0.9 Miles

1. Baofeng There was a little noise in the background on receive but it came in crystal clear on the transmit. The Baofeng was coming in louder than the MT352R.

2. MT352R There was a little noise in the background but it was still very clear on send and receive on both ends.

Test: 1 Mile

1. Baofeng There was more noise in the background on receive but had some noise on the transmit. The Baofeng was coming in louder than the MT352R.

2. MT352R There was more noise in the background but we can still communicate.

Test: 1.2 Miles

1. Baofeng Her transmission was choppy. The transmission was very noisy. It was very choppy on the receive side. She had to repeat herself several times in order for me to understand. I had to repeat myself a couple of time with the Baofeng as well but a little better than the MT352R.

2. MT352R Her transmission was choppy. The transmission was very noisy. It was choppy on both sides. We both had to repeat ourselves several times in order to understand.

Features of the Baofeng:

Pros:

1. Audible menus I love that this thing talks to me as I navigate the menus.

2. Emergency flashlight and strobe light If you are stuck somewhere you can turn on the strobe and it makes you more visible.

3. Tiny size.

4. Removable antenna You can connect this to a mobile antenna.

5. Very long battery life Out of the box, I used this radio for 3 days straight without charging it.

6. FM Radio This is an awesome feature in such a small radio. You can listen to music when you are outside. And if someone talks in one of the channels you are monitoring, it turns of the FM and switches to Handheld radio mode.

7. Inexpensive.

Cons:

1. Not for the novice user. It took me a few hours to figure out how to program all the features on the keypad.

2. Not as durable as an Icom, Yaesu or Kenwood. Then again, those cost a lot more.

COMPARATIVE SUMMARY:

The Baofeng's removable rubber duck antenna and 4-5 Watts of power seems to be a little better in clarity in the longer distances. The Motorola is definitely louder and clearer in distances less than 0.5 miles. The Baofeng is really intended for Ham Licensed Operators since it handles Ham Frequencies and requires programming on the front keypad or by computer using an optional external cable and software. I did not bother with the software as I am used to programming radios all the time. A novice will have great difficulty understanding how to use this Baofeng as the User's Guide does seem to assume you are a Ham Operator.

So to you Ham guys out there, this is a nice radio. I am even building a Repeater using this Baofeng, just for fun. But for you guys that just want a working radio that you can talk on the GMRS/FRS frequencies, the higher powered Motorolas will do just fine.

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This is an amazing little radio and an amazing value. You get the radio, 1800 mah battery, drop-in charger, and ear-bud/mic headset for less than you might expect to pay for the battery alone! The radio is packed with features mostly useful, some amusing. Note that it is primarily a ham radio transceiver and you must be a licensed ham to legally transmit on ham frequencies.

The user manual that comes with the radio is useful but scanty. It only scratches the surface of how to set up and operate the radio. Out of the box, you can't do much of anything without some programming. An experienced ham can figure it out, but a new ham buying his first radio will likely be frustrated. This could be the radio for a new ham, but only with some help, preferably from an experienced user that already owns one. For example, frequency steps must be reduced to enable setting popular frequencies, and repeater offsets (not just +/-) must be specified. Fortunately, this radio has an enthusiastic and extremely helpful user group. Before buying the radio, I strongly recommend checking out miklor dot com slash uv5r. If you do buy the radio, you will really appreciate this resource!

A programming cable (purchased separately) is almost a necessity. The cable you buy will probably need an older driver to work. The previously mentioned resource will help you here also.

In sum, these are highly capable, highly quirky units that can provide lots of entertainment and useful operation once you figure out how to set them up. My ham radio group bought a bunch of them for go-kits.

UPDATE: About a dozen of these radios have been purchased by hams in my locality. Every one of them operated properly out of the box. One has been since damaged by dropping it on a hard surface. The radio itself was fine, but the supplied antenna suffered internal damage (resolved by replacing the antenna with an after market antenna). In terms of programming the radio, about half of the users had someone else program the radio using an optional programming cable. Note that one cable can program any number of radios, the caveat being that you need the proper driver on whatever computer is being used. Also note any programming cable for Baofeng, Wouxun, and Kenwood handy/talkies will work. One industrious ham made a programming file that includes all the area ham repeaters, GMRS, FRS, Marine VHF and NOAA weather frequencies. This file was shared by several, and had the added benefit of identical memory channel numbers. As suggested elsewhere, programming the radios manually is somewhat challenging and the "newbies" needed help. After many new radios and quite a bit of use, no one in our group has been disappointed by their purchase.