New video! How to check the firmware version of the Baofeng UV-5R Dual Band Amateur Radio. Did you know that the firmware version displayed may not be correct? Here is how to find out what firmware version you really have.
I checked my friends by putting it under the front tire of my truck and running over it.
I gave him $40.00 and lent him one of my real radios.
I got on the local repeater today on my way to the computer store and I had a guy come back to me that had that very same handheld.
When I left the house the repeater ID’D - that is how it is set up.
The first person to kerchunk it ID’s the repeater.
Then it doesn’t ID again for 10 minutes.
When at the 10 minute mark, his hand held was already hot to the touch and by 15 minutes it would no longer hit the repeater 5 miles away.
I asked the three most important question, how long have you been a ham, what class of license are you, and is this your only radio?
The answer was that he got his license 5 years ago and yes this was his only working radio, and he was still a technician class licensee…
I think that every person within ear shot learned something today.
Do not buy a cheap handheld as your primary radio.
If people would take them for what they really are - just a cheap piece of junk that is ok for personal communications, or working a event where everyone is LOS - then they would realize that if they truely wanted to be a real ham - they wouldn’t buy it as a first radio.
As a comparison, with my Yaesu FT 8900R - before I left the house, the band conditions were so good, I hit a repeater down near Clarksburg WV - 100 miles away, with my 50 watt mobile and my Diamond V2000 antenna.
The folks in WV wanted to know what kind of beam antenna and amplifier I was using.
It’s all about TECHNOLOGY!!
I think that low priced radios like the Baofeng UV-5R are a good way to get new people into ham. You can buy an ARRL Technician License Manual, pay to take the test, and get a dual band radio all for under $100. A lot of new hams aren’t going to be willing to pay $500 for a radio when they’re just getting started. I think it’s a good thing that radios like this let people get their feet wet for very little $$. What do you think?
I have had my amateur radio license for over 20 years and have been active. I have an Extra clss license. I have had many radios, some were Alincos and many Yaesus. I have a BaoFeng UV-5R that I have been using for about three months. It is not junk. The audio is very good and I have had many good comments on the audio. The receive is better than my current Alinco and equal with my Yaesu. It is a great low cost radio and can very well be used as you only radio. I am well pleased with the BaoFeng and if they produce a mobile or an HF rig I WILL buy them. The only other thing I would like is a bit more than 4 watts, but for 4 watts the transmit goes a good distance. But for the price, It cannot be beat.
My son and I both have a UV-5R and can hit all the local repeaters from inside our house. I use a Baofeng BF-F9 with an XLT SM200-KW1 speaker mic connected to a Nagoya UT-108UV mag mount as a mobile radio in my car and it works very well.
If you want an inexpensive option for mobile rig, a little Baofeng ht is a way to go.
I have a Baofeng UV-5R, the firmware I checked is BFB301. I just order another model gt-3 which said it’s BFS311, which one is the newest? What’s the difference?
BTW, I got coupon from my friend