Looking to get a tri-band radio that won't put you in the poor house? The Baofeng UV-5RX3 Radioddity might be just the radio. I found using CHIRP to be the easiest way to program this radio, even though Radioddity does have their own software for the radio that you can download from their website. To me CHIRP is a more comprehensive program.
I have a UV-5x3, similar to that. It's a Baofeng. It transmits. It receives. It's tiny. It costs less than a single band 222 MHz radio. And that's about all I can say for it.
I have one as well. I bought a tri-band antenna so I wouldn't have to swap out the 2/440 for the 220. Like all Baofengs, it simply works, and it's dirt cheap. Buy two in case one gets rained on.
If you won't be disappointed, how uncompliant this Chinese radio is as well: Not on all bands, though. Even hams do not generally look inside the box before saying that a radio is "good" or "bad", most of these equipments are just illegal anywhere. It is a pity that it is so hard to defend the traditional ham manufacturers, too, since they also had, have, and will have nasty moves.
Many of these radios have the hardware to work TX/RX Out Of Band. The programming software that has the "Ham Band" limits is what keeps them somewhat compliant. If you use the original factory programming software, You can make them do anything. Understanding the language is the only barrier. Most of these radios have the firmware in ROM, Write once, So no changing the original firmware. It is locked to the hardware that that radio version has. Each run is different. Why is a 15 - 30 minute YouTube needed to give you 1 min or less of useful information ? That kills my Dialup data limit. Have Fun Everyone.
I liked video. I have UV-5x3 Baofeng BTECH also. Receive ok transmit audio way to low. It does work but you have to almost yell into mic hole. Mostly use for testing. Price was good for what you get. Yes, none compliant so not going to purchase any more. 73 kc0eoc
I didn't write a single word about out-of-band operation, so you just become an example of not looking into the boxes...
Why is it so tough to understand? We're RADIO AMATEURS!! I paraphrase from a lecture given to our ham club by a very well-respected FCC Engineer-in-charge many years ago: We can throw a tube circuit, or a digital Frankenstein on a pine board - or anything in between and communicate with each other using it. It's done all the time! If we can get our hands on it, we can use it ... but that equipment had better be in compliance with Part 97 when we do! If your "Baofeng" isn't in compliance and you put out a signal with it (because some examples actually are OK), it's on you baby! Wanna take a chance? Buy one! Times are tough and money's tight for a lot of us now. Don't wanna risk it? Leave 'em alone. But please, let's stop with the "radio snobbery" shtick. The "gun crowd" and the "Ford vs. Chevy" people do that - not us! We're supposed to be a fraternity. At least we were at one time ... Is there any chance we will ever get back to that? Speaking for myself, I'd just as happily work an OM or YL who is using a Baofeng as I would if he or she was using one of those new (high-dollar) Icom shack-in-a-box rigs. 73 de K9CTB
Got one and am amazed at how nice it is. It's up to you to run it legal. I think he does a really great job on the video! If you don't have something nice to say...DONT SAY ANYTHING.
I had ham store for 6 months in Des Moines, back in 2010, and we hardly sold anything to make a buck, and to allow us to keep it open, and after I figured it out, it was too late, that hams would come in and turn all the gears knobs, and transmit on our demo rigs, and kick all the tires, and look thru the dollar box and offer me .20 cents for something advertised for just $1.00 and then I realized I had made a huge mistake, and that society had changed the page, and the game had changed as well, and no one wanted ham store fronts anymore, they just wanted to save $15.00 or $20.00 and buy ham gear cheaper online, so I sold the store for half of what I paid for all my inventory to two hams a state away who came and paid and loaded all my store inventory over $25k worth of goodies back down South with them..!!! I heard they folded as well, so in the end, everyone want to save a buck, and you want to save a buck, and that’s what happened to me at my store named “HAMKITT”, and to Burghardts, and to AES, and to Minnesota Radio City, all closed because hams found cheaper stuff online, so as long as theirs cheaper radio gear the ham will buy that one hands down…!!! So get use to it cheaper stuff sells hands down, so note that, big old radio manufacturers, who offer radios for $11,000 your missing billions by not selling much much cheaper rigs, and then hams would by 10 of your radios instead of none..!!!
I get good use from BAOFENG hts. I can take my antenna out on the front porch and talk to my Ham friends. KG7IRJ Ohio Extra
Thank you, WJ6F ... I bought a UV-S9X3, but decided I would go with the UV-5RX3 instead for the larger capacity battery (I think it's about 13 bucks) and the antenna well that actually accepts the tri-band antennas you mentioned (the well on the S9 is too small). It's rather frustrating, trying to determine which "UV-5x" model was the "newest" or the "best". Finally decided on this one, as I needed a 220 MHz handheld. I'll sell or give away the S9, I think. We'll see how reliable this one is over time. For 30 bucks, I figure we can't go too wrong ... 73 de K9CTB Heh - yeah. Some of us remember when Yae-Ken-Com riceboxes were the "new tradition" and all the "Collins", "Motorola" and "Drake" guys were saying the same thing. Times change. They always have! Yanno, resistance to change is one of the biggest boogymen human beings have to face. Funny how that single aspect of being human *doesn't* change!
