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UV-5R

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Exibar

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2013
Messages
5
Location
Rochester, Mass
I was looking at these UV-5R radios and they look nice. I currently have a Kenwood TK-270G that I'm slowing getting used to using before I get my license.

Does the UV-5R have the same VHF frequencies that the TK-270g does?

I see there is a UV-R5A available on ebay, say's new for 2013.... anyone know the difference between the UV-R5A and the UV-R5?

thanks guys!
Mike B
 

QDP2012

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2012
Messages
1,921
I was looking at these UV-5R radios and they look nice. I currently have a Kenwood TK-270G that I'm slowing getting used to using before I get my license.

Does the UV-5R have the same VHF frequencies that the TK-270g does?

I see there is a UV-R5A available on ebay, say's new for 2013.... anyone know the difference between the UV-R5A and the UV-R5?

thanks guys!
Mike B

Welcome to RR,

  • According to this 270G manual (.pdf), its frequency range is 150-174 mHz. It is a professional grade radio.
    • Some other sites noted that this will not work if programmed outside its range, meaning it might not work in the amateur bands.
  • According to this UV-5R manual (.pdf), its frequency range is 136-174(Tx/Rx), 400-480(Tx/Rx), 65-108(FM Commercial Rx only). Many consider this to be an amateur radio, not a professional grade radio.
    • I strongly encourage you to search the RR forums for other threads on "Baofeng" or "UV-5R" because there is a wide range of opinions about the radio's quality and performance.
    • From the description given on this page, apparently, the UV-5R and UV-5RA have slightly different cases, require different programming software, have different firmware, and do not exactly share the same batteries. Seaching the forums as mentioned in the above step might reveal other differences as well.
  • (Note: All of the above links are to sites outside of RR.)

Hope this helps,
 

Exibar

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2013
Messages
5
Location
Rochester, Mass
Cool, thank you very much for the information! You mentioned that the 270g is a Professional radio, and the uv-r5a is an amateur radio.
Is the difference just the frequency range supported? There appears to be quite an overlap between the two, bu maybe I'll be missing the most active ranges from 136-150?
I would also imagine that the difference would also be the "ruggedness" of the radio and th eabuse it can take before malfunctioning? I'd think that a Professional radio would be used by fire/police/emt and get banged around a bit more than an amateur radio?

thanks!
Mike B
 

Bazel

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2013
Messages
24
Location
Novato, California
The UV5R had some issues with the squelch sensitivity and a volume that didn't turn all the way down. Baofeng has improved the radio. I have the UV5RE the latest model and those problems are solved. There was another issue about scanning and where the radio would go to a specific frequency and then go back and rescan and not do all the frequencies. I can't remember the specific issue and haven't tested it, but as I recall there were work arounds.

It is a good radio but not a professional radio, specifically not in the sense it's will take rough handling and throwing around. I haven't tested it for that for obvious reasons.



I was looking at these UV-5R radios and they look nice. I currently have a Kenwood TK-270G that I'm slowing getting used to using before I get my license.

Does the UV-5R have the same VHF frequencies that the TK-270g does?

I see there is a UV-R5A available on ebay, say's new for 2013.... anyone know the difference between the UV-R5A and the UV-R5?

thanks guys!
Mike B
 

QDP2012

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2012
Messages
1,921
Cool, thank you very much for the information! You mentioned that the 270g is a Professional radio, and the uv-r5a is an amateur radio.
Is the difference just the frequency range supported? There appears to be quite an overlap between the two, bu maybe I'll be missing the most active ranges from 136-150?
I would also imagine that the difference would also be the "ruggedness" of the radio and th eabuse it can take before malfunctioning? I'd think that a Professional radio would be used by fire/police/emt and get banged around a bit more than an amateur radio?

thanks!
Mike B

Other manufacturers (like Kenwood, Motorola, etc.) make "professional-grade" radios which meet industry-standards for performance (how well does each individual part work), durability (how long does each part last), accuracy (meaning frequency-deviation is at a minimum), and are designed to perform at their best within a target-band. "Public service" (PD/FD/EMS) rated equipment is often more durable than "business-grade" equipment, because lives often "hang-in-the-balance". Some of the newer digital-trunking-transceivers can cost $5,000USD or more each. These are not mil-spec, but are usually rugged and not inexpensive.

Many manufacturers make amateur-radios. Some make both. Top-of-the-line amateur radios (even though they are very durable, high-quality items, and sometimes "ruggedized") are not considered "professional-grade" radios, in the same legal sense as mentioned above. They must meet a different set of requirements than "professional" business radios.

Often, manufacturers design the professional radios to function only in their specific band, not the amateur band. Likewise manufacturers design the amateur radios to function only in their specific band. Some amateur radios can receive non-amateur bands. Some can be "modified" to transmit out-of-band (at your own legal risk and equipment risk), etc.

Within the amateur radio world, major names, like Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu, and many others make radios that can cost several hundred dollars per unit. When some people compare these with the Baofeng UV-5R and its advertised price (well below $100) and capabilities, questions get asked about the less-expensive unit's durability, performance, frequency-deviation, etc. In the RR forums, other threads contain discussions about other people's experiences with this unit. Some of the more specific or technical comments are particularly enlightening. I learned a lot from the varied opinions and would recommend the threads as useful-reading for anyone considering buying the UV-5R.

Hope this helps,
 
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